*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured state. This month’s state is Mississippi.*
Clawhammer is a hard rock/heavy metal band from Mississippi formed by Paul Hill and Paul Craig. The outfit is rounded out by Stephen McNeer on rhythm guitar, Pete Lindsey on drums and Brad Litton on bass. Normally, there would be more detail about the group, but I can’t find any! However, I can speak to the music and it really is classic metal, forged from the steel of the South and the artistic ethic of the doom/goth scene.
For a band with not much biog detail, they have released five thundering albums/EP’s of rocking goodness. In 2015, they released their self-titled debut, which introduced the band’s grave sincerity. This was followed by the more polished ‘In Space’ in 2016. 2017 found the band releasing the awesome sounding ‘Diabolical’. The six track ‘Delta Mud’ (2018) added depth to Clawhammer‘s catalogue with greater use of keyboards and sound effects. And that brings us to the fire-powder keg that is 2018’s ‘Sons Of Sabbath’.
The latest long player powers out the tunes with a touch of sludge and a side of classic metal. The riffs flash through the molten grooves and the vocals of Paul Craig growl and soar with aggression. Songs such as ‘The Fire Burns On” and “Beat The Beast” drill into your core, but the band aren’t done. Clawhammer find a way to add finesse into their palette with the unforgettable battering that “Crazy Again” gives you. Best song on the whole freakin’ album bro!
There is a laid back urgency (an oxymoron eh?) to the whole catalogue, but the more you listen, the better it all sounds! It makes for a real gem of a find and I look forward to more from these prolific rockers.
