Trapjaw - S/T EP

Here's the second Footloose Records review, featuring new German band Trapjaw. Many of you will know that Germany has been killing it of late, with some great bands coming to the fore. Bands like Ancst, Depravation and others. Trapjaw are following suit. They only formed at the start of the year in Dusseldorf but have just released their debut EP, thanks to Footloose. They're also setting out to get in as many people's faces as they can across their native Germany, so if you live over there, check out their Facebook and make sure you see them.

Tracklist:-

1. Death of Desire
2. The Styx
3. Into Obscurity
4. Samson
5. Devil Within

Trapjaw play a furious brand of hardcore, mixed with crossover. It’s better than you’re average mosh thanks to their lead guitar work, which is evident in the opening track Death of Desire. The live sound that the EP possess also makes them sound really heavy. Trapjaw haven’t taken on the current blackened-hardcore sound that is swelling up across the genre, instead taking a more straightforward approach. The Styx highlights that approach and they’re brave enough to shove a sample into the first half of the song, which breaks it up but then leads into a really epic, sludgy instrumental section that closes out the song.

It’s at this point that you realise that there is a lot more to Trapjaw than just hardcore and brimstone. The subdued intro to Into Obscurity leads into a mid-paced hardcore song that is ripe for the live setting. Their groove will no doubt have people in trances too. Samson continues in the same vein and even though it acts as an Interlude of sorts, it still has you head-banging. Last song Devil Within is one big slab of thrash-laden mosh. The leads are back, as are the Southern riffs a la Crowbar. It’s a hell of an ending and just like the rest of the EP, shows a lot of promise. 

2014 just keeps on spitting out amazing releases, whether they’re from established bands or new ones and Trapjaw’s EP is another one of them. 

You can stream the EP on Trapjaw's bandcamp page:-




It's available as a name-your-price download too.

As I mentioned above, Footloose Records have put out a physical version of the EP, which you can buy on tape here - http://footlooserecords.bigcartel.com/

Trapjaw Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/trapjaw13
Footloose Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Footlooserecords