Formed by Simon Neil (Biffy Clyro) and Mike Vennart (Oceansize), Empire State Bastard is a brutal side-project given an additional shot in the arm by the addition of the amazing Dave Lombardo (ex-Slayer) on drums. While both Simon and Mike made statements to the effect that they wanted to make the vilest, heaviest noise imaginable, Rivers of Heresy proves to be an incredibly dynamic record, drawing on a range of influences and, while there’s plenty of sinus-cleansing brutality to be found, it’s all the more effective for the light the band allow to permeate the shade.
Opening with Harvest, a savage battering that harks back to the post-hardcore of Botch, Dillinger Escape Plan, and early Cave In, Empire State Bastard surely make an impressive entrance, although the detached, almost-spoken verse suggests there’s more to the band than simply delivering a sonic battering. That said, and with the band barely pausing for breath, ESB lurch into Blusher, a feral piece that makes good of the grindcore ambitions to which they alluded. In contrast, Moi? is a slower-burning piece, providing a sense of tension that is only released when the band launch into the utterly deranged drum ‘n’ scream of Tired, Aye? Stripped down to the barest essentials, it’s as brutal and ugly as a pub brawl and, whether witnessed live, or heard on record, you’re never fully prepared for Simon’s harrowing delivery. The riffs return for the lengthy Sons and Daughters, a positive epic compared to the sub-3-minute tracks that surround it, the super-heavy sludge riffs nailed by Dave’s oppressive and inventive rhythms, while layers of arcing feedback help to bring it to its thrilling conclusion.
Opening the second half of the album, Stutter packs a surprising amount of variety into just two-and-a-half minutes. From its spasmodic opening, all crushing riffs and scattershot percussion, through to a synth-embellished post-punk outro, it consistently surprises the listener. In contrast, Palms Of Hands is a savage outpouring that sounds like Slayer covering Urusai Yatsura. Somewhat unexpectedly, the band slow the pace for the quasi-industrial pulse of Dusty, an initially melodic piece with a white-hot core. Perhaps inevitably, it’s followed by a more straight forward grind whiteout in the form of Sold!, another track with a strong post-hardcore vibe, sounding for all the world like The Hives being battered to death by Dillinger Escape Plan. ESB saved the best for last, however, with the crushing weight of The Looming, a fantastically hypnotic exercise that leaves the listener physically and mentally exhausted at its conclusion. Hauntingly melodic, it builds to a swirling miasma of incendiary post rock riffing, both providing the album with a fitting conclusion and promising great things for the future.
I wonder if Empire State Bastard didn’t do themselves a disservice talking up the extremity of the band’s sound. While it is frequently ferocious, Rivers of Heresy is an album that offers a number of surprisingly deft twists and turns, drawing on a range of influences that pitch it closer to alternative than extreme metal. As such, for every Stutter or Tired, Aye? There’s a Moi? or Looming in the wings, and the result is an album that delights in wrongfooting the listener. At 35-minutes in length, it’s brilliantly paced, keeping the attention throughout and ensuring that you’ll want to revisit the album, especially for the more brooding efforts. All in all, Empire State Bastard’s Rivers of Heresy is deeply impressive debut that is well worth exploring. 8.5
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