Alright, let’s state the obvious: this record has range. Every time I start a new track on The Trawler, expecting it to go one way or thinking I’ll be able to predict what direction the band is taking with the song, it changes up just enough to remind me of Eat Your Own Head‘s versatility. What I hear as primarily a noise rock, experimental band truly lets every strong point of their style shine on this new EP. Probably one of the coolest records I’ll have heard from this year, this is the first time I’ve even heard them, and I’m already a fan after just a few listens.
Starting out with the riffs of “Chest Pains”, I was thinking this would turn into a heavier, maybe sludge-rock-laden track. While it started off giving that feeling for about 30-45 seconds, it quickly changed gears into something a bit more unexpected, hooky, and just… interesting. That’s not at all to say the sludgy stuff would make it any less, but, again, as a newcomer to the band – the change-ups only added to the excitement. Even if one wouldn’t consider these twists and turns to be all that varied or terribly surprising, it definitely piques my interests all the same.
The band’s focus on writing cool rhythms while also flaunting a nice range with vocals is something that I believe will keep me coming back to this EP, and if the rest of their discography is even a little bit like this, I’m set to get well acquainted. The energy found on tracks such as “Trawler” and “Downriver” makes me wonder how fans of acts such as Tub Ring, Dog Fashion Disco, or even Tomahawk haven’t picked up on them. Even if they aren’t exactly on the same caliber as the aforementioned acts, I could see anyone into proggy, experimental music catching at least a little hype with them as I did. At any rate, there is a beautiful mix of sludge, experimental, noise, and alternative rock here that I just can’t get past.
As highlighted in the album’s description via their Bandcamp, Eat Your Own Head aim at ‘spearheading a new wave of heavy music, redefining the UK rock scene‘, a motion of which I feel is definitely resonating off of this EP. While I wish there were more of a duration to this collection, I’ll take what I can get! If this is a window into future releases, that idea they have of redefining is surely in good hands. The potential heard in The Trawler could manifest a vessel strong enough to sail the seven seas and back. But the band seems to already be making waves well across the pond even up to this point.
If there’s one thing I can’t get enough of, it’s music that likes to go off the rails – or perhaps to keep in compliance with the theme of this record, ‘off the charter‘ (I’ll happily see myself out). The Trawler breathes some fresh air into modern heavy music and noise rock, taking a direction that doesn’t just rely on wild riffing, but a genuine focus on song structuring and making something that sticks. At least, to my ears, this is the kind of thing us music nerds get hype for whenever we come across a newer band that we haven’t heard or seen before. But as always, I can only give you my take on this audible voyage, and challenge you to take a trip yourself via their Bandcamp! It’s four songs, and virtually immaculate production quality; I’m sure you’ll walk away a fan of at least one of them!
