Holy State – Holy State EP

From the throaty vocals to the stripped rock bite, it’s tempting to suggest the specific Holy State these lads from Leeds are striving towards is Nirvana. Cobain/Hindu philosophy puns aside, it’s a pleasure to hear a Fugazi influence holding sway, with Holy State unafraid to weld grooves to riffs.

From Brain Cave’s Jesus Lizard worship to the gnarled garage punk of Palms, what their latest EP lacks in variety it makes up for by being consistently invigorating. The comparatively clean Skull on Skull lightens the load a tad, but the overall impression is of a band that takes the business of making a racket very seriously indeed. It’s not enough to scar or bruise, but the impression left is indelible. [Chris Buckle]