EP REVIEW: Gallower – Eastern Witchcraft

Polish Black-Thrash maniacs GALLOWER are back with a new EP of speeding, diabolic warfare. Out via Dying Victims Productions on July 29th.

Blasting into life with a raw onslaught of catchy riffs and d-beats, searing leads we see a band whose savage addiction to playing old school Metal cannot be pacified. Maniacal vocals join the violent assault of thrashing warfare which has a feeling of pure classic rage, utilising a primitive songwriting and equally primitive production, this is not easy-listening for wimps, this is Extreme Metal in the 80s style. Galloped drums and bass give us a monstrous rhythm section while piercing guitar ups the ante in terms of speed and precision while the vocalists hysterical roar continually delivers blasphemous witching metallic hellfire. Opening with full force and not slowing down, there is no denying the superb energy on display.

Forging forth, all of the short songs (all under 4 minutes) deliver a cut of aggressive insanity that keeps us this excellent momentum. “Susanoo’s Deceit” opens on chunky bass lines before going into a more anthemic Speed Metal number while keeping that blackened edge firm in their grasp. Pummelling to a climax, this is a perfect centrepiece for the EP with its spitefully punky flare bringing even more bitter anger into the metallic artillery. Overall, this EP feels like a taste of things to come, while being totally respectable in its own right. If this is the direction of the second album (IE: more phenomenally evil sounding Black-Thrash like on the debut), then I am happy to hear it. Gallower have been a very consistent band since their magnificent 2015 demo “The Witch Hunt Is On” and have never failed to deliver on their promise of evil witching Metal, this EP is no exception.

The evil vengeance in their sound is pure and untamed, showing this maniacal mob have not faltered since their debut LP. If you seek blackened thrashing Heavy Metal that takes you back to the early days of when extremity was a new facet, this brutish EP will not disappoint.