Born from the ashes of two previous endeavours, members from The Darien Venture and Crusades formed the love child that is Shambles in a Husk.
‘Cowboy Doom’ is the first release from this Glasgow quartet and has people grinding their teeth in anticipation.
A small interlude leads us into the driving drum grooves and within this short time frame we are treated to a record that has been a beneficiary of excellent production and provides the exciting prospect of that whatever is going to follow will not shy away from trying to impress us.
When the record moves into top gear you are distinctively reminded of ‘Mutiny On The Bounty’ with the guitar work but these sections are broken up with moments that are uniquely SIAH with a beautifully crafted chorus style nuisance.
The unrelenting character of this record provides a brutal monolithic atmosphere showing us SIAH are masters of the dramatics.
This blend of intricate work on the guitars and punchy drums creates an excellent vehicle for which Steven Murray’s sincere lyrics and raw vocals stand to make a bigger impact.
This is no more evident than when the track drops into half speed near the end creating epic soundscapes for a few moments before being caught out on the ending, but that is to be expected from a track that doesn’t stay still for any length of time.
A first release is never an easy thing to get right, especially when this release would be unable to escape the confines of its comparison to other records from previous projects, but SIAH can breath a sign of relief.
There is something distinctively unique about ‘Cowboy Doom’, which succeeds in creating excitement for the first time in a long time about hardcore music.
Words: Euan Coe
