Lucertulas - Tragol de Rova
“Yes, more please,” are the thoughts that come to mind in hearing Roulette, the punchy and crunchy opener to Tragol de Rova. Like much of the record, this track - its dark mood and background horror-film wailing - is the music playing in your worst nightmares: in the best way possible. This release from Italian outfit Lucertulas has the band moving from creepy and cackling post-hardcore, best shown through the Evil Dead squealing at the end of On Rough Sea, to distortion-heavy ambient rock on instrumental track six. And while this number may lose listeners thirsting for the bloodlust displayed in preceding tracks – it clocks in at over seven minutes and provides a brief glint of hope before the final massacre – seven brings the maths with a pulsing rhythm reminiscent of a heavier Shipping News. Thus leading into closing track Ops!, its changing time signatures seemingly lifted from the Shellac playbook. Yes, more please. [Jason Morton]