In their trifecta of aggression, drummer Aran Howe, bassist Jake Martin, and guitarist/vocalist Jude McIlwaine surrender their everyday personas and give way to chest-rattling purveyors of brutality. In their 7 tracks of batshit insanity, they meander though waves of aforementioned avant-garde metal jazz riffs from McIlwaine and Martin (hammered home by Howe), to give a breathtaking spectacle of infused rage, talent, and laser-guided precision.
This is displayed in the opening number ‘Bikini Island’, but is superbly outlined in their second track ‘State Your Business’. There’s a lot to unpack here, because just when you think you have a groove figured out, BAM!! Direction change!
‘Third Eye Locksmith’ kicks the album into high gear with an infectious groove metal verse, and plummets into a black metal rage-fuelled animal, Howe supports the rhythm of McIlwaine and Martin’s hard work with titanic and painstakingly accurate timing. Follow-up tracks ‘Revenge For Sale’, ‘Every Cliché’ and ‘Rotten Tooth’ polish this diamond every chance they get and push the album to the boundaries of rhythm-forming and timing, making it into something quite masterful.
The closing track ‘Hamster Wheel’ is decidedly Black Sabbath-esque, but morphs into a blizzard of bass, drums and thrash-worthy riffs, becoming an opus of quiet melody and rage. McIlwaine’s ruff and gravelly vocals perfect the edge of this well-bladed beast of an album, weathering the band’s lineup changes over the years and the brutality of Covid. It helps that he’s pretty nimble on the fretboard to boot.
The ability to craft an album like this takes courage and breathtaking ability, but it’s an even greater feat to stay original, but this is why they were the perfect openers for Bloodstock Open Air’s Sophie Lancaster Stage in last year. ‘Perilous Consumption’ is out on March 28th, with the official launch party in the Limelight in Belfast on March 29th. I guess it would be rude not to go if you’re in the neighbourhood!
‘Perilous Consumption‘ will be available from March 28th. Pre-order your copy here.
4/5
Track of Choice: Third Eye Locksmith
Photo – Down The Barrel Photography
Shaun Martin
www.overdrive.ie 2025
