XII BOAR - Pitworthy (Album Review)

Artwork by Beak - Six of One

It's not my first day or nothing, but I'm still new here. When it comes to underground heavy, I'm still green. It's a maxim of mine that it takes 15 years to become truly good or proficient at anything you do, be it something creative, a job or even just listening to a certain type of music. I'm about a fifth of the way there, way down the seniority list. XII Boar is one of those bands that you hear about, over and over. If enough of the right people talk about a band I'll make a mental note to check out the next release. Trying to play catch up and listen to everything is bailing a flood with a thimble. Well the time has finally come and XII Boar has a new release. After a pair of highly regarded EP's the band is releasing their debut album on March 9.

XII Boar is often labelled as sludge or even doom but I call it biker rock. It's an unswerving, unrelenting, fast-driving terror trip of heavy music. This is bicycle-chain-being-whipped-in-your-face-in-a-midnight-park-brawl music. Well, you either shy away from it and turtle, or you use the adrenaline to keep driving and fight on. XII Boar is suited for the latter personality type.

From the wicked throw down of savage opener "Sharp Shooter" to the epic finish of "Quint" this Aldershot power trio shows no mercy. The album title is no lie. The 10 tracks on this 48 minute album keep a quick tempo, but tend to alternate heavy, slower, riffier moments at opportune times. And the album's not without it's melodic moments, see the sublime "The Schaeffer Boogie" for evidence of that. It's a good signature sound and they carry it well.

With XII Boar being from the UK, the style they play immediately brings to mind bands like Orange Goblin and Desert Storm and newer groups that I just happened to hear first like Mage, The Grudge and Beardmore. They also wouldn't fall off the stage on a double bill with Midnight Ghost Train. But even among this excellent lot, XII Boar excels. Bands like XII Boar are to Motörhead what ... Windhand, for example are to Black Sabbath. They are the children of Lemmy and crew, ensuring the sonic lineage while building on it and sending it to seething new places.

Incidentally I was never sure how to say the band name, all this time I've been reading their name as "She-Boar", well it's Twelve Boar. Either way this band spells trouble and 'Pitworthy' will leave scuff marks and bruises. The album is available now!

XII Official website
XII Boar facebook page