Richmond speed metal trio Bat—featuring Municipal Waste’s Ryan Waste and Nick Poulos—come flying out of Hell with new EP Axestasy, a six-track ripper that follows their 2016 album, Wings of Chains. Containing five songs and a short interlude by Acid Witch main man Slasher Dave, Bat go straight for the kill with high-speed riffs, pounding drums and lively mosh parts.
Waste explains the EP to Decibel.
“We wanted to spread our wings on this mini album, taking the dynamics even further,” he says. “’Wild Fever’ has been a staple in our live set for some time now and the intensity gets hotter and higher each time. ‘Long Live The Lewd’ is a continuation of one of our earliest songs, ‘Code Rude,’ which pushes the boundaries of our stripped down rawness. ‘ICE’ cools things down tempo-wise, but stands tall as our slowest and heaviest offering yet. ‘Ritual Fool’ is revisited and revved up to put the posers in their place once and for all. ‘Slash of the Blade’ might come as a shock in the mix but it’s a tribute to shot-on-video horror composed by the mastermind Slasher Dave. Just picture the end credit reel as you slip into Axestasy. For the titular track we chose to fulfill our heavy metal roots and end this record with a bloody tale of the seductress who graces the front cover. Listen closely: when the axe strikes down, you will hear the sound of steel mutilating her prey.”
Enjoy the heavy metal ecstasy of Axestasy right now. The record is officially out on April 26.
