PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Armagh-based ten-legged groove machine Astralnaut have been kicking up dust – sometimes quite literally – on the Irish scene, both north and south of the border, for around about two and a half years now, particularly with their fiery and intense live shows, which have been consistently levelling venues with the effectiveness of a rampant juggernaut.
Their reputation is set to be cemented still further with this, the band’s third EP – a mind-crushing and neck-snapping collection of five of the meanest, dirtiest, sludgiest, doomiest tracks you will hear this side of Ragnarock, delivered with passion and an intent to rip your head from its very shoulders.
Yes, it’s not pretty: it’s completely the opposite; it’s got so much grit under its fingernails you’d need a pickaxe and a month of Sundays to prise just half of it out – if you could break through the concrete solidness which epitomizes this superbly crafted opus minor.
It’s not complicated: but that’s where it works… where many bands over-think themselves and needlessly elaborate upon pointless elaboration, Astralnaut have put much thought into doing what they do best – keeping it simple and concentrating on delivering crushing riffs coupled with memorable melodies which capture the intensity of their live shows without compromising any of the latter’s energy and integrity.
A fine example of a young band developing and maturing apace.
Track list:
Ego Eccentric / Mac Tire / Neopium / Utopian Dawn / Dethroned
Recommended listening: Ego Eccentric
If you’re in the vicinity of certain parts of the Emerald Isle, you can get your head wrecked at the following Astralnaut shows:
Saturday June 7 – Belfast, Limelight 2 (supporting Conjuring Fate, Donum Dei and September Cross)
Saturday June 14 – Letterkenny, The Green Room
Saturday June 21 – Draperstown, The Underground
Friday June 27 – Omagh, Top Of The Town
Monday September 1 – Belfast, Voodoo (supporting Karma To Burn)
You can keep up with developments in the Astralnaut camp at https://www.facebook.com/Astralnautmusic.
