Following on from a self-titled EP (released in 2016), and 2017’s wolf machine; black days is the third EP from fast-rising rockers Saint Apache. Featuring four snarling tracks that rail against the increasing levels of inequality that blight society, Black Days is a refreshingly forthright and blisteringly catchy take-down of modern life that consistently challenges the listener even as it batters its way into the sub-conscious.
The EP gets off to a fine start with Amongst Vultures a sneering, snarling mix of hard rock riffing and punk rock attitude. The band pitch it just right, the production allowing the riffs to bristle even as Thom Meredith’s politically-charged vocals tear at the fabric of society with barely-contained urgency. With everything so fractured, it’s refreshing to hear bands once more wearing their hearts on their sleeves, and the sense of rage that simmers beneath the surface of the muscular music is palpable. Built around an elastic riff that threatens to live inside your head for a month, the shameful has it all – a hyper-energetic performance, a vocal that sits comfortably between the brutal and the melodic and an intelligence that will appeal to those drawn in by the recent success of Idles. Put simply, it’s a fantastic song and it’s the highlight of this all-too-short EP. Next up, palm-muted rocker strive to survive has an alternative vibe – think the pixies adopting a more obviously punk rock stance – and the restrained verse allows Thom’s lyrics a greater opportunity to shine before the band bring the fire on a chorus that blazes away with intense heat. Seeing things out is the dark groove of Tory Man (from which the EP draws its name) a cataclysmic call to arms that skewers the current ruling party as the band unleash a very English take on the rabble-rock of Rage Against the Machine, delivering what could (and should) become a punk classic in the process.
Intelligent, articulate and bruisingly powerful, there’s a sense that Saint Apache have much to say and this third EP will hopefully set the stage for a full-length album. Seriously catchy, but without any hint of compromise, Saint Apache are exactly the band we need right now and black days is a furious reminder of the power of music to engage the masses. 9
