XII Boar UPDATE
We featured XII Boar a while back on Loud-Stuff, and at the time I was blown away by the sheer power which these guys exude through their music. As such, when they got in touch to say that they had put together some new music, I thought it only right that I check out the new stuff to see whether they’ve managed to keep that awesome sound.
Smokin’ Bones suggests good things from the off, once again opening sludgy and raw whilst keeping a funky beat maintained throughout everything, this is music which is going to get you out of your seat and moving! Raspy vocals back everything up whilst the distorted mix of guitars and drums powers the track up, keeping everything moving at a decent pace and luring you in to turn that volume button higher – go for it, it’s worth it! There’s something catchy about this track whilst somehow maintaining a sense of sheer power, the whole mix forming something which you can’t help but be drawn into, something which is not only downright heavy, but also melodic and full of little snippets to please the fan of the softer style of music. Let’s be honest though, you’re not going to listen to this sort of thing to have an afternoon snooze to, you’re going to listen to grab your air guitar off the shelf and strut around your front room like a lunatic – and yeah, that may be what I ended up doing!
Hellspeed Viper continues the theme of raw guitar work combined with soaring lead lines, once again forming a mix which is not only melodic but also downright heavy. Throwing in some double bass rolls to keep you fully entertained, this is the sort of track you dream of hearing on a live scene. Powerful vocals seem to be the key here, all the time working with the guitar, bass and drum combo to form a track which you’re not going to simply listen to, you’re going to feel. Slamhound is another track of much the same form, this time sounding like an indie band who has been introduced to a distortion pedal – it’s got that beat of mainstream style softer music but that’s where the similarity ends, this is a whole new monster. Throwing down into breakdowns and altogether just keeping everything firmly on the side of power, this track is quite possibly my personal favourite from the new stuff purely for the awesomeness of the track – you want something to bang your head to – this is it!
Finishing the new tracks with Triclops you’re left with a taste in your mouth, and that taste is XII Boar. Once again keeping everything relatively slow but still keeping the power right there to be heard, this track finishes the selection but leaves you wanting more, wanting to know how they’re going to follow this. Sludgy guitar notes, pounding drums, hammering bass lines and more of those raw vocals – this track’s got them all, and it’s good to hear!
When I went into listening these tracks I wanted to be sure that the guys from XII Boar had followed the recipe which they’d found before, and to an extent I think they have, but it’s not that simple. These new tracks not only hold all of the power which the band had before, but also demonstrate how a band can develop with some practice and development. What you end up with here are 4 tracks which are going to be added to your playlist, they’re going to be used when you’re in a bad mood and they’re going to be ones which you come back to time and time again. Based on this, and the time period we’re talking, I can’t wait to see what these guys come up with next!
Check out the tracks for yourself HERE.
Smokin’ Bones suggests good things from the off, once again opening sludgy and raw whilst keeping a funky beat maintained throughout everything, this is music which is going to get you out of your seat and moving! Raspy vocals back everything up whilst the distorted mix of guitars and drums powers the track up, keeping everything moving at a decent pace and luring you in to turn that volume button higher – go for it, it’s worth it! There’s something catchy about this track whilst somehow maintaining a sense of sheer power, the whole mix forming something which you can’t help but be drawn into, something which is not only downright heavy, but also melodic and full of little snippets to please the fan of the softer style of music. Let’s be honest though, you’re not going to listen to this sort of thing to have an afternoon snooze to, you’re going to listen to grab your air guitar off the shelf and strut around your front room like a lunatic – and yeah, that may be what I ended up doing!
Hellspeed Viper continues the theme of raw guitar work combined with soaring lead lines, once again forming a mix which is not only melodic but also downright heavy. Throwing in some double bass rolls to keep you fully entertained, this is the sort of track you dream of hearing on a live scene. Powerful vocals seem to be the key here, all the time working with the guitar, bass and drum combo to form a track which you’re not going to simply listen to, you’re going to feel. Slamhound is another track of much the same form, this time sounding like an indie band who has been introduced to a distortion pedal – it’s got that beat of mainstream style softer music but that’s where the similarity ends, this is a whole new monster. Throwing down into breakdowns and altogether just keeping everything firmly on the side of power, this track is quite possibly my personal favourite from the new stuff purely for the awesomeness of the track – you want something to bang your head to – this is it!
Finishing the new tracks with Triclops you’re left with a taste in your mouth, and that taste is XII Boar. Once again keeping everything relatively slow but still keeping the power right there to be heard, this track finishes the selection but leaves you wanting more, wanting to know how they’re going to follow this. Sludgy guitar notes, pounding drums, hammering bass lines and more of those raw vocals – this track’s got them all, and it’s good to hear!
When I went into listening these tracks I wanted to be sure that the guys from XII Boar had followed the recipe which they’d found before, and to an extent I think they have, but it’s not that simple. These new tracks not only hold all of the power which the band had before, but also demonstrate how a band can develop with some practice and development. What you end up with here are 4 tracks which are going to be added to your playlist, they’re going to be used when you’re in a bad mood and they’re going to be ones which you come back to time and time again. Based on this, and the time period we’re talking, I can’t wait to see what these guys come up with next!
Check out the tracks for yourself HERE.
XII Boar
We were recently contacted by XII Boar to see if we could put a review together. Always keen to hear some new music I was of course more than happy to oblige, setting out listening to their tracks to see what was on offer!
Now, it should be said that I’m sitting on a train writing this, so to see the first track called Train Wreck, I’m a little nervous. That all goes though as soon as the sludgy and distorted riffs kick in and power the track into being. Chanting vocals of ‘It’s a fucking train wreck’ power the track down into your soul, backing everything up with soaring lead lines and chunky guitar lines. Sludgy and chunky from start to finish, this is pure downright dirty rock, there’s no frills here just good ol’ rock. Forget massive production costs, the sound these guys have got is raw and energetic, and it’s good to hear.
Beg, Borrow, Steal kicks in where Train Wreck leaves off, opening with a twangy bass line and bringing in a lead line to accompany it perfectly before kicking into another sludgy section – this track is awesome. Slow and powerful, you’ll soon be chanting along to ‘god damn!’ and ‘fuck yeah’ before you know it, and the tracks only just begun. Moving into a faster and more funky section, these guys are showing they really know how to write a track which is sure to have audiences anywhere moving. I honestly love the raw energy which is exuded from their music, it’s immense. Sludge soon takes on the lead and further develops my love for this band. Sludge by name, sludgy by nature, the sound of the guitars is one which you’ll want to keep going forever, distorted riffs underpinned with pinch harmonics and a solid drum beat, this is music to move your soul. Breaking things down purely to the bass line, the track seems to echo around inside your head and make you want to shift along to it, not smoothly but in a juddery way, just moving somehow to replicate what you’re hearing. Alternating between fast paced sections and slower sludgier sections, this track is probably my favourite from the selection sent through, and it doesn’t even have any vocals on it. Having said that, no vocals are needed – let the music lead the way.
Skol finishes the selection and what an ending it brings, hammering straight in with the guitars and drums this track picks up the pace and makes sure you’re not going to forget what you’ve just experienced for a long while to come. Slowing to a pace which is sure to have live audiences jumping along to the music, this track demonstrates numerous levels of the ability of this band. Crunchy, powerful, heavy and yet somehow melodic from the outset this is a track which I would love to see performed on the live scene just to see whether the bands power matches up to what it sounds like it should.
I really didn’t know what to expect from XII Boar as the name doesn’t give anything away. The sound they’ve created is massive, heavy, raw, energetic and downright dirty, and one which I for one will never forget hearing. I sincerely hope to hear a lot lot more from these guys in the future as I feel that what comes next could well be simply awesome!
To find out more about XII Boar, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Now, it should be said that I’m sitting on a train writing this, so to see the first track called Train Wreck, I’m a little nervous. That all goes though as soon as the sludgy and distorted riffs kick in and power the track into being. Chanting vocals of ‘It’s a fucking train wreck’ power the track down into your soul, backing everything up with soaring lead lines and chunky guitar lines. Sludgy and chunky from start to finish, this is pure downright dirty rock, there’s no frills here just good ol’ rock. Forget massive production costs, the sound these guys have got is raw and energetic, and it’s good to hear.
Beg, Borrow, Steal kicks in where Train Wreck leaves off, opening with a twangy bass line and bringing in a lead line to accompany it perfectly before kicking into another sludgy section – this track is awesome. Slow and powerful, you’ll soon be chanting along to ‘god damn!’ and ‘fuck yeah’ before you know it, and the tracks only just begun. Moving into a faster and more funky section, these guys are showing they really know how to write a track which is sure to have audiences anywhere moving. I honestly love the raw energy which is exuded from their music, it’s immense. Sludge soon takes on the lead and further develops my love for this band. Sludge by name, sludgy by nature, the sound of the guitars is one which you’ll want to keep going forever, distorted riffs underpinned with pinch harmonics and a solid drum beat, this is music to move your soul. Breaking things down purely to the bass line, the track seems to echo around inside your head and make you want to shift along to it, not smoothly but in a juddery way, just moving somehow to replicate what you’re hearing. Alternating between fast paced sections and slower sludgier sections, this track is probably my favourite from the selection sent through, and it doesn’t even have any vocals on it. Having said that, no vocals are needed – let the music lead the way.
Skol finishes the selection and what an ending it brings, hammering straight in with the guitars and drums this track picks up the pace and makes sure you’re not going to forget what you’ve just experienced for a long while to come. Slowing to a pace which is sure to have live audiences jumping along to the music, this track demonstrates numerous levels of the ability of this band. Crunchy, powerful, heavy and yet somehow melodic from the outset this is a track which I would love to see performed on the live scene just to see whether the bands power matches up to what it sounds like it should.
I really didn’t know what to expect from XII Boar as the name doesn’t give anything away. The sound they’ve created is massive, heavy, raw, energetic and downright dirty, and one which I for one will never forget hearing. I sincerely hope to hear a lot lot more from these guys in the future as I feel that what comes next could well be simply awesome!
To find out more about XII Boar, check out their Facebook page HERE.
