"Licked Inch Fur" is the latest four-song EP from top-notch Finnish noise rock act Throat (released by At War with False Noise, Kaos Kontrol, Made in Kansas, and Verdura Records), and somehow it's even better than the "Adult Situations" 7" that I wrote about three months ago. I mentioned last time that the band seems to draw frequent comparisons to 16, Unsane, and Fudge Tunnel, but regardless of whether or not I agree with that, I will say that this EP puts Throat right up there with those highly regarded acts in terms of overall quality level. Surging rhythms, plodding basslines, eerie feedback, ringing dissonance, harsh vocals... it's all here in fine form. The songwriting has an unexpectedly dark heaviness to it as well, and that definitely pays off. And it's all wrapped up in an excellent recording that keeps everything sounding warm and natural—giving each element its own breathing room in the mix. Awesome, awesome stuff. Just check out the track below for proof. There's absolutely no reason why fans of this particular style shouldn't be absolutely flipping out over this band!
