Getting your hands dirty - or any other bodily part for that matter - can at times pack a thrill that compulsive cleanliness just can't provide. And in the Metal world we often find pleasure in things that individuals from outer circles would often look upon with scorn - or outright dismay. Yet our counterparts should not be concerned for the bloodthirsty metalhead who sways his/her cranium in fits of peculiar ecstasy - for that is climax at its most gritty, unadulterated form.

In this genre, we like to get to the source of artistic and emotional expression - like cupping your hands under a meat grinder so you can have that first raw nibble of the fresh carcass. Yes, the true essence may in fact appear to be decomposed in its complexion - regardless of arrangement - but it nonetheless has that unforgettable texture and that mouth watering, coppery taste. And AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED's "Arc" is exactly that, a serving of rare Metal meat peeled straight from the bone.

"Arc" is the first of four EPs that are to be recorded by the band in the upcoming future - each of which is designed to bare the specific stylistic preferences of one particular member. And this particular 3-track tome of the promisingly demented quadrilogy, is the brainchild of vocalist Katherine Katz.

Katz, being a huge Doom Metal fan, slowed down the typical Grindcore mayhem of the band's previous offerings and poured a hefty serving of pure, delicious Sludge all over the tapes. The opening track "Not a Daughter" stirs the cauldron with Sabbathian grooves, adding pinches of MELVINS for a bit of spice. The band then ravages ELECTRIC WIZARD's pantry for some herbs and crushes them with the jagged riffs of "Deathbed" - all before embarking on an eleven minute jam in "Gnaw" and seasoning the finished concoction with notes of genre staples in the likes CROWBAR.

The same sludgy crawl prevails throughout the three songs, but instead of turning into a sickly treat, it becomes a binge of scrumptious doom. Katz vocals are a true highlight, crooning through the recording with their distinctive screech, before pummelling every crushing chord into the listener's slacked jaw with ravenous savagery.

Overall, what we have here is three songs of bliss for any Metal fan - and an enticing taster for the upcoming three instalments in the band's upcoming EP anthology. AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED's "Arc" is like a mud bath accompanied by the sweet crooning of blackened crows - a grimy delight to finish off a long day.<