I must admit, It takes a lot for me to be lost for words, I have met my match with band Scour though.
The extreme supergroup came onto the scene in 2015 and consists of Philip Anselmo, John Jarvis, Derek Engemann, Mark Kloeppel and Adam Jarvis.
The band released E.P ‘Scour’ (Grey) in 2016 then E.P ‘Red’ followed in 2017 via Anselmo’s Housecore label.
Both E.P’s are mastersworks, telling a story as they grow as a band. For me, when they released single ‘Massacre’ in 2019, I felt that was their marker for concreting their ferocious sound.
Simply, black metal with decent weights of grindcore and BOOM! I know right?! It sounds like mayhem and it is, it’s also very exciting.
There are some opinions about E.P ‘Black’ and it’s stated to be the band’s most bloodthirsty effort to date, even actor Jason Momoa makes an appearance along with guests Hate Eternal’s Erik Rutan and Cannibal Corpse’s Pat O’Brien.
I have to agree with those opinions, this E.P definitely is ruthless.
Track ‘Doom’ opens and within only 30 seconds of listening, Scour has already shredded my face, it is sheer brutality.
I am instantly impressed with how they have found a balance between each section in this track, and each section has been carefully crafted to create nothing but destruction.
I feel they have collaborated between black metal and grindcore in this track, they have pounded all their passions and ideas into one and the results are satisfying.
‘Nail’ well, it’s like a pneumatic drill, literally hammering you non stop for just over 2 minutes but ‘Propaganda’ has to be my favourite on the E.P. By this point I am totally in love with Philip’s vocals.
He is diverse and his ranges can go from low guttural to metal snarls in an instant. Not only are they soul crushing they are more importantly, crisp. Scour is thus-far his only project that sounds assuredly different from previous efforts.
The production is not to be missed either, it certainly packs a punch, there are some simple balances but maximum effect is achieved. Scour’s sound can not be pinned to a particular genre, Scour is the genre.
‘Black’ has completed Scour’s colour E.P trilogy and they are right, it is their most fierce confident creation to date, not as long as I hoped but it does excite me with what they will release next.
Taken from the “BLACK” EP, out now on Nuclear Blast: http://nblast.de/Scour-Black.
Review by Tammy Lomaz for MPM
