LockerSludge - Falling On Our Faces EP

LockerSludge are a three-pieces sludge band from the bowels of Devon. They came to my attention recently when they sent me their latest five track EP - Falling On Our Faces. They've released one album prior to this EP, called In Living Fear and they are currently writing their third album. The band also has links with other local South Devon bands and are one of many who are keeping thing DIY and very productive down there.

Tracklist:-

1. Face The Future Now
2. Grinding To A Halt
3. Green Army
4. Stength, Honour and Pride
5. Hiding Emotions

LockerSludge waste absolutely no time in kicking things off. As soon as you press play you are greeted with Face The Future Now. Crowbar inspired sludge with hardcore vocals, grooving riffs and powerful drumming. LockerSludge are out to make an impact early on, with two quick-fire tracks, including opener Face The Future Now and Grinding To A Halt. The vocals in Grinding To A Halt bring to mind Slayer and Machine Head and the guitar screams out of the speakers, with crunching riffs.

This is definitely a release that need to be played loud and it must awesome live. Green Army is a pure crossover song, with a great shout-along chorus. I like that the band have a retro sound to them. The production on the CD is faithful to the earlier sludge/hardcore bands that made the scene what it is. It's not too overly produced and when they throw in a solo mid-song in Green Army, it's impossible not to smile.

Strength, Honour & Pride makes you think of hardcore and in the vocals, you do get a sense of Agnostic Front. This is a brutal song though. LockerSludge have got the mix of genres dead right on here too. They don't let one overpower the other and just you want to headbang. Hiding Emotions closes the EP with an all out doom/sludge groove attack. The riffs are massive and the vocals seem to drop a whole register to add to the menacing feel of the song.

It does seem that LockerSludge are still trying to find their sound, but that's only due to the experimentation and integration of genres contained on Falling On Our Faces. Once they refine their sound they'll have a great platform on which to move up the UK underground ranks. If you like your DIY metal and aren't afraid to get dirty, you should definitely check out LockerSludge and pick up this EP.

You can stream various LockerSludge tracks over on their Reverbnation page - http://www.reverbnation.com/lockersludge including four out the five on Falling In Our Faces. 

To find out more and to pick up a physical copy of the EP, head over to their Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/Lockersludge.