EP REVIEW: Writhing Between Birth and Death – Bile Caster
Although the spiritual home of sludge metal is undoubtedly spread over various locations in the United States (with New Orleans, Louisiana being number one), over the years, the UK have constantly been no slouches when it comes to that most beautifully dirgey style of metal. Many sludge bands have come out of these isles, and now you can add newcomers BILE CASTER to the list, the trio deal in lashings and lashings of volume and loathing.
If you are a fan of the filthiest and most noise laden sludge, then these Leicester sludge metal kings will be right up your grimy street and if you also like your riffs and grooves singed in utter misery, then you will doubly love this band and their new EP Writhing Between Birth and Death is a tinnitus inducing clusterbomb of an EP. Drenched in sorrow and spewing with hate, and what a way to make an impact straight away.
Like all the best sludge releases, Writhing Between Birth and Death sounds like a bad acid trip in a graveyard and the three songs that make up this record (Abscess, Trapped and Harrowing) are themselves all perfectly titled and not only that, are perfect descriptions of the sonic horrors that are contained within. The all important feedback that kicks the album off and announces Abscess to the world sounds immense from the off and as it signals the power of the music of BILE CASTER, and turns into a meaty and nasty riff and groove fest combined with some truly hateful vocal aggro. It is clear that BILE CASTER are here to turn on the misery and hate and don’t care if you don’t want to listen, you are on BILE CASTER‘s terms.
The following track Trapped then ups the venomous ante and it is clear that this BILE CASTER are delivering something special here, with the sound of hate sounding truly vivid, as the track crashes on with reckless abandon, not letting you catch your breath as the chaos rings out from the speakers. The EPs closing track, Harrowing starts with the only gentle music on the EP (and even that has a macabre edge to it) but it soon descends into the kind of distressing noise that evokes the tracks title and closes things off on an utter high, or rather, an utter low in the best way possible.
Simply put, Writhing Between Birth and Death is a striking statement of intent from BILE CASTER and one that is delivered with passion and an energy that cannot be faked. This is immediate and cathartic music that will delight and horrify in equal measure and if you want your ears ringing to some truly abominable noise, then this is the EP for you and shows that BILE CASTER will go on to reach even greater heights.
Rating: 8/10
Writhing Between Birth and Death was released on 4th October via Road To Masochist/Cursed Monk Records/Eggy Tapes
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