Named after a small village in Gloucestershire but from Brighton and Glasgow, Lower Slaughter are a four piece band whose members have history in the Brighton music scene stretching back over 15 years. Jon Wood, who plays guitar here, was formerly a member of the excellent Ack Ack Ack and Yuchi, Barney Wakefield on bass previously of Epideme and Shudder Pulps. Lower Slaughter is arguably the most powerful project either has embarked upon.
After a change of singers the band really came into their own.
Vocalist Sinead Young has a gritty voice, which is quite something to behold and complements the music brilliantly. Her screams are absolutely brutal. The riffs are heavy, the lyrics are dark, Graham Hebson’s drumming is heavy, intelligent but not overly elaborate. It’s hardcore punk with a stoner rock edge and infectious repetition in the riffs.
In songs like the closer “(Hold Me Close, I’m) Coming Up” there is a hint of the heavier, faster moments of legendary Chicago Post-hardcore band The Jesus Lizard. Other highlights are opener “Bone Meal”, “Caliban And The Witch” and the awesome two minutes twelve seconds of “Teeth”. They also mix up the approach, “Earthseed” has a Butthole Surfers-like quality.
The drums are tribal, Jon Wood’s guitar plays a Paul Leary-esque line, the song climaxing in a slow sludge. It’s fantastic. “Tied Down” brings to mind Shellac in its opening riff before bringing in a “Whole Lotta Love” riff and following onto a riff that reminds us of “My Sharona”, but with a huge sound!
This is a fun listen, deserving of the plaudits it has received and certainly stands up to repeated listening. If you have somehow missed this and are partial to a bit of hardcore punk and like your riffs monstrous, we would definitely recommend you check this out.
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