Shaving The Werewolf « The RingMaster Review

STW-PISSFACE2_RingMaster Review

Always partial to a dose of bracing noise rock, it did not take Shaving The Werewolf long to spark our attention with new EP The Pissing Link; subsequent listens only inciting a greedy appetite for the four track animus of sound and hostility. It provides a psychotic and experimental fusion of noise rock and hardcore belligerence with a healthy metallic ferocity to it all. Simply the Norwegian band’s sound is a savage roar with the potential and antagonism to leave ears and thoughts the worse for wear but with the more involved glory of deranged imagination to further ignite the senses.

Formed in 2010, the quintet of Snorre, Kenneth, Ottar, Vegard, and Alexander have released two previous EPs in the shapes of Your Head is a Toilet and You Say Tomato, I Say Fuck Off, the first released in 2012 and its successor earlier this year. Now they go for the mental and physical jugular with The Pissing Link, a release with its Kunz meets Shevils like rancor surely destined to awaken a great many more hungry appetites for the band and their fearsome violations.

The-Pissing-Link-EP_RingMaster Review It opens with Death of the Dying Corpses of Death, a track certainly for newcomers offering a deception of sound with its fizzy electronic opening. Soon scythes of fierce guitar splinter the by now equally tempestuous coaxing, raw vocals a step behind before rhythms prowl and grooves entwine ears and the increasing vocal hostility with venomous intent. It is compelling stuff from the off but growing darker and more inviting as flirtatious bass bait entices within a song simultaneously becoming harsher and more blisteringly bracing. That rhythmic flirtation is part of the core catchiness which only adds to the full captivation of the song, the swagger of the vocals and hooks raw infection playing their keen part in the sonic trespass.

The excellent start is matched but with unexpected success by Do Mind if I Don’t. The track is a collage of pulsating, discord honed noise and bent rhythms around a warped vocal not too far removed from that Crazy Frog thing which went viral a few years back. It should not work yet after multiple plays the track still fascinates and makes a highly enjoyable persuasion, so it must be doing something right.

Doing something right is certainly what Earth Song achieves, the track an instant explosion of barbarous rhythms, vocal raging, and toxic sonic rapacity which twists into a keener and more dynamic protagonist of body and pleasure with every hellacious minute of its tempest. Again electronic and raw sounds clash and collude in a primal yet virulently captivating stalking of the senses before the EP’s title track brings the wonderful torment to a close.

The Pissing Link flexes its metal muscle and fury from its first breath, the hostility merging with punk raging and again off kilter ingenuity which wraps and warps every flavour and addictive twisting emerging from within the cancerous and irresistible beauty of the sonic war swallowing the senses.

There is also a touch of Coilguns and Pigs to The Pissing Link EP, all great spices dissected and part of the Shaving the Werewolf uniqueness. This is a great release from a great band, not much more to say…

The Pissing Link EP is out now via Negative Vibe Records.

https://www.facebook.com/shavingthewerewolf

Pete RingMaster 09/12/2015

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