Birds of Pray

Before I start anything else I just want to say one thing - if that isn't some damn great artwork I really don't know what is. Dead Ranch play a fast and loose combo of sludge metal and punk, with the grittier side of rock often seeping into the sound. A strong hardcore influence should be expected with sludge, however, Dead Ranch also draws from streams of more traditional punk. The band is quite messy, almost certainly an intentional decision and quite clearly give a miniscule amounts of fucks. The band is great at mixing different styles all under one sloppy banner. Featuring all kinds of tempos and a nice range of influences, this band is badass and unapologetic for their loose sound.

Vocally, the band goes with whatever works. A no-fucks-given rock'n'roll howl à la Zeke, raspy hardcore shouting or a more distorted take on traditional punk vocals all make an appearance. Rather than consistently going for one lonely approach, the band goes for whatever works for the song that they've envisioned. Multiple vocal approaches generally work their way into one track. Much of the same variety applies to the guitar - sludgy dirges, punk fury and cool rock flourishes are just some of what they take on. Hell, "Konan" even sounds like grunge in parts. Despite all this, it's not as if the band comes off as distinctly weird. Everything here is complimentary to what it resides next to. Everything clicks, and everything is sloppy and takes on a devil may care attitude.

This release gives off a boarded up trailer home in the middle of nowhere with countless empties of cheap beer scattered everywhere vibe. It's fucked up, doesn't give a shit about anything and is ready to put its fists up and fight to the death. The sloppiness really adds to this feeling. This EP's unpolished nature gives it heart. An overly glossy production just wouldn't make sense with this type of music. The closer, "Touch Fuzzy, Get Dizzy" is driven by loose braying scratches of distortion, almost feeling like the equivalent of a psychedelic freakout sans the psychedelia. On a more orthodox note, this release features some sick, juicy blues-inspired rock leads. Real great stuff.

Dead Ranch are all over the place, they clearly don't give a fuck and they're out for blood. The playing style is consistently loose, often noisey and never really lets up. These guys obviously dig a huge amount of different stuff that falls under the banner of heavy music. Although sludge and punk are at the top of the mix, the rock influence is undeniable. Sure, this is far from perfect, some sections could have been improved with a more precise approach, but this fast, messy anything goes attitude really does capture an intense sound.