Release Date: August 04th 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
Weapons For Killing Cattle: Tracklisting
Cut The Head Off The Snake
Knives In A Line
Bring Me In From The Sunlight
Darkside Of The Mountain
Angela Landsbury vs Nicholas Cage
Alters
Laura Gray
Members
Jon Williams-Meyer: Guitar
Jake Brewer: Bass
Greg Cummings: Drums
Lee Baggott: Vocals
Review:
Weapons For Killing Cattle is the debut EP from Doom/Sludge/Grind Metallers BETRAYERS and sees the band really focus upon the "GRIND" aspect to their music for an unsettling blend of music that is downright ugly and violent to hear. Luckily BETRAYERS bring a Doom/Sludge Metal aesthetic to their sound that I enjoyed the most. Though, I will admit the use of Grindcore is quite impressive on a technical level. As the band play some of the heaviest, filthiest and fastest grooves I've heard this year especially on the superb opening tracks Cut The Head Off The Snake and Knives In A Line.
As these two tracks are shorter and BETRAYERS focus mostly on playing short sharp shocks to the system where the riffs are concerned. The vocals are death based growls which I kind of understood after a few listens. There's some clever lyrics buried within the chaos that allows BETRAYERS to have a socially aware conscience in places.
From this moment on BETRAYERS play music that I was fully behind as the Doom/Sludge aspects come into play more and a thrilling Death Metal atmosphere works superbly well with the Grindcore themes of the EP. The vocals become a mixture of Clean vocals and pissed of Death Chants. The band even find the time to play slightly chaotic grooves that are considered more regular Doom/Sludge Metal fare which appears mostly on the tracks Bring Me In From The Sunlight and Darkside Of The Mountain. The sound of the EP from this moment on could be classed as more Progressive especially compared to the opening tracks of the EP.
I always feel challenged writing reviews for bands that take me out of my comfort zone and BETRAYERS did just that. I do admire Grindcore bands from a technical aspect but I haven't listened religiously to that style of music since my early to mid twenties. This was a refreshing change and I started to enjoy time more with BETRAYERS as they blend Doom/Sludge Metal sounds with the unpredictable nature of Grindcore that may perhaps limit some folks enjoyment of this EP for the more dedicated follower of EXTREME METAL.
Fifth track Anegla Landsbury vs Nicolas Cage is pure brilliance and absolute demented carnage at the same time. Opening with a line for the John Woo classic action movie FACE/OFF. The sound is bombastically grindcore with ugly vocals to match. Perhaps my favourite track on the EP.
The final two tracks of Alters and Laura Gray, returns to the Doomed Out world of the middle section of the EP with BETRAYERS playing their own take on the "LOW & SLOW" style on the early stages of Altars before returning to their natural Grindcore habitat. Laura Gray follows the same destructive path with BETRAYERS leaving no stone unturned with their sense of BRUTALITY leaving me a shivering wreck.
The production values are very LO-FI and DIY based but it's perhaps the best production techniques BETRAYERS could have used for this type of release. Weapons For Killing Cattle pulls no punches and it's a violent musical adventure from the UK underground scene.
Listen if you're feeling brave enough.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to BETRAYERS for the promo.
Weapons For Killing Cattle will be available to buy on Digital Download from August 04th 2023.
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