Formed by ex-members of two of the most underrated punk/noise rock bands in the Midwest (Racebannon and Medusa), Indiana based Wenches knows how to make an immediate impression on their debut Effin’ Gnarly. Described as a take on hard rock and proto punk but run through a much noisier and metal filter, the material flies by quickly with catchy riffs and that same type of swagger and attitude. It takes the type of bar room rock and punk sound and makes it as jagged and weird as it possibly can, flipping the script in ways that you probably didn’t even know you wanted.
What works so well throughout Effin’ Gnarly is how stripped down the band keeps things while still providing some unexpected nuances. The best way I can think to describe the overall sound of Wenches is as the bastard child of Motörhead, Zeke, Nashville Pussy, The Stooges, and MC5 but with a much rawer and noisier exterior. Now some of those groups already had a more aggressive and heavy sound at times, but Wenches adds even more distortion and noisier edges, with even the softer melodic moments still having a bite to them. At just under half an hour there’s little in the way of filler and the instrumentalists have a knack for hooking you with a particular groove and then move onto the next thing rather than stretching it out to the point of repetition. But there’s still quite a bit of variation to the songwriting, as tracks like “Bad Man” have that driving punk swagger to the guitar work while “Six to Midnight Man” mellows out just enough to explore textures that bring much more of a 60s/70s rock vibe. Despite the noisier exterior, the word that came to mind the most when listening to Effin’ Gnarly was fun as whether Wenches is making you want to punch the nearest bystander and then invite them to dance to the softer moments, you’ll enjoy yourself from beginning to end.
So far, the rock ‘n roll and punk elements might still be sounding a bit familiar, but the singing is where this album starts to really feel a bit different and downright weird. This was a staple element for both Racebannon and Medusa so I’m happy to see it’s still a prominent element for Wenches. Opener “Mama, Wake Up” gives you a pretty good idea of what you’re in for, with James Bauman coming in with a pitch that’s jagged as hell but still understandable. It’s somewhere between screaming and singing, with a noticeable swagger that draws you right in, and the way the screams are layered sometimes gives the material a feeling of complete madness. This may be where the group loses some listeners, as this off-kilter and frantic singing/screaming isn’t for everyone, but if you like noise rock and hardcore than that shouldn’t be a problem.
Wenches is pulling from classic musical territory, channeling equal amounts of rock ‘n roll, punk, and everything in between but the abrasive edges and schizophrenic vocals give them a different feel than the norm. With one catchy song after the next and a compact run-time, this is an album that you can put on and jam out to regularly. While it’s slightly more straightforward than some of the other bands these guys have been a part of, I’m excited that their quirks have come over to this new project. If this is where Wenches is starting at, I can’t wait to see where they go from here, so keep the raw grooves coming. Effin’ Gnarly is available from Master Kontrol Audio.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to share it with others to help us grow. You can also like and follow us on the social media of your choice with Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and support us on Patreon.