Tucson, AZ is known for birthing slick, mosh-oriented groups like Blessthefall and the Bled, and this seven-inch is certainly an example of the more rugged underside of the area's metal and hardcore. Godhunter's "Vulture's Wake" is lyrically ham-fisted but genuine, paying tribute to toughness and survival in an unforgiving world. Upfront, the guitar tone displays satisfying thickness, and the tempo is like swimming in syrup. (Their catchy riffs also feel less bleak than some genre contemporaries.)
Anakim's "The Whimper of Whipped Dogs" opens with a moody intro driven by a double-kick that might be mixed a bit too loud. The track has an organic quality, as though recorded in a jam space, and the vocals sound downcast alongside some sparse, deep death growls. Overall, the song's linear structure and melancholy melodies are gratifying, but then it moves into a swingy stoner rock outro that spins out of control. Vulture's Wake/The Whimper of Whipped Dogs is merely a taste, but enough to engage the listener and pique curiosity about the rest of Godhunter's and Anakim's material.
(The Compound)Anakim's "The Whimper of Whipped Dogs" opens with a moody intro driven by a double-kick that might be mixed a bit too loud. The track has an organic quality, as though recorded in a jam space, and the vocals sound downcast alongside some sparse, deep death growls. Overall, the song's linear structure and melancholy melodies are gratifying, but then it moves into a swingy stoner rock outro that spins out of control. Vulture's Wake/The Whimper of Whipped Dogs is merely a taste, but enough to engage the listener and pique curiosity about the rest of Godhunter's and Anakim's material.