Article by: Brian Halsey ‡ Edited by: Leanne Ridgeway
Deep in the valley of scum-punk-doom, GRAVEHUFFER rides valiantly on a pale horse made out of flying V guitars and dirty riffs.
Their new EP ‘Demon Face / Stalingrad’s Cross‘, released in June, is evidence that when you come from a land filled with vicious tornadoes and massive sinkholes due to overzealous Civil War-era lead mining expeditions, the national bank of fucks to give is closed for business.
Building off the strength of 2017’s ‘Your Fault‘ (review), GRAVEHUFFER grinds the push and pull of punk vs sludge you’ve come to expect, with a few additional tricks up their sleeve.
“Demon Face” is a full-bodied offering of tempo changes and vocal ranges. You get to nod your head to some doomy, Gwar sounding shit before the song picks up and goes full-blown satanic. “Stalingrad’s Cross” closes out the EP and steals the show. It’s heavy, fast, and loaded with some guttural explosions that really make the tune sound br00tal.
Now, I know this might be a bit unbelievable, but there is also some really epic guitarwork shredding in this song. Like… sweet, wailing solos that I wouldn’t necessarily conflate with GRAVEHUFFER’S vibe, but somehow it sounds awesome. I like this band because they ‘get it.’ Do the stuff you’re good at and get a little bit better every time. James Hiser (vocals), Mike Jilge (bass), Ritchie Randall (guitars), and one Kasey Denton (drums) take this band another step forward.
The ‘Demon Face / Stalingrad’s Cross‘ is expected to be available on vinyl through No Slip Records in the following variants – Black w/ white splatter, White w/ black splatter, Smoke Gray w/ marbling, and Solid White – with a now shifted release date of September 13th. Pre-order vinyl HERE. Have a listen below and grab the digital download via GRAVEHUFFER‘s Bandcamp (it’s only $1.99!):
Two songs, dudes. Check ‘em out. And while you’re at it, be warned: For a long time Joplin, Missouri has been famous for the fact that Bonnie and Clyde rolled through town and shot a few Sheriffs. Well, let me tell you something friendo, GRAVEHUFFER is playing a local show at a pizza/pub on Halloween night 2019. Trust, there is nothing I like more than the thought of myself sauntering into the pit with a double XL pie and a few crispy boys to see my first GRAVEHUFFER show.
If that happens, expect way more than Joplin’s Constable to bite the dust. All you motherfuckers are in big, big trouble. Hail GRAVEHUFFER!
– GRAVEHUFFER Upcoming Tour Dates –
Aug. 10: Fort Smith, AR – Old Town Grain & Feed
Aug. 29: Joplin, MO – Revival Event Center
Aug. 30: Lawrence, KS – The Bottleneck
Sep. 19: Topeka, KS – Topeka MetalFest Capital Invasion
Sep. 21: Parsons, KS – Wineglass Ramps
Sep. 28: Pittsburg, KS – Legacy of Music
Oct. 04: Hanover Park, IL – Bungalow Joe’s
Oct. 05: Wisconsin Rapids, WI – Hollyrocks
Oct. 18: Lawrence, KS – The Bottleneck
Oct. 31: Joplin, MO – Blackthorn Pizza & Pub
Nov. 01: Arlington, TX – Diamond Jim’s Saloon
Nov. 02: Houston, TX – Acadia Bar & Grill
Jan. 18: Joplin, MO – Blackthorn Pizza & Pub
GRAVEHUFFER on:
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