BASTARD SKULL hails from New Jersey in the USA and have just released their debut album "Bastard Skull" at the beginning of 2025. They did that on their own accord. Now, at the end of that same year the label WormHoleDeath has picked them up and has decided that a rerelease through them is in order. And in order to add to the pleasure of the music the label decided that the addition of the EP "More Dread" that came after the album was more than justified. What that has done is push the total playing time of all 11 songs to just over 32 minutes, so once you start listening it will be over quite fast. As for the musical direction, we have a band here that likes combining their Heavy Metal with Thrash Metal, which can be a real celebration of musical styles coming together.

As for the vocals, I can't help think that I am listening to a constipated version of OVERKILL singer Bobby Blitz. It's not bad what Tom Lorenzo brings, but I never get excited by either his vocal range, nor his lyrical content and/or lines. It's all too standard and predictable. As for the other band members, they are all quite proficient on their instruments, filling the songs as far as needed. What I am missing though is the decision to really show some dedication, to make the instruments sound like they something to prove. This prevents the songs on "Bastard Skull" to make waves, to stand out. But they also never are faltering, it never is boring, giving me a contradiction in feelings. On the one hand I'm trying my best to like what I hear, whilst on the other hand my brain is telling me that these guys should man up, not be as restrained as they are.

And there you have the crux of the matter. BASTARD SKULL is definitely not a bad band and they don't write and/or play inferior music, but on "Bastard Skull" they just sound too jaded, too complacent. And as a new band you have to have that the enthusiasm of four ADHD infected individuals that have decided that the world is going to be their oyster. And that through the sheer power and determination they will show in their musical abilities they are ready to blow that oyster to kingdom come. Unfortunately, that is a key element that I'm missing on "Bastard Skull". Let's hope that BASTARD SKULL gets a chance for  revenge.