Recording in a 140-year-old former drill bit factory proves the perfect environment for genre blending Cleveland, USA-based duo, Arms & Armour.

By Graeme Smith

Feature photo by Lauren Voss

Making music that has drawn comparisons to Chelsea Wolfe, Swans, Portishead, Cult of Luna and Depeche Mode, the act is new to our pages. Based on the evidence of their album The Hunted, I suspect we’ll be sharing more from them.

The Hunted opens severely with a long, droning chords of Star. The track eventually settles into a percussive groove. The droning continues, joined by guitar and expressive vocals.

Terror By Night shows off the Portishead influences in an early highlight (especially the band’s Third era.) Chafe (Breaking Our Hands) stands out too thanks to its heavy beats and fiery lyrics. Orion is a lingering late album wonder, coming just before atmospheric, instrumental closer Ash’s Song.

Over the past fifteen years, the band’s sound has evolved from a more conventional guitar-vocals-drums arrangement to being more synth and drum machine led, and I have to say I’m liking that evolution.

If you want to keep up to date with all that Arms & Armour are doing, you can by heading to their website, and by following them on Facebook, Bandcamp, YouTube, and Instagram.

The Hunted is out now, and you can listen to it below.

Supported by Musosoup #SustainableCurator