The new album from Golden Pelicans, Grinding For Gruel, is out now via Gerard Cosloy's 12XU label. The record is brutal, full of pummeling riffs and bad attitude, and the long-player is, in a word, superb.
"Stray Dogs" roars out of the gate like something The Stooges would have once considered, while the more metal-ish chords of the title cut and "Jester's Feast" indicate the power of this group to harness a mighty hook. Vocalist Erik Grincewicz, guitarist Scott Barnes, bassist Sammy Meneses, and drummer Rich Evans whip up a furious racket here, and so much of Grinding For Gruel is like a kick to the skull. But hey, I mean that in the best possible way. The wonderfully-titled "Lady Radiation" and "Hippy Life" take things down a notch ever so slightly, but, really, Grinding For Gruel is an excellent ride through the sort of territory that acts like The Misfits, Butthole Surfers, and Saint Vitus once mapped out. Golden Pelicans manage to make this feel fresh again, and there's not a single moment here on Grinding For Gruel that isn't full of punishing garage rock noise. What's not to love?
Grinding For Gruel is out now via 12XU.
For more details on Golden Pelicans, check out the official Facebook page.
[Photo: Nick Allam]