![]() Tooth Over Claw by Axecatcher BOSSK – MIGRATION You’ll only have yourselves to blame if you miss out. So if you’re the sort of person who enjoys the synthesis of Metal and Hardcore even more than, say, the union of peanut butter and jelly (not hard in my case, I despise the stuff) then do yourself a favour and give this a listen. ![]() The aforementioned “Cliffracer”, for example, is part helter-skelter thrill-ride, part head-banging groove-monster, that switches up its fighting style part way through, while the second half of the album – where the band seem to have stuck all their longer (relatively speaking) tracks – showcases a not-unwelcome amount of variety, from the bass-heavy grooves and chattering chuggery of “Engines to Dust” and the propulsive, punky vibes of “Crash”, to the cutting riffs and catchy, stop-start hooks of “The Drowning”, without neutering the album’s savage bite. It’s not just a one-note, one-trick pony either though, as the band are impressively adept at keeping the dynamic loose and lively, even when it feels like they’re going full-throttle, hell-for-leather, the wrong way down a one-way road (with their headlights off). Sure, the vocals are a little ragged around the edges at times, and every so often it almost feels like the entire record is going to come flying apart at the seams, but that’s all part of the band’s charm – this isn’t an album that’s been primped and processed to sterile perfection, it’s a short, sharp shock of spit(e) and vinegar that came here to kick ass and chew bubblegum and… well, you know the rest. To say that songs like “Unbloodied” and “Cliffracer” are pretty furious, borderline feral, in fact, would be something of an understatement, as both these tracks go straight for the throat with an intensity that reminds me early Zao or Integrity, while “Swarm” is all thrashy momentum and nasty riffs which, when mixed with an extra dash of punky melody, recalls the best of Every Time I Die at their punchiest and most primal. ![]() If you’re looking for something to wake you up and get you through the week, then may I recommend the searing shot of pure adrenaline that is Axecatcher’s debut album?įrom the headlong, heart-racing gallop of the opening title-track, to the bombastic, rifftastic strains of surprisingly moody closer “Vehemence”, Tooth Over Claw is a record positively overflowing with aggressive energy and an electrifying sense of urgency, one which doesn’t skimp on hooks or groove, even as it’s raging and flailing and lashing out in a veritable whirlwind of slashing hooves and gnashing jaws. Two at the most.īut, as you can guess, life got in the way, and my best laid plans went “aglay”, as the great poet once said.Īfter all, I’m of the opinion that each of these albums – warts and all – fully deserves some coverage here at NCS, and since it’s unlikely that anyone else from the crew is going to be able to fit them in, it looks like it once more falls to me to tell you why you should check out the new albums from Axecatcher, Bossk, and Urne. So I should probably begin this article with a quick mea culpa.Īfter making such a big deal about how the last edition of “The Best of British” was the first one in a worryingly long time, I had originally intended for the follow-up to hit the site within a week. ( Andy Synn once again graces us with reviews of three more bands from his beloved homeland)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |