Release:

High Roller Records
22.09.2017
Distribution: Soulfood

Info:

More than 30 years after the birth of EPITAPH, the Italian Doom masters from Verona unleash their brand new full-length album »Claws« via High Roller Records. In the eighties and nineties, Italy spawned a big black mass of great doomy bands, as the underground flourished with illustrous names such as Death SS, Black Hole, Sacrilege, Zess or Abysmal Grief... Epitaph were an integral part of this glorious movement, having close bonds with other legendary acts, namely Black Hole and Sacrilege.

In the guise of »Crawling Out Of The Crypt« EPITAPH had made a new start in 2014 with a record that was mostly made up of old compositions and ideas. However, the band’s brand new studio album is entitled »Claws«. Original drummer Mauro Tollini explains: “»Claws« is our little warped, insidious creature. It’s the first release of ours to be ascribed to the current line-up, in its scope and not just in execution. It’s a harder and perhaps more demanding listen. In most respects it’s a genuine EPITAPH album. We’re not giving up on riffs, melodies and a pinch of the horrific! It also sports illustrations for each track, thus continuing the grisly gallery we had started with the ‘debut’ album.”

The main riff in “Waco The King”, surely one of the key songs on this exceptional album, has a certain Tony Iommi feel about it, very dark, very heavy, and quite rocky... “That’s undeniably true,” says Mauro. “We grew up in the eighties, listening to the generally reviled incarnations of Black Sabbath of that time, as well as to their older classics (we’re glad to hear that the late period of Sabbath history is finally getting more recognition!). Their sharper riffing surely influenced the band, and has stuck since then.”

After the release of »Claws«, EPITAPH will be out on the road for a lengthy European tour with their label mates Procession.

Tracklist:

1. Gossamer Claws (7:45)
2. Waco The King (8:46)
3. Sizigia (5:38)
4. Wicked Lady (11:02)
5. Declaration Of Woe (8:16)

Line-up:

Emiliano Cioffi - Vocals
Lorenzo Loatelli - Guitars
Nicola Murari - Bass
Mauro Tollini - Drums