Jawless - The Wrath King (EP Review)

Release Date: December 01st 2023. Record Label: Hawar Press. Formats: DD/Cassette

The Wrath King - Tracklisting

1.Tales of The White Tiger 05:26

2.Age of Apocalypse 05:22

3.Bad Excursion (D-Std) 05:04

4.Metaphorical Speech (D-Std) 04:21

Review

Indonesian Doom/Stoner Metallers Jawless return with their new EP The Wrath King which uses local Indonesian folklore for it’s main creative themes within the lyrics on the first two tracks of Tales Of The White Tiger and Age Of Apocalypse. The final two tracks Bad Excursion and Metaphorical Speech are new reworked and re-imagined tracks off their 2022 debut album Warrizer.

The Wrath King is a collection of fast-paced Doom/Stoner Metal grooves with an aggressive Heavy Psychedelic sound which has a more primal Thrash/Speed Metal flow to them both. The music is quite intense with a harsh metallic feel which allows Jawless to play a classic style of guitar shredding along the way. Taking cues from bands such as KYUSS, Monster Magnet, Metallica and Motorhead for a sound that is quite contemporary especially with the solemn mood changes within Tales Of The White Tiger.

Second track Age Of Apocalypse has a more grounded Doom Metal sound with crunching guitars solos and a sound that moves into Southern Metal or Sludgecore in places but the constant Psychedelic sounds impress the most. Jawless are a lot more focused here compared to their excellent debut album especially with the intense vocals and technical proficiency that appear within the first two tracks alone. Jawless combine the worlds of Classic Heavy Metal and modern day Psychedelic energy with real storytelling flair.

The final songs Bad Excursion and Metaphorical Speech have undertaken a slight creative makeover with the songs being consistently tighter and heavier compared to the original visions.

The Wrath King allows Jawless to expand their creative vision to greater heights and allow a greater insight into the Indonesian Doom/Stoner Metal underground scene. With a progressive attitude being included on the EP then Jawless could be onto something special here and maybe branch out even further within the global Doom/Stoner Metal scene.

Words by Steve Howe 

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Jawless - Warrizer (Album Review)

Release Date: February 02nd 2022. Record Label: Self Released. Format: Cassette/DD

Warrizer - Tracklisting

1.G.O.D (Genuine Obsessive Disruptive) 07:50

2.War Is Come 06:53

3.Dark Muzzling 08:47

4.Deceptive Events 06:27

5.Bad Excursion 05:12

6.Metaphorical Speech 04:19

7.Restrained 05:28

8.The Throne of Tramp 05:54

Review

Indonesian Doom/Stoner Metallers Jawless new album Warrizer is a great mix of fast-paced heavy Doom/Stoner Metal with a few throwbacks to the classic style of slow-paced Hard Rock and Heavy Psychedelics. Maybe not the most groundbreaking album you’re ever likely to hear but there’s a lot of passion and creativity on this record with a deceptive vintage sound running through it all.

The album does a gloomy presence with a fuzzy outlook where the Stoner Metal grooves are concerned. Jawless are classed mostly proto-metal with their mix of Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne creative themes but throw in some fast-paced Motorhead aggression first heard on the early stages of the album especially on excellent opening tracks G.O.D (Genuine Obsessive Disruptive) and War Is Come.

The production is quite sparse in places and maybe could be quite heavier in places but Jawless are an interesting band to listen to. As they do try many different styles of music on this album. The songwriting is a very strong aspect for this release along with the vocals. Though, it’s ultimately the heavy grooves contained on this release that make this such a very cool album to listen to.

Jawless live in the good old days of Doom/Stoner Metal with this album being mostly full of “Classic Sounding” grooves with the added bonus of swirling Psychedelic elements allowing Jawless to show folks they have plenty of promise and perhaps fully coming into their own sound on future releases.

Overall, this is a wickedly entertaining album that gets a lot of things right and for a debut Doom/Stoner Metal album you couldn’t ask for anything more. 

Words by Steve Howe

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