Labels: Spinefarm Records
Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital
Release Date: 06 March 2025
Tracklist:
1. Blood Red Sky
2. Buzz Killa
3. The Blood Code
4. Can't Stop
5. Every Night's Alright For Fighting
6. Night Wolf
7. DOA
8. Comin' In Hard
9. Dead Men Can't Dance
10. Dead Reckoning
UK high-octane sludge royalty Raging Speedhorn have just released their seventh full-length Night Wolf via Spinefarm Records. The Corby sextet have kept going though line-up changes and hiatuses to reach twenty five years, having released their self-titled debut album at the turn of the Millennium. It's great to have Raging Speedhorn firing on all cylinders again and their return will be another much needed boost for UK heavy music.
After a slightly foreboding intro, ‘Blood Red Sky’ fills the speakers with groove-laden riffs, thunderous bass/percussion and RSH’s familiar dual-vocal onslaught. Musically, their impact over the years has been notable and doesn’t need re-telling. Here, their sound is both mature and revitalised at the same time. A honed take on hardcore and sludge, Night Wolf doesn’t need lengthy songs and ‘Buzz Killa’ shows why. It retains it’s heaviness while being catchy in the right way, which is something RSH have consistently delivered.
The bass that kicks off ‘The Blood Code’ is glorious and as it’s joined by the rest of the band, you’re in for them at their heaviest. There’s a simplicity to it that’s hard to ignore and that’s why it’s so enjoyable. Sounds great at full-volume too! ‘Can’t Stop’ takes the sound of NOLA sludge and RSH inject it with a heap of UK rock n roll flair. Being one of the shorter songs on Night Wolf, it’s gone by before you know it.
With a song-title that’s a play on the famous Elton John song, ‘Every Night’s Alright For Fighting’ is… perfect for just that. Riff-fulled mayhem in the catchiest of ways. At the mid-point of the album you may be thinking that Raging Speedhorn have lost some of their more dangerous/rougher edges over the years. You’d be right, but that doesn’t mean their sound can’t evolve at the same time.
The album’s title-track drags you into it’s latter half with all the groove you’ll ever need on record. Once again, the dual-vocals provide a lot of colour (despite the harshness), while the instrumentation carries itself perfectly. I think the mixing/mastering captures a slightly more polished version of the band, which is definitely a snapshot in time.
The latter-half of Night Wolf is way more to-the-point and ‘DOA’ proves that in a succinct three-minute blast of sludgy hardcore that has all the tempos covered. Destined to be a live favourite for sure. The sound of feedback during the intro to ‘Comin’ In Hard’ is something that’s been missed so far. It subsides, giving way to yet more Southern drawl and dixie-esque influence. Everything’s definitely “comin’ in fast” here.
Penultimate rager ‘Dead Men Can’t Dance’ dials up both the heaviness and the upbeat nature of RSH’s song-writing just when you thought things might slow down. Absolutely brilliant! Ending with ‘Dead Reckoning, the reckless punk nature of early Speedhorn comes back to roost. The fact that they pack as much music into this final song as they do into all the rest is testament to their love for what they craft.
I needed this tonight but I didn’t appreciate how much until Night Wolf finished. While I’m more familiar with the Speedhorn of old, I can’t ignore what they have become now. Twenty five years into a career that’s helped shape the UK underground, they’re bound to reach new ears with this album. Long may they continue to cause chaos!
You can watch the hilarious video for 'Every Night's Alright For Fighting' via Youtube below:-
Physical copies of the album, as well as merch, can be purchased via Spinefarm Records here:-
https://spinefarm.tmstor.es/products/search
Raging Speedhorn - https://www.facebook.com/ragingspeedhorn
Spinefarm Records - https://www.facebook.com/spinefarm