I know this has been around for a while, but considering the preorders were delayed for months, most people received theirs recently. Unless of course, if you were able to go to Sound and Fury this summer (see pic above.)
First off, this is a highly simple and streamlined release. The record has 3 songs, 1 from Bad Seed and 2 from War Hungry. The cover is black and white, with a photocopied lyric sheet insert. This type of packaging is almost refreshing to see, especially with some of the high priced and intricate designs that have come out over the past year (Pulling Teeth and Iron Age for example.) Not to say I didn't enjoy these records, but this has a much more "DIY" feel to it.
Bad Seed's contribution to the split remains true to their debut EP. Heavy, almost sludgy sounding guitars start the song off, which moves into a faster paced verse. The breakdown comes almost out of nowhere, sure to surprise people unfamiliar with their style. However, I was left wanting much more after the brief 2 minute track.
The deliberate, pounding riffs on War Hungry's opening song, "Been Without Being" take over a minute to get started, but don't disappoint once everything gets into full swing. There is a seamless transition into the second song, which almost makes it difficult to tell where one begins and the other ends. My favorite part of their side is the hardcore-rock and roll sounding outro of the second song, something that War Hungry has done well since their first record.
One other problem is the overall sound quality of the EP. Typically, vinyl releases have a rougher sound that fits this style of music well, but this seems a bit underdone for two promising bands on the rise. Essentially, followers of the bands will enjoy the EP, but I wouldn't pick this split for a first listen for either of them.
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