Son Of Boar have put out In The Eyes Of Hatred ahead of The Hand That Reigns, their second album, which Pale Wizard Records releases on 20 November.
Five years between albums for a band with this much live work behind them usually has a reason, and the band give one. The record came together during a stretch in which every member was navigating difficult times at once, and they describe the result as darker and more aggressive than the self titled debut from 2021.
The Bradford five piece formed in 2018 and built their name on stages rather than streams, sharing bills with Conjurer, Conan, Nebula, Desert Storm, Sergeant Thunderhoof and Fatso Jetson, and playing Bloodstock, Riffolution, Ruination and Masters Of The Riff among others.
What they do with a riff comes from a clear lineage: Crowbar and Down for the sludge, Kyuss for the groove, Black Sabbath and Paradise Lost for the weight, with harmonised twin guitars over the top and Luke Oliver's roar on it.
Kurt Wood recorded it at Corner House Studios in Yorkshire and Dave Draper mastered it. Earlier in the year the band put out a video for Darkest Light.