Until their untimely demise, Goatboy were my favourite Welsh band. Now Blowgoat have taken that honourable position in my affections. I don’t believe they’re related, other than through an obvious liking for goats, and Blowgoat have a more vicious streak than their predecessors that runs right through their punk/metal fusion music.
Their self-titled EP is a raucous, messy affair that runs to six tracks of hardcore thrash punctuated by pounding riffage. Opener 'Slackhole' is the purest slab of punk rock and it gets heavier and more mixed up from there. 'Yo Bitch...I’m Tom Waits' is my favourite cut with its darkly threatening lyrics and its relentless chorus of "Tom Waits, Tom Waits, Tom Waits…".
Closer 'Misery Hammer' is also a really sharp tune. But in between you’ll find other challenging and tough songs with 'Rhino', 'Fuck The Bronx' and 'The Purge' all justifying their titles. There is no lack of melody and funky beats in the mix however and this heady blend makes Blowgoat a band to watch.
Better still, underneath it all is a sense of humour, which makes an important difference and is best illustrated by the distinctive presence of Bill Murray on the sleeve artwork. In fact Blowgoat are firmly in the tradition of Jarcrew and I for one celebrate that.
Purchase at Amazon.co.uk. Find more info at blowgoat.com.
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