CARBON BLACK are an Australian Metal band whose sound takes in elements of Thrash and Groove, they have three releases under their belt, one full length released in 2018 and two EPs including this one "We Remain". This has been some time in the making as the first single from it "The One Who Knows My Name" was released in 2020. The band has obviously caught the ear of a few well-known names as they have managed to secure the services of the well-known IRON MAIDEN producer Kevin "Caveman" Shirley to mix, and guesting on one track we have former JUDAS PRIEST and ICED EARTH vocalist, a man who needs no introduction but is getting one anyway Tim "Ripper" Owens.

The opening salvo of "Red Flag" is a joy to behold, the fraternal rhythm section of Rob and Steve Giles deliver a throbbing, in-your-face bass line which drives along while the drums blast out short bursts of concentrated machine gun fire, accompanied up by some palm muted chugging, over an undulating background effect. It is all building towards what you know is going to be an explosion of untamed aggression, which upon arrival does not disappoint. Singer Jon Hurley's vocals take a two-pronged approach, he can deliver deep guttural roars, or belt out a cracking melody with equal panache, while Damon Bishop's guitars are tight, driving and precise.

The growling intro to "The One Who Knows My Name" heralds a groove laden PANTERA influenced banger, before the aforementioned brotherly alliance of Rob and Steve Giles take centre stage for the bruising "Scars," which delivers a grooving chorus that demands you sing along, but also switches pace for a ferocious rhythm section attack, with the drums particularly smashing it.

The halfway point brings the star-turn, as Tim "Ripper" Owens comes on board for "Under Order", a searing indictment of the world's abusers of power. His melodic contribution sits comfortably next to Hurley's contrasting roar as they trade lines over the verses, and while it retains the band's signature groove, the song is a more traditional Metal affair which makes the best use of Shirley's mixing style.

For me, the undisputed highlight of the EP is "We Bleed," the tight percussive introduction, complete with subtle contributions of cow bell works perfectly alongside the frantic bass and slightly psychedelic vocals, before unleashing the full Cavalera influenced tribal power of the song. On this track we also learn that Damon Bishop is a full-on riff-machine as he fires off wild grooves and mind-blowing solos with wanton abandon.

The introduction to penultimate song "One Enemy" could almost be a 90s Alt-Metal act like ALICE IN CHAINS, as it has a dark scuzzy sound, while the body of the track is a full throttle Thrash assault, it retains this grungy feel throughout.  It all seems like it is over too fast as final track "Our Reprise" slows things down and introduces a bit of blues as though somebody taught John Lee Hooker how to do pick squeals. Again, it still retains the core groove the band's sound revolves around, but presents it in a way we have not heard before on the EP. The song sheds all of its Blues and even groove towards the conclusion as it presents something of a coda, a straight alt-metal chug that fades out, before returning to fulfil its titular purpose, their reprise.

At only seven tracks, this is a blink, and you'll miss it affair, but the strength of the writing and performance makes it one you won't easily forget. The presence of some industry giants is both noticeable and welcome, experienced producer Lachlan Mitchell does a sterling job and Kevin Shirley's fingerprints can be detected quite easily in the mix, while Owen's vocal contribution brings a touch of glamour and star power. Keep your eyes peeled for these guys, they may be gracing a stage near you soon and you won't want to miss that.