Under the Crooked Claw

Jumping from the relatively small Hells Headbangers to Nuclear Blast, one of the major underground labels, for their second album, Under the Crooked Claw, is West Virginia's speed merchants Bat. I've been following them since their "Cruel Discipline" single and really enjoyed their debut album, Wings of Chains, with its unabashed first wave of black metal influences. On this new one, there's been a bit of a change from the black/thrashing mania of the debut to a more focused speedfest with a good dose of melody riding atop the ripping guitars and barking vocals. Bat reminds me of an obsessed Motörhead this time out as they blaze through songs like "Vampyre Lore," "Streetbanger," and "Bastardized Force," each one featuring a pummeling rhythm section and lethal riffing. I have to say I enjoyed the Venom worship of Wings of Chains more, but Under the Crooked Claw is still going to drill into your gray matter if you're into Bewitcher, Midnight, Wraith, and the like.