Scour is the latest side project from the crazy mind of Phillip H Anselmo, consisting of himself, John Jarvis (Pig Destroyer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Fulgora), Derek Engemann (Cattle Decapitation), Chase Fraser (ex-Animosity, Decrepit Birth), and Jesse Schobel (Strong Intention, Cast the Stone), and they ready to release a self-titled EP on Anselmo’s own label. There’s not a track on this EP longer than 2:44, making this is a short, sharp offering from Scour.
The first track on the EP, “Dispatched“, is radically different from anything Anselmo has done in quite some time. It’s black metal, something I didn’t really think I would ever see Anselmo doing, but it seems there’s very little he can’t do well. However, with the line up of the band, what else were you expecting? The song has a very nice, fast tempo to it, and old Phil can still drop a death growl with the best of them. It all sounds very sludge-like and brutal –exactly what you want to hear from this style of music. “Clot“ carries on in the same vain as “Dispatched“, as the vocals are very impressive, and the guitar work here is particularly good. I think this is a banger of a track and the same goes for the next track, “Crooked“, another fantastic tune that races along at a frenetic pace. Phil maintains high quality vocals, and I’m still having a hard time believing that it’s the ex-Pantera frontman behind the mic.
“Codes” is really very similar to the previous tracks, with nothing really to make it stand out. It’s a good song, but nothing particularly noteworthy. Now the fifth track on this six-track EP, “Tactics“, is where the band switches things up. It clocks in at 1:51, making it the shortest track on the EP. It’s an instrumental track that rages like a building storm until the final track “Tear gas” kicks in. Again, the whole band here sounds very good with a lovely guitar solo in the middle, with a melodic pace in its second half that is a fantastic way to end an EP predominantly filled with black metal.
From this offering, it’s seen that Scour is a nice side project that gives Phil the chance to still create music away from the eyes of everybody still annoyed by his recent actions. However, while the music is very good and the band sound amazing, I don’t think this will be anything more than a one-time thing, and its a shame because of all his side projects, this one is right up there with the best of them.
1 comment
I’m ready for this one to come out. It seem the more extreme Phil goes the better the reaction. Thank god Phil has Housecore to release the many projects Mr. Anselmo is a part of. Scour is brutal and everything fans of The Kid have come to expect. This is a little something to hold fans over until Housecore’s most anticipated release probably in the entire existence of the label itself SUPERJOINT!!!!! Me along with throngs of other fans eagerly await new Superjoint like kids riding in the back seat continually asking “Are we there yet”. Never say never I remember watching YouTube video of a Down press conference from somewhere in Europe seeing Phil get somewhat agitated about being asked about Superjoint Ritual hearing him say that he’d never play with that band again. Thank god for Corey Mitchell (RIP) for his persistence in asking Phil to reunite the defunct band. 2016 will be a good year for The Kid and his fans