Labels: Self-Released/Shirley Road Records
Formats: Digital/Tape
Release Date: 05 Mar 2022
Tracklist:
1. Bateman
2. Blood Profit
3. Praying To God Just To Lose
4. Void
5. Carrying Water For Rats
It's Friday evening and I have next week off, so it's time to party with "the world's least dangerous band" Sleep Torture. I use the term party loosely, because I doubt many people will consider a mixture of grind/crust/hardcore as party music. The North Carolina (USA) trio have only recently released their third EP earlier this year, though it's official release was yesterday thanks to a tape release from Shirley Road Records. Fresh from their Baby Shark Live support slot (read their socials!), here's Carrying Water For Rats.
Any band that counts Cult Leader, Gaza and the like as influences sound more than good to me! Starting with ‘Bateman’, Sleep Torture provide an incredibly noisy, sludgy take on powerviolence. It’s got a decent hardcore edge to it with pinpoint drumming, intensely loud riffs and proper harsh vocals. ‘Blood Profit’ adds to the mayhem present in Sleep Torture’s sound by flying out of the traps before settling into a second-half full of breakdowns and groove-laden instrumentation. Also, I have to mention that sick bass tone!
The momentum of ‘Blood Profit’ continues on into ‘Praying To God Just To Lose’, which is properly sludgy, in a way that only powerviolence can be. If you dig early Full Of Hell or UK band Famine, you’ll know what I mean. Even when they pick up the pace later on, their sound is still thick. I couldn’t think of a better title for a song on this EP than ‘Void’, because when it hits it’s stride, you’ll be staring into exactly that. Panic chord-like pitch from the guitars add to the extremity of Sleep Torture’s sound and it’s a mighty soundstage at that!
The continuation runs right through to the closing title track and ‘Carrying Water For Rats’ crams so much into it’s sub-three minute playing time. Those huge, pit-inducing riffs keep coming, while the overall feel is one of sensitive and controlled rage (if that’s even a thing!). This EP will completely level you. There’s really nothing more to say about it. If Sleep Torture themselves hadn’t contacted me directly, I probably wouldn’t have heard this. That’s the beauty of the Internet I guess (in spite of it’s obvious ills). Go and give these guys a listen, and if you enjoy their wares, grab a tape or download.
For Fans Of: Cult Leader, Gaza, Geist, Wake and Famine
You can stream and purchase Carrying Water For Rats from Sleep Torture directly, on tape or via digital download below:-
Sleep Torture - https://www.facebook.com/SleepTortureNC
Shirley Road Records - https://www.facebook.com/shirleyroadrecords
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