Down in the blackest pits of hell, a solitary imp drags its weary bones along a bridge hewn from molten rock that spans a cavern decorated with human skulls. Red skinned and dressed in rags it reaches up with huge bony claws, that have spent endless hours torturing sinners in the seventh circle and rolls aside the mighty stone that covers the entrance to its pitiful cave dwelling.
The beast walks to a bucket filled with the cold hearts of bankers, pulls out a beer, and with a grunt lets its fat hairy arse crash down onto a threadbare sofa. It leans over and flicks the on switch to a beat-up CD player, picking up a pre-skinned it lights the blunt with a constantly ablaze femur bone that is lying on the floor and lets the thunderous sound of XII Boar assault its pointed lug holes.
XII Boar’s four track EP Split Tongue, Cloven Hoof, rampages through your brain like a razor-tusked, fur-covered wild pig hurtling through a forest knocking trees down left and right. With guitars so downtuned that they scrape the bottom of graves, this lot add a ton of groove to their music too.
The first track to bludgeon you senseless is Smoking Bones, thundering drums, coarse vocals and heavy riffs that leave you with smoking ears! The superb guitarwork on Hellspeed Viper reminds me of early Mastodon and when third track Slamhound kicks in, it makes you want to start a circlepit on your own. The last song on the EP is the towering Triclops, doom laden in places with drums that just want you bang your head until your neck snaps but always never ever forgetting the groove! Head over to http://www.xiiboar.com/ and download this mother of an EP and make sure you throw some coins in the pot too!
While you are there you can download their demo XII for free, it’s also pretty awesome but without Split Tongue, Cloven Hoof ës superior production. Opening track Train Wreck opens skulls with its ferocity and Sludge does what it says on the tin. Beg, Borrow, Steal kicks out the jams and with EP closer S.K.O.L , the best is saved until last, with heavy overtones of the mighty Black Sabbath.
So if you want to get a head start on all your hellbound mates and listen to Beelzebubs favourite band then get into these guys and kiss your sanity goodbye!
Track Listings
Split Tongue, Cloven Hoof
Smoking Bones
Hellspeed Viper
Slamhound
Triclops
XII
Train Wreck
Beg, Borrow, Steal
Sludge
S.K.O.L
http://www.xiiboar.com/
http://www.facebook.com/xiiboar/
eMail: band@xiiboar.com
Words by Dan O’Gara.
