Distress Tolerance is ready to rock, and this EP is a clear demonstration of their belligerant intent.
The four tracks are built on an alternative metal backbone, with echoes of the first Black Stone Cherry, coloured with a sprinkle of grunge. Expect groovy riffs, catchy choruses, headbanging, and sweat. The guitars are fast, distorted but clear, and the vocals are mostly clean but not afraid to explore harsher territories from time to time.
In terms of heaviness, the songs never reach any extreme, but the energy levels are high. Some riffs reminded me of G/Z/R (the solo project from Geezer Butler... Yes, THAT Geezer Butler), but Distress Tolerance prefer a slightly softer approach, focusing more on melodic hooks that are quite effective in making the listener scroll through the lyrics trying to sing along.
Despite the relatively short duration, this EP has some surprises up its sleeve. The track "Welcome to Witch Country" shuffles the cards on the table with its country/western sections, answering the question "what would happen if the Dead South discovered electric instruments?". Totally unexpected but perfectly fitting. The final track of the release, titled "The Bard", is a quite humorous recall of what seems like a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, with an overpowered Bard and a too lenient Dungeon Master, represented by a narrating voice.
Heavy tracks? We got them. Variety? Check! Headbanging? Guaranteed. What else are you looking for?