Ugly Creatures EP
There’s something sublimely perfect about The Devil Rides Out’s latest EP, Ugly Creatures, and it’s their absolute commitment to their muse at the total disregard of commerciality, radio friendliness or any other form of compromise.
Heavier than the God of your choosing and just as omnipotent, Ugly Creatures opens with the swirling, hypnotic title track, a slab of deep obsidian groove metal that will have you walking into the fires of hell in search of some kind of redemption.
Empty Sky and Burn Again continue the shock and awe – Kyuss/QOTSA riffs turned up to 13 with a turbo charged road warrior sneer and the nitrous on full bore.
If the rest of the EP is a hurricane of stoner groove madness and mayhem, The Righteous Walk transplants Man-In-Black-Cashisms into the eye of that hurricane, perfectly encapsulating a heavy metal western playing out in the deserts of their minds.
EP closer, Blood River, harnesses the power and riffology of prime grade Black Sabbath and lashes it to the front of a blazing road train cutting a hole through a blood red desert. It’s nearly claustrophobically crushing and at full volume is doubtless capable of felling trees better than any axe.
Despite this being the last release for the band with drummer Royce Uwen, Ugly Creatures proves that The Devil is alive and well, its black heart beating a stirring and primal tattoo, challenging all comers to face off against their imposingly severe wall of sound.
SHANE PINNEGAR
