War Wolf/Crossburner - Split Tape

Tracklist:

1. War Wolf - The Worm

2. War Wolf - Old Knives

3. War Wolf - Obey

4. Crossburner - Diseased Youth

5. Crossburner - Rotten Book

6. Crossburner - Pray To Me

This review has a special poignancy, as in April Brighton's War Wolf announced that they were to cease. They've been ever-present across the UK over the last two years, releasing a 10", an LP and two split tapes. This recent split with UK hardcore mob Crossburner acts as their final recorded epitaph and should warm you up nicely prior to their final gig at Temples Fest! The now sold out tape was released by Headless Guru Records in October 2014. Alongside reviews of all of War Wolf's previous releases, some of you may remember seeing Crossburner on this blog last year, following the release of their debut S/T 10" last year via Footloose Records. 

It’s a bit weird listening to this knowing that War Wolf will soon depart, but it’s nonetheless raging. The Worm is not an ode to that fabled dance move, but a song that crawls under your skin with it’s infectious chugging riffs. Old Knives contains the punk energy of co-conspirators Teef atop of the song’s sludge-ridden underbelly. They’re at their grooving best on final number Obey. War Wolf has taken influence from so many corners of heavy music during their tenure, that it’s been hard to pin them down and with these three songs, they leave a legacy of spite and anger behind them. As Crossburner’s Diseased Youth comes into view, it kind of feels like the torch is being passed on. Their’s is a blackened hardcore racket though, straight out of the school of Holy Terror and the H8000 scene. The ringing feedback at the end tells you all you need to know about their metallic leanings. On Rotten Book, they hit warp-speed with grinding drums and riffs to match. They’ve really turned their song-writing up a notch here and if you’re not furiously moving to this, you’re already dead! The pace doesn’t change on Pray To Me and Crossburner just obliterate everything. The amount they fit into each song in nuts and leaving no time for breath is the best way to keep people’s attention. This whole damn tape deserves to be turned up to 11 and played on repeat until civilisation crumbles. War Wolf may be passing to the next realm but Crossburner are more than ready to take their place. 

Stream the split and download it for free via Headless Guru Records here:-

Tapes are sold out.

War Wolf Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/warwolfhc
Crossburner Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/crossburnerband
Headless Guru Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeadlessGuruRecords