The Orchard- Dead Town EP
The Orchard are a band deserving your attention. Surfacing from the Midlands, the five-piece have teamed up with Spy Catcher's Tom Mitchener to produce a shining example of wheezing, sludge splattered, Hulk-smashing hardcore rock n' roll. Yes, new EP "Dead Town" is a hefty blend of retro metal and garage punk and it sounds just splendid.
The three-track taster does everything right when it comes to getting across The Orchard's sound. 'Haggard & Hanging' amply demonstrates their ability to whack the dirge of grunge over melodic Gallows-like chord progressions before breaking into the tastiest of wailing guitar solos. It's safe to say, we were convinced from the off. The ferocious influence of the Every Time I Die strain of metalcore comes out to play in 'Hold It Down' which is a high-paced belter of a track. You have just a couple of seconds to digest it's carnage before things are rounded off by the heavy sleaze of "Dead Town", which is a deliciously aggressive middle finger of melodic noise.
We've been pretty much sold on this. When it comes to The Orchard's method of blending the soul and pulse of classic metal with their rugged style of hardcore punk, the result is nothing short of an impressive cranium-crusher of an experience.