After witnessing that bunch of absolute maniacs at Bloodstock in 2017 (in a tent that was so full it was a wonder the band on the main stage didn’t just give up and go home, especially as they were King810 and therefore awful), this is the first time I’ve had my hands on anything MP3-wise by Raised by Owls. In a nutshell, they’re extreme metal / grindcore’s Lawnmower Deth – they’re kinda shit, but they’re funny so they get away with it.
OK. They’re not actually shit, which is annoying as that takes away from a perfectly good tagline. Dammit.
What we have here are 21 songs of abrasive sickness varying in length from 9 seconds to over six minutes, with many touching on the theme of “classic British telly”. This is the first album I can recall which opens with the sound of Mr Blobby… backed by dramatic chords. Just thinking about it gives me the shits.
A large part of the humour is in the song titles: “Netflix and Kill”, “Rob Halford Robs Halfords”, “The Philip Schofield Chainsaw Massacre”, “Carol Vorderman’s Countdown to Extinction”… you get the idea. Each of these little ditties may have a laughable title, but they’re all pretty brutal. OK, except for “Owen Wilson Says Wow” which is just weird. You can check out the video below.
Highlights? Bloody hell. Probably “Ant and Dec Vs. The Evil Dead” and “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Easily Offended Millennials” just for being a metal version of the Indy theme tune.
Raised By Owls play the kind of music that makes your gran think there’s something wrong with the car stereo. Harsh vocals and a constant barrage of noise. Which, let’s be honest, is just how we like it.
Dreadful will be available to stream and download for free from 29th March
Brilliant, thanks for the review, glad you enjoyed it too! :D