Snakes Alive / Wire Werewolves

***A heavy dose of WIRE WEREWOLVES in fractured black metal / noise mode, contrasted on the flip by chunks of crushing, hooky sludge carved out by SNAKE ALIVE. Wire Werewolves open with a flurry of fluttering amplifier drones and charged synthesizer hum (courtesy of Hive Mind's GREH HOLGER) that builds in intensity as a skeletal slow-moving drumbeat enters alongside a dark minor key guitar melody, before the distorted riffing and scathing shrieking vocals suddenly kick in, turning the creepy post-rock intro into a mangy black metal dirge. The group blends segments of vicious black metal similar to early Mayhem and the totally abstract industrial textures. Snakes Alive's dour, down-tuned battery and frantic high-pitched screams trade off with burly hardcore shouting over nasty Sabbathoid riffing. Red and black silkscreened sleeve. Limited to 100 hand-numbered copies.