Iron Witch / The Atrocity Exhibit split

Well, you know it's got to be special to reanimate Thee Claw. fresh off the presses, a joint (no pun intended) release from British underground heavyweights Iron Witch and The Atrocity Exhibit, released in conjunction with Dead Chemist Records and Witch Hunter Records.
Two slabs of prime British sludge.  So what do we have?

Unfortunately, I managed to miss Iron Witch on their recent jaunt around these isles with the godfathers of heavy, Crowbar, and it's a real shame because they have matured so much since the I reviewed their 2011 ep Single Malt, and considering they are local lads I am still yet to witness them live.
Their work rate is phenomenal and they have honed their craft whilst touring with some of the real heavy hitters out there, doing it properly by getting in the van and getting a sweat on in some real shitholes.
Their track on this split is a tortured riff beast, the unquestionable sheer emotion of the lyrics spat out by Chris over some tremendous, glacial riffing from Sam and Dan.  As ever, Will's powerful stick work locks in tightly with the almost third guitar sounding bass of Rick, propelling the whole thing forward at a Grief-like pace.  Iron Witch are the hardest working band in the country, who are carving out their own style and sound, and it's great to see their name falling into every day parlance amongst sludge fans.

The Atrocity Exhibit come from a more grind-oriented angle, attacking their side with a seething brutality that builds from a wall of feedback with the sound of a heart stopping sampled over the top, into an evil sounding riff, as if the two bands have got together first to have a heaviest riff competition.
The Northampton three-piece really strip their sound back on this, a really primitive sounding track that confines the listener thanks in no small part to the massive production on this track from Ian Boult.  When it starts to pick up pace, with some pounding drums from Danny Curtis, it's a pummeling that leads into a section with some punishing, stop-start dynamics. Ending with a bang after some sustained feedback, this is my first exposure to The Atrocity Exhibit and has got me wanting more.

Available from:
http://deadchemists.bigcartel.com/
http://witchhunterrecords.bigcartel.com/

Go see:
http://ironwitch.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/theatrocityexhibit

Limb / Gurt - Split Roast EP

Frightening the neighbours courtesy of Witch Hunter Records is the new combined release from Gurt and Limb - and what a release, really showcasing where sludge is at in the UK right now. Each band has contributed an original track, a cover version, and then covered a track by the other band on the split - resulting in a unique, varied selection.

Gurt kick off the proceedings with new song "Sophisticate" Southern style sludge boogie that barrels along nicely and gets your head nodding and foot tapping (I even broke into some air drumming),  and their cover of Limb's "Gift of the Sun" is transformed into a fuzz-heavy whirlwind of a track,  but the strangely jarring cover of Talking Head's "Psycho Killer" is an unexpected highlight here - it lends itself to the heaviness in a way that I would never imagine, breaking down into a middle-of-the-pit stomp at the end. Most interesting.

Long time Claw favourites Limb debut a new track, "Plague Doctor", a mid paced barnstormer with casual, nodding Sabbath tones giving way to a heads-down middle section that picks up the pace a slightly before shuddering to a halt like a jack-knifing truck. Lesser-known Queen track "Son and Daughter" gets the fuzz treatment here, mutating into a riff-heavy, howling phantom of it's original version. Brian May on spacecakes. The EP closes with Limb covering Gurt's sweary "Soapfeast" and putting their own stamp all over it, then dragging it to it's feet and stamping on it again.

All in all, WHR have put together two of the most interesting sludge bands in the UK at the moment and done something fresh and new - a new highlight in an already impressive catalogue.

Get yourself over here for limited edition handmade CDs, NOW.

Confine - Setting Fire to the Western Hemisphere

In the vein of powerviolence bands like Infest et al, Confine's Setting Fire to the Western World is a 100 mile an hour attack that just seethes - even when they slow to a glacial crawl on Abstraction, it serves to intensify the feeling of anger apparent throughout the tracks on offer.

Eight songs in seven minutes - if you like your hardcore fast and grinding, then this staccato outing is just what you need.

Think along the lines of Total Fucking Destruction etc and you'll be in the ballpark.

Available now from the ever reliable Witch Hunter Records.

http://witchhunterrecords.bigcartel.com/

http://confine.bandcamp.com/

Koresh - Chump

Like a punch in the face, Koresh don't fuck about, straight up hateful, bass heavy sludge with a definite tongue in the ol' cheek as embodied on the cover.
With song titles like Straightedge Til Midnight and the inspired You Can Call Me Gaahl, you might be pretty sure what to expect from this London quintet.

No-messing  sludgecore in the vein of Charger or Black Eye Riot, that good old English tradition like drinking white cider on the Waltzers in the rain. You know what you are going to get from Koresh, and I know that you need it. The songs are all short and to the point - no need for drawn out riffing here.
Chump barrels into your life like amphetamine paranoia - when I imagine them playing live I imagine it looking like a fight in a cartoon - a big cloud of dust with the occasional fist, headstock or drumstick coming out.

Brilliant.


www.witchhunterrecords.bigcartel.com
www.witchhunterrecords.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/WitchHunterRecords
www.twitter.com/witchhunterrecs
www.witchhunterrecords.tumblr.com

Wraiths - 2012 EP

Yeah I slept on it.
But It's here now.

Hailing from North East England, when a band has a logo like that and has song titles like Church Burner, they better be good, and they don't disappoint, although they might not be what you'd immediately expect. Their 2012 EP has been given a 2013 release by Witch Hunter Records, 

five tracks of metallic hardcore, true crossover, with churning guitars and hectic vocals.

Each song pummels you into submission, just when you think you are getting a handle on it, it will twist off into some other direction leaving you chasing after it.

Wraiths obviously have a lot of disparate influences, all of which come together in a claustrophobic manner on this EP, yet are hard to separate and identify, as the band have forged their own identity.

Hardcore kids will love it, executing spinning roundhouses and flailing into each other, metal heads can headbang to it, you can all slam into each other using it as a soundtrack.

There is a definite negativity permeating the songs and the sound of the band - you can sense the antagonism building at the start of Hell Ride - flattening you into the ground so that when the quiet section comes in you are completely unprepared for it, but anticipating the mosh part that you know will follow.

Album closer Monolith is a seven minute plus Darkcore epic, travelling through different musical themes and tempos, but is a strangely cathartic experience, as is the whole EP, proof that there may yet be strength through negativity.

Grab yourself a tape, a download or a bundle NOW.

Seagraves - WRONG

Further to our earlier post with a review of the new Seagraves CD Weight of the World, Jez Walshaw kindly got in touch to remind us you can all check out the official video for the track WRONG online.
And where can you see this visual feast? well, look no further than after these words!

Seagraves - Weight of the World

Leeds veterans Seagraves return with a five track release Weight of the World, and it's good, dark hardcore punk rock.

Opening track Hollow Lies is a mid-paced track that sort of lulls you into a false sense of security before Seagraves smash you in the mouth with the second track Dreams are for Fools, with it's stop-start riffing and staccato double-bass attack, also jamming out some filthy grooves too.

Obvious, lazy comparisons are bound to be drawn, and there's a definite sound of your scene heavyweights like Converge et al, who the band have toured with, but I'd say the band remind me more of a homegrown World Burns to Death, especially on tracks like the title track here, which barrels along like an out-take from The Sucking of Missile Cock by the aforementioned WB2D.

Blood Runs Black is full of surprising twists and turns, a lot more melodic than I was expecting, and the final song, Wrong, is more furious breakneck kängpunk violence, which leaves you dazed, and (with the whole thing over after about 15 minutes), rather perversely, wanting another kick in the face at the end.

A cracking, powerful release reccomend for fans of Converge, World Burns to Death, His Hero is Gone, Botch ETC.

www.facebook.com/seagravesuk 
www.seagraves.bandcamp.com 
seagravesuk@gmail.com 

www.witchhunterrecords.bandcamp.com 
witchhunterrecords@gmail.com 

Seagraves pre-order

Listen - http://witchhunterrecords.bandcamp.com/

Buy - http://witchhunterrecords.bigcartel.com/

Video for 'Wrong' courtesy of Monster Riffage can be found here
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCfrIiX4Etg 

Distinguished veterans of the Leeds scene, Seagraves are 4 men on a mission to combine the vitality & unchecked rage of 90s noisecore with nihilistic D-Beat crust. Having spent the best part of the last decade in various projects touring the Europe with Converge, Norma Jean, Cancer Bats & other massive names, it was time to regroup in a dingy practice room & hammer out some heavy jams.

Formed in early 2012, Seagraves draw influence from the turn of the century hardcore & crust movements. Easy comparisons to Botch & The Hope Conspiracy can be drawn but the sound is underpinned by the dirtier punky tones of His Hero Is Gone, Cursed etc.

Debut EP Weight of the World was recorded by Kris Barker at Panacea Studios (Needs Fire, Shoot the Bastard) & is to be put out by Witch Hunter Records ion February 24th 2013. A heavy gigging schedule is planned to follow this release & a promo video for 'Wrong' filmed by Monster Riffage launches too

Limited to 150 copies, this CD comes in a hand-crafted gatefold manilla card sleeve, with a lyric insert, and printed by Giant Iron Face

Niall Wright - Guitar/Vocals
Jonathan "Beefy" Kirk - Guitar/Vocals
James Wilson - Bass
Ben Palmer - Drums

Recorded by Kris Barker at Panacea Recordings, July 2012
www.panacearecordings.com 

Art, Design and Layout by Padraig O'Bogaigh
www.ladiespinchwhoresuserouge.tumblr.com 

www.facebook.com/seagravesuk 
www.seagraves.bandcamp.com 
seagravesuk@gmail.com 

Mage - Black Sands

There's only so much filth one can be immersed in before you want something...different, for want of a better word!

We recently received a promo copy of Mage's BLACK SANDS, and when we put it on, what a refreshing release this is!

Mage are rocking out, simple as that.
This is 10 tracks of Sabbath-infused good time Doom Metal.
It's nice to see bands with doom influences that are not bothering with the occult-shtick Scooby Doom nonsense that's so prevalent these days.

As soon as Cosmic Cruiser X blasts out of your speakers, it's time to crack open a cold one and enjoy.
The song grooves along, with the rhythm section of Andy and Mark working together to lay down some serious bedrock for the twin guitar attack of Ben and Woody to play across the top of.

Tom's vocals are classic heavy metal in the vein of Pepper Keenan or Ben Ward, and when it all comes together...well, I lost count of the amount of times I started playing air-bass or nodding along when I gave the disc it's first spin!
There are plenty of brilliant bluesy style moments in the tracks, alongside sections that really rock, such as the start of Rust.
In places the band have a feel of mid-period Cathedral or Kyuss, and I've found myself humming the basslines off a few of these tracks today!
Drowning Doom is a standout track for me, a straight up doom beginning leading into some excellent double bass drumming before the riff comes back in again, it also has an almost Alice in Chains feel to it, which is a good thing.
Witch of the Black Desert has a Sleep-esque start to it before it really kicks off, Sabbath style about two and a half minutes in.

All in all, this is a real stomper of an album, covering all kinds of ground, and Boulty's production really puts the band right in your face.
Brilliant.
The band are self releasing this as a digipack CD, and it will be distributed online by the hard working Witch Hunter Records, you can get it on Spotify, iTunes and Amazon, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

wwww.facebook.com/mageband
www.witchhunterrecords.com

Tree of Sores in wax release on ALERTA ANTIFASCISTA

Claw favourites TREE OF SORES are set to release their, well, basically their back catalogue on vinyl through Germany's ALERTA ANTIFASCISTA. This contains the recent full length "A Cry of Despair" and the debut on one 12".

PRE-ORDER! SHIPPING AT 15th DECEMBER!!! 
Starting out with crushing guitars and abrasive vocals a pounding rhythm soon is established leading to some haunting guitar work it sets the tone for more to follow. 
Tree of Sores must really be commended for the quality of this release. 
Every member excels to provide the listener with a stunning listening experience. 
 "A Cry Of Despair" takes a more subtle turn around the ten minute mark. 
A delicate riff builds with chiming momentum giving way to a brooding passage of density and euphoric greatness . Free of vocals, the music carries the song while maintaining the flow . 
It gives way to more atmospheric moments before gathering in pace again. Ending in brutal fashion with pummelling drums and layers of guitar, eventually fading out in drones of feedback and effects overall its an outstanding accomplishment Tree Of Sores can be proud of. 
This Release also contains almost the whole first EP (one song is missing) on the B-Side and a A2-Poster (size: 17x24inch)!!!

Limb - Demo CD

London four piece LIMB originally went into the studio in January to record their demo, just went in and did it live, and Witch Hunter Records have remixed the three tracks for release on this CD EP.
When I say remixed though, don't expect any kind of polished nonsense though, it's still a raw sounding document of a band laying down their tracks together in the studio, overdriven and tight as anything.

Opener Daemoness is a slow paced track with crushing riffs and bass lines reminiscent of Godflesh or Neurosis, with quieter passages also helping to set the mood.
Black Rat has a more bluesy, desert-y feel to it, with a more traditional rock vibe to the track if that's possible with such a fuzzed out monster, Sam Cooper's hands wandering along the frets like Geezer Butler getting the fuck out of Birmingham.
 Rob's vocals are quite low down in the mix, demanding attention but letting the music flow effortlessly around them, the whole mix stirred up by Jodie's drumming.
I love the way the closing track Dead Voice goes from a Witch-style stomper to Goatsnake-esque sludge easily, and then back again as they ride off into the sunset.

 Magic, can't wait for the full length.

Limited to 100 copies on CD, this comes with a folded card inlay and parchment insert, housed in a plastic wallet, with artwork by Chris Alliston and layout by Limb. It is also available through Bandcamp (pay what you want download), Spotify, Amazon and iTunes.

bandcamp online player - http://witchhunterrecords.bandcamp.com/album/limb-demo-cd 

bigcartel link - http://witchhunterrecords.bigcartel.com/product/limb-demo-cd

www.facebook.com/limbtheband

limbtheband@live.co.uk 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0VJGYrF_k0 - Video for 'Daemoness'

Beastwars - S/T LP (2011)

Been a while hasn't it? I've had this album for what seems like an age now, and I've been sitting on a review for quite some time; a combination of things (namely the lack of a functioning computer) have kept me from getting it out, so apologies for that.

Hailing from possibly as far as you can get from Claw Towers without starting to come back, Wellington, New Zealand's BEASTWARS have unleashed this leviathan from the midst of the Pacific Ocean, and what an album it is.

"Damn the Sky" starts off with a slightly misleading Broadrick-esque riff and muttered vocals from Matt Hyde which on first listen made me think for some reason of Brendan Perry fronting a guitar band, but that notion is soon blown away when he opens his lungs and bellows, a raging voice that could strip paint.
Bassist James Woods immediately makes his presence felt, fuzzed out scuzziness jostling against powerful drumming from Nathan Hickey to give a real sense of depth and movement.
When they strip the sound down to concentrate on the vocals, like on the track "Mihi",  you really get a sense of the bluesy delivery from Matt that is equal parts tortured sounding and really expressive.

I must - just for a second - talk about the packaging of the album here.  Sitting in my vintage 1960s swivel leather chair in the listening vault at Claw Towers and feeling to the riffs fall out of the speakers, whilst poring over the gatefold sleeve with it's depiction of a Lovecraftian  apocalypse on it adds something to the listening experience that just isn't possible with a CD or a download.
(the wax is lovely white and black marble too)

There's a real early nineties underground rock feel to a lot of the record, I hate to use the "G-word" because it conjures up far too many negative connotations for readers of this blog, but in a kind of fuck-the-mainstream way, not in any way you'd compare it to 90s MTV Rock. You'd be mad.

In places, like on "Call Out the Dead", the music is given room to breathe and a real sense of space and scale can be felt, with Matt bellowing "CALL OUT THE DEAAAD!!" over the top.
However, for me, the standout track is "Red God", where there is a bit of a - dare I say it - groove going on, and you tap your feet, nod your head, maybe break out the ol' air guitar! Good, sludge-tinged heavy metal that sits nicely against the melancholy feel of tracks like "Iron Wolf", and the brooding menace of "Cthulhu" which brings to mind a powerless ship, listing in the dark Pacific as hideous tentacles rush towards it from the deep.

The album closes with the storming "Empire", which contains all the components that make the album such an enjoyable listen in spades, with a cracking solo from riff meister Clayton Anderson.

In a nutshell: I can't decide if they sound like trawlermen or bikers.  This is the sound of a battle between road hogs and sea dogs.

Band Page: beastwars.bandcamp.com
Witch Hunter records still have copies of the vinyl here for my fellow Europeans, if you are in America give Grave Dancer Records a visit here.
If you must insist on buying a CD (You're missing out, believe me) then Europeans visit Ozium and everyone else visit SmokeCds

Buy or Die.


Edit:
Here's a look at the wraparound art for the album:
Front:

 Back:

And, if you needed any more convincing, a live performance for the track "Red God" on NZ television:

Iron Witch - Single Malt EP

IRON WITCH
Single Malt EP
Witch Hunter Records

New out on Witch Hunter Records is the debut EP from Liverpool sludgers IRON WITCH.

What we have here are five tracks of downtuned fuzzy riffage, like a more accessible Charger or Weedeater.

Unlike labelmates Tree of Sores who have a uniquely British sound, IW go for the more in-vogue NOLA style sludge that we've come to know and love over the 23 years since Eyehategod formed,

Opener A .45 to Pay the Rent goes straight into some EHG style stomping, and sets the scene for the rest of the EP, with a bass-heavy fuzzy crawl, moving into the more upbeat Single Malt, which contains a repetitive, tortuous riff towards the end. The drawn out hangover claustrophobia of Booze Blues sticks to the ol' sludge maxim that if a riff is half decent it's the only one a track really needs so run with it and jam it. Seven minute closing track The Cruelty of Mankind starts off at a snail's pace, seemingly crossing over into more doomy territory for a while before moving back onto more familiar sludge ground about two and a half minutes on, albeit with a more metallic, punky edge, something I feel they do just as well if not better than just the straight ahead sludge stuff and would love to hear more of in the future!

Iron Witch will be playing the following dates soon; so get along and see 'em.

Tue, Jul 26 7:00 pm The Caledonia Liverpool
w/ Crows, Curb Crawl, GWC + Black Veins

Thu, Aug 4 7:00 pm Zanzibar Liverpool
w/ Entropy, El Schlong, The Bendal Interlude + Scare Tactics

Sat, Aug 6 7:00 pm Terrorizer Grindhouse @ The Snooty Fox Wakefield
w/ The Prophecy, Iron Void + Poison Dwarf

Fri, Aug 19 7:30 pm EP Release Show @ The Caledonia
Liverpool
w/ The Bendal Interlude, Zangief + Gurt

Mon, Aug 22 8:00 pm Green Door Store
w/ Enos + Gurt

Sat, Sep 3 7:00 pm Asylum 2 Birmingham
w/ Magma Rise + Iron Void