Nathan Morris

A&E Editor

Birmingham, finest Mamma Barker boy, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, hock up a classy sophomore album.
The Southern metal juggernauts provided a lullaby for metal and Southern rock kids with their first self titled album, and the band’s new album, “II,” picks up right where the first one left off.
Now hoisting the “Ferret Records” logo on all its albums, “II” won’t leave you stuck in the mud or wondering if Maylene will be around in the near future.
Packing a more produced, mature crown, the album never strays from its Mamma, with constant references of Kate “Ma” Barker and her sons of disaster.
As the story goes Barker and the boys’ criminal mischief slides in right beside Bonnie and Clyde’s rampage of a journey.
While Maylene still rejoices with its fans and holds its Christian Southern metal charm, the boys can’t help but to wail and scream about Barker and her boys.
But Maylene transforms the disastrous, mischief-ridden group of heathens with a lesson and most of all, “II.”
The first track, “Memories of the Grove,” takes a bite out of Ma Barker’s hometown and Dallas Taylor’s vocals.
In comparison to the vocals on its self-titled album, Taylor trades in his sludgy, swampy vocals for a more mature Southern-esqe style that rains with originality.
Right out of the rusty barrel, “Memories of the Grove” showcases Maylene’s first swing at gang vocals.
Of course, the swing was successful and carries hazardous potential if performed in concert.
Next up to bat is “Dry the River,” which was the first track to be released from “II.”
Despite the pattern with most artists, Maylene uses this track to prove that it still has what Southern-metal bands are made of.
Through the humid bass riffs, pounding rhythms, vocals as mighty as cicadas in the swamp and the three swirling, vengeful guitars, “II” packs the South in Southern metal.
With the first two tracks down and nine solid tracks to go, Maylene tosses in a few surprises in the midst of the constructive chaos.
While choruses are often left to wilt when it comes to the boys in Maylene, tracks like “Death is an Alcoholic” and “Plenty Strong and Plenty Wrong” dabble with more melodic hardcore styles and put Maylene in a new light.
For the most part, Maylene holds down the fort with the towering, brutal breakdowns and never lets other styles of music bring down what it has defined.
The good ol’ boys bring it on home with the last two tracks, “Tale of the Runaways” and “The day Hell Broke Loose at Sicard Hollow.”
“Mama didn’t raise no fool,” or at least that is what Taylor preaches in “Don’t Ever Cross a Trowel,” but Mama did bring up a group of talented musicians.
Both “Tale of Runaways” and “The Day Hell Broke Loose at Sicard Hollow” float away from the heavy Southern metal sound and blend acoustic country riffs with classic Southern rock.
Overall, “II” contains the heritage, the complexity, the talent, the originality and most of all, a quick Southern attitude.
Maylene and the Sons of Disaster has what it takes to win over fans of country, metal, Southern rock and hardcore music, and the band is brilliantly showcased in “II.”