Thursday 5 November 2015

Carved Up - Matador (Album Review)


Release date: November 13th 2015. Label: Crowquill Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Matador – Tracklisting

1. Death Remains The Same
2. The Arrangement
3. We Built Riff City
4. Riffer Phoenix
5. Hot Pocket
6. The Riffer Wild
7. Helena, Save Me
8. Crevice – Crevasse
9. Mystic Riffer
10. Ωx

Band Members:

TJ Schilling - Guitars, Bass, Vocals
Nick Norvilas - Guitars, Bass, Vocals
Josh Cooper - Drums

Review:

After a series of mini albums and EPS, Matador, which is Carved Up's debut album has arrived and has been well and truly worth the wait. The momentum gained by their past releases (including the fantastic 2013 EP Tiffani Amber Threesome) has left fans of the band waiting in anticipation for this debut and they will not be disappointed, in fact anyone who is into the discordant sounds of the Touch & Go and Amphetamine a Reptile record labels will undoubtedly find something to adore on Matador

The powerful trio have taken this momentum and let rip on Matador which is full of the power and drive the band are known for. Matador kicks off with the Death Remains The Same, a fantastic lesson in riff laden noisy rock and doesn't let up for the entirety of its 10 tracks. Carved Ups knack for full on noise anthems ala Botch hasn't wavered at all and the bands sound on Matador is bolstered by canyon sized jams that let the bands sound soar and the use of cello and violin adds a nice touch.

The highlights on Matador are plentiful with the pick of the bunch being the massive sounding The Arrangement, the expansive and fantastically titled We Built Riff City which certainly lives up to its name with riff after riff of crushing fury and the same can definitely be said for the trio of also brilliantly riff titled tracks Riffer Phoenix, The Riffer Wild and Mystic Riffer while Crevice-Crevasse has all the power and intensity of a reincarnated Unsane with its riffs that just keep on building and building reaching a forceful conclusion.

Matador definitely lives up to expectations and has to be one of, if not the noise rock records of the year and one that should be on many album of the year lists of 2015. A brilliant debut from a band that will undoubtedly get bigger based the quality on show that oozes from this riff laden masterpiece.

Words by Gavin Brown

Thanks to Earsplit PR for the promo. Matador will be available to buy via Crowquill Records from November 13th 2015 on CD/DD/Vinyl

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