Lout EP - The Horrors: Review

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The Horrors

are a British post-punk and goth rock band who first broke out in the late 2000's on the back of their critically acclaimed sophomore album Primary Colours. Since then the band has transitioned their sound for numerous new eras landing on a heavier more electronic rock sound on 2017's V, and positioning an even deeper dive into industrial sounds on this EP.

Review By Lav:

I love The Horrors, that's no secret. From relentlessly praising their modern post-punk revivalist classic Primary Colours to writing a glowing review of V early on in the blog's history. Coming off their 5th studio album which featured such a refreshing and youthful sound for a band more than a decade into their career, I was really excited for what the band was going to do next and they didn't let me down. Despite being only 3 tracks and barely over 10 minutes Lout works as a proof of concept for a potentially experimental industrial rock direction for the group going forward. 

The title track Lout comes first and the blistering distorted guitars will get your attention in a hurry. The most impactful piece of instrumentation may actually be the booming drums that bookend the stop and start vocal refrains. The song is mildly catchy but its main attraction comes with the vocal and instrumental intensity the band delivers with their performances. It's a rousing start to the record sonically even if its more experimental and impactful moments do come after. 

Org is a wiry, jittery instrumental piece with a sort of insane and unsettling intensity to it. Smack right in the middle of this EP it has a buzzing combination of angular synth lines and blown out guitars with the gruff industrial percussion completely throwing the mix into chaos. The arrangement makes my head spin but in a good way and is one of the most instrumentally and compositionally experimental things I've ever heard the band do. 

Finally there's Whiplash whish lives up to its name with more of those same blown out guitars and distant rhythmic clapping. The vocals come crashing into the song completely out of nowhere and remind me of a hardcore version of Interpol with a big splash of Marilyn Manson. The song is ferociously composed and there is rarely a moment relief from the onslaught making for the EP's most exciting moment. 

Lout is an uncompromising step towards a sound much louder and more intense then we are used to from The Horrors. Despite the unfamiliarity the band is ready to dive headfirst into this sound and do so with impressive songwriting poise. While the songs may not compliment each other perfectly and I would hope to hear more variety in the same vein of Org on a full length album in this style, there is plenty here that proves they are going in the right direction. 7.5/10

Album Cover Review By Tyler Judson:

I really like this cover. It helps that it's my personal aesthetic of a little strange and scary. The subject's blurriness adds into the unsettling vibe. The red of the words stands out from the flesh tones but also compliments the tones in the image. Overall this cover is one of my favorites. 8.5/10

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