Heavy Metal Outlaws: FANGSLINGER Ride Into The Western Sunset With Debut EP "We Are The Night"

They're gothic. They're western. They're FANGSLINGER [photo: FangSlinger]

"Welcome to the Lost Souls Saloon / Tell your story by the light of the moon"

Polish your boots, dust off your Stetson: Western laden, gothic tinged rockers FANGSLINGER have released their debut EP "We Are The Night", a collection of five haunted tales told through the band's trademark blend of hard rock, western blues and atmospheric undertones.

The EP opens up with the title track, the only new release on the EP. It's a particularly gothic track that sets the scene perfectly.

Dual vocals add a really interesting dynamic, and the short build up before the full band kick in really drives home the atmospheric feel. There's a couple of guitar solos here as well that compliment the sound perfectly, melodic and groovy in equal measure.

Music video for "We Are The Night" [cred. FangSlinger]

Follow up track "Lost Souls Saloon" is immediately more rock laden, starting with big, chugging guitars. The slow groove from before is still there, but there is a heavier feel. The pre chorus is a particular highlight, thinning the soundscape before coming in with a big, hard hitting chorus.

The vocals capture the Western feel whilst still having that metal gruffness, and the drums are powerful, punching through the mix. In places, it sounds almost sinister.

"Bare Your Teeth" is more upbeat, a highlight of the blues/metal combo, helped by a tribal-esque drum part. Vocal duties are split more, emphasising the strong dynamic the band has. The band have livened up a little bit here, still delivering that Western sound but swapping eerie atmospherics for hard rock energy.

There's also a harmonica, which alone is worth buying the EP for.

Music video for "Bare Your Teeth" [cred. FangSlinger]

A stripped down guitar at the start of next track "Blood Curse" quickly reminds you that beneath the heaviness, this is still country, the twang of the guitars standing clear against the hard rock backdrop.

This is probably the closest to 'straightforward' country the band get, but it still delivers the heaviness - the transition at the 1:30 mark is a great showcase of this. The chorus is designed perfectly for a crowd singalong, and backing vocals add depth.

The band deliver one last bout of upbeat classic metal energy with EP closer "Bloodsucker Blues". If any track on the EP deserves a row or two of line dancers, it's this one. It's incredibly catchy, with good riffs and melodies to back it up.

It leaves the EP ending on a high, with plenty of anticipation on what tales the band may tell next.

"We Are The Night" is out now [photo: FangSlinger]

Mainstream bands have proved that when done right, blues and rock can fit like a nice puzzle. FangSlinger not only echo this, but excel at it. It's groovy, it's bluesy, it makes you want to ride a horse into the sunset and not look back.

"We Are The Night" is out NOW on streaming services