Bad Earth – RockCore EP
Bad Earth – RockCore EP
Self-Released
Release Date: 09/08/23
Running Time: 20:45
Review by Beth Morait
7/10
Ah, my Bad Earth boys are back! If you’ve read any of my live reviews from local gigs such as Pentrefest, you’ll know that these lads hold a special place in my heart, and I’ve had some epic banter over the years with frontman Gordie. And reasonably recently, two thirds of the line-up of this trio changed, with ex-drummer and bassist of Scars Of Remembrance, Ben Burke and Karl Ditcher making up this now-solid version of the band.
And with this new line-up, came a new sound. Gone was the Hard Southern Rock, and entering stage left, like a bull in a china shop, was a crazy concoction of Hard Rock, bass and guitar that was downtuned to within an inch of their lives, Thrash Metal drums, and angry, shouty, spittle-laden vocals. It is the birth of a new genre – Rockcore!! Hence the EP name.
So, what does it actually sound like? Well, all of the above basically. It’s raw and unpolished, and has no airs of grandeur, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. Production wise, it’s sludgy and sleazy, but quaint in its rawness. It makes me think back to the halcyon days of rocking out in your garage with your best mates, before going home to a tea of freshly prepared Findus Crispy Pancakes, and then jumping on your BMX or Chopper, and riding around aimlessly until the sun went down. At points, I think the guitar gets a bit lost, and could do with being a bit higher in the mix, but that’s just my personal taste.
One thing that doesn’t get lost though is Gordie’s rough and ready, rasping vocals, which make you want to have a shave with the slightly blunt and rusty razor you found at the back of the bathroom cupboard, pull on your best leather pants, and go and get fucked up in some back-alley boozer, with sticky carpets and no locks on the bogs.
Is it a polished, professional effort, no. But that’s not the point of it. It’s low-budget, and created with blood, sweat and tears. Does it scream passion and drive – hell yes! If you’re looking for a shiny new rival to top tier bands, this won’t float your boat. But if you crave music that chucks you on a spin cycle in a knackered old washing machine, but still leaves you wanting more, then you will love the Bad Earth sound, and you need to get your chops around this EP.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Shallow Man
02. Bastard Ancestry
03. Bloodstones
04. Parasite
05. Wheels Of War
LINE-UP:
Steve “Gordie” Coxon – Vocals/ Guitar
Ben Burke – Drums/ Backing Vocals
Karl Ditcher – Bass/ Backing Vocals
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Morait and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
