BATS "Cruel Sea Scientist" (Armed Ambitions / Organised Ideas) eight / ten

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For such a great EP, this really gets off on the wrong foot. The brief 'Death to Kent Hovind' opens proceedings, clocking in at approximately 90 seconds, and is one of two incredibly short songs on the five song EP. It's over before it starts and amounts to nothing more than an introductory statement of intent really, as the vocalist repeats the line "Bats will destroy you". Thankfully this is something they manage to pull off successfully over the remainder of the EP.

Lengthier tracks like 'These Ones Lay Eggs' and especially 'Husband & Wife' are far more impressive and really do slay the listener. The latter, my personal favourite, showcases the bands instrumental prowess; the progressive arrangements show a real mastery of dynamics, the rhythm section are nothing short of thunderous and the THREE guitarists show off some seriously dextrous, razor-sharp fretwork.

These riff-filled tunes veer between blistering post-punk and headbanger-friendly metal. They even have some groovy, melodic, bass-led, almost disco sections, but the genre-hopping never seems contrived. Similarly the vocals are delivered in different manners throughout, ranging from visceral screams to sudden shrieks to soft whispers at times. The call and response nature of the backing vocals is great too.

Look at the impressive packaging on this release or listen to the lyrics even and you will see that Bats are obsessed with themes of evolution. Fittingly, Bats are at their strongest when they allow their songs to evolve. The tunes that take the listener down different paths, along which plenty of killer riffs and disparate styles abound, are infinitely better than the jarring shorter ones which don't contribute well to the overall flow of an otherwise fantastic debut. Basically, the longer ones don't cut out mid-mosh and are all the better for it.

They will be serious contenders when a small number of shortcomings are improved upon, or when they unleash a proper full length. They have had a number of high-profile support slots in their hometown of Dublin (The Locust, Gang Gang Dance, Sebadoh) but this EP is more likely to appeal to fans of the likes of the Blood Brothers, At the Drive-In, or even Les Savy Fav, all of whom Bats seem just a little indebted to.

Keefe Murphy
www.myspace.com/leatherbeatsfeather

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