Saturday, June 16, 2012

Ep Review - Axes -'Self Titled'

Record Label: Life and Death Records
Track Listing: 1- Trap My Eyes, 2- Barred Debt , 3- Vows.

Axes were formed in 2009 in Dresden, Germany, and this first self titled effort comes courtesy of Life and Death records, with a 7" vinyl release , as well as a soft copy (downloadable at the links provided below, as always). The EP was recorded in late 2011, and has been doing the rounds since the start of the year.

Axes' style hinges on a rancorous fusion of hardcore song structure with the bottom heavy guitar tone and weighty groove of stoner rock , and as a first effort, it's certainly promising.Lean as you like with only three tracks on offer ,it's nevertheless a solid offering, well produced with some catchy riffs and a rough but eminently listenable production that complements the band's spare, downbeat riffola perfectly.

First track  ' Trap My Eyes' opens with some somber  sludge riffing and an almost doom feel, funereal and bleak,which   slowly but gracefully segues into a monstrous southern rock riff that wouldn't be out of place on a Cancer Bats track. 'Barred Debt' picks up the pace a little, betraying the band's schooling in the  apparently healthy DIY hardcore and punk scene of their hometown.That the band do so without diluting their sense of weight and groove with any needless breakdowns and silly two step runs is actually pretty refreshing, the band content to mine a groove all the way to it's natural conclusion.Closer 'Vows' coasts in after with a titanic bass line, which underpins a heady  rock and roll groove ,the band rounding out their vicious assault on your eardrums with an ass shaking groove which is bizarrely complimented by a sense of blunt rage.It works, just don't ask me why.

It's hard to tell just yet which way the band will head next musically, however this is an extremely promising start, and the band seem to understand that sometimes, just keeping things simple works best. Compulsive listening, and definitely a band you'll be seeing again on the pages of this site.

Rating: 7/10
For fans of :Cancer Bats, Ghost Of A Thousand, Bacchus, Vera Cruz , Famine.
Listen here: http://axes.bandcamp.com/album/selftitled-ep-2012



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