The Devil went down to Georgia, and Georgia spat out Black Tusk. Riding alongside the likes of Kylesa and Baroness, they are rapidly making a name for themselves with their own brand of ‘swamp metal.’ Their latest offering of Tend No Wounds is no different: dirty and downright disgusting rock n’ roll record, all infused with a heavy dose of southern sludge. It’s hard to miss the bands obvious punk roots here, with barked vocals rising abrasively within the mix. The real focus of the songs however is not on vocals but in the backing. The talent with this band lies in their ability to create a full sound using only three members, and their bluesy guitar and gritty distortion containing a real groove that propels you from start to finish.
Opening the EP with ‘A Cold Embrace,’ we are greeted by chaotic guitar riff that slowly descends into sludge, bringing with it a relentless push rapidly towards the next song. The intro however promised more than the album really provided. An odd mix between brilliance, with ‘The Weak And The Wise’ churning out catchy riffs and ‘In Days Of Woe’ providing a great stoner classic, and filler, they flicker between the repetitive and the extraordinary.
Although still embracing their signature sound with this EP, there is a sense that even the faster songs are much less urgent than their previous releases. The band has played a little on the safe side with this record, and with that there hasn’t been much room for anything to truly break any real ground. Despite this, it’s still a great record with such a strong sense of nostalgia running through it we should really be pulling it out of a dusty tape box than throwing it on CD.
7/10
Caitlin Smith