Salutations from the Ghetto Nation

by Ed RivadaviaWarrior Soul wasted no time getting down to business on their third album, Salutations From the Ghetto Nation; they make up for their distractedly unfocused sophomore effort by exploding into life with the powerful, circular riff of opener "Love Destruction," arguably the best single of the group's career. In what amounts to a near-perfect first half, the pulsating power chords of "Blown" and "Shine Like It" revisit the relentless intensity of the band's impressive debut before giving way to the amazingly direct and message-free punk rock energy of "Punk and Belligerent" and "Ass Kickin'." Sadly, some of the most refreshingly unique moments of the band's career are pretty much spoiled by the lackluster string of songs that follow, sinking the remainder of the album in lumbering, uninspired epics topped with Clarke's political whining. A tale of two halves, Salutations would continue Warrior Soul's career slide and set the stage for their creative low-point with 1993's Chill Pill.