There is a lot to be said about bands who come out the gate with a mission statement. Sometimes it can be a ballsy declaration of intent, but it can also be a bit of a pipedream which misses the mark.
When forming, Florida-based COLONIAL WOUND set out to create aggressive and noisy music, and on the surface this seems like a broad statement which can easily be achieved. But to pull it off to a level where your music starts to gain attention and excitement is a different ball game all together.
But the band put their money where their mouth is, with the release of the 2019 record Untitled and people’s ears pricked up and they started to pay attention to the band.
Not to rest on your laurels the band – previously a three piece – recruited the vocal talents of Jeremy Atkins and set about work on their brand new EP Degradation.
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The three track record offers up a heavy, riff driven, EP with vocals which are full of venomous spite and aggression.
For any band which releases a short EP, it can be seen as a snapshot of where they are during a particular time frame, and with this being the bands first output as a four piece, Degradation certainly feels like it is Colonial Wound saying “This is what is coming next from us”.
With former vocalist Dylan Mikos stepping away from the mic and purely focusing on bass duties, it is something that really shines through on the record.
From the opening track “I” the heavy down tuned bass tone is a driving force throughout and even though the bands sound is very intense and full throttle, there is a subtle soft touch to their music which keeps things interesting.
The juxtaposition between Atkins’ vocals and how intricate and technical some of the guitar playing on this EP is where Colonial Wound really shine.
There is an almost southern vibe to the guitar playing, reminiscent of bands like Lewd Acts, Former Thieves and Every Time I Die. But it is the fact that the guitars keep you on your toes throughout, even sticking to a sing riff, and one occasions like on the track “III” the guitar almost just becomes a wall of background sound for the rest of the band.
If Degradation is a sign of what Colonial Wound can produce with just three tracks, then I for one am already eagerly anticipating what is next for this four-piece.
