Slow Shiv stake their claim at the nexus of hardcore and hard rock with debut EP 'I'

Like the phoenix of legend, Slow Shiv rises from the ashes of titanic forebearers, awash in the flames of rebirth to embark on a fresh conquest. Featuring the notable talents of Advent and Diarrhea Planet alumni, elements of past projects lend their accents to this fresh campaign, but Slow Shiv pushes beyond established territory to stake their claim independent of former accomplishments. The resulting EP incorporates a wide range of styles from the heavy side of the spectrum that converge into a compelling nexus of hardcore and hard rock.

I opens with an all out sonic assault, the one-two punch of “Starter Log” and “Avalanche Of Hate” unleashing a pummeling blitzkrieg of unrestrained hardcore brutality that flattens the surrounding landscape like an atom bomb. Slow Shiv establishes their baseline here, and constructs the entire EP on a foundation of uncompromising intensity that taps directly into a sensation wild berserker ferocity, juxtaposing elemental fury with the cold precision of mechanical annihilation.

Refusing to remain comfortably within the conventional expectations initially established, “Nail Of Heaven” abruptly changes course, tempering the prevailing muscularity with a gleamingly perfect power pop sheen and melodic guitar heroics that instantly references the band’s Diarrhea Planet lineage. The hook is pure confection, brilliantly sunny and pogoing with electric exuberance that adds dimensionality to Slow Shiv’s repertoire and effectively sets up the back half of the EP to explore a wider scope of sounds and attitudes without abandoning their roots.

Taking a cue from the prevailing positivity of nu-hardcore, “n00b” bounces with an energetic buoyancy whipped into a frothy mosh, deceptively light and refreshing like pints of lager shared in good company while “Headfirst Into A Hole” takes things one step further with an alchemical combination of effervescence and ruthlessness that represents Slow Shiv at their most potent. “A Monstrous Form” closes out the EP with chugging, doomy riffs and a driving rhythm colossal in scope, augmented with a chorus of shout-along, leather-tough gang vocals before devolving into a tumbling exorcism of squealing feedback, cathartic and celebratory in the wake of Slow Shiv’s monumental presence.

Stream I on Spotify and follow Slow Shiv on Instagram

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