Split EPs freakin' rule. It's a great way to get the music of both bands into the hands of a wider audience, and promotes unity altogether, especially in the underground music scene. With the advent of sites like Bandcamp, and the availability of digital distribution through iTunes, Google Play, etc. you see fewer and fewer bands actually doing these split EP concepts. Underground music should not be cutthroat, but should elevate everyone that cares enough to put out quality artistic music.

Coming in from Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana, the new split EP from Woorms / A Hanging is just that: A celebration of two very different types of bands, and an elevation of both.

First up on the EP is a song from Woorms. Their contribution on the split is called "The Math Says, Yes" and it is quite the journey. The song begins at low volume, causing me to crank up my speakers. A long, slow Doom style riff builds immaculately over the course of what feels like an eternity, but which is actually about 3 minutes in real time. Just when I'm thinking about what sort of analogies to Southern Doom metal I'm going to start talking about, the riff comes to a finale and a new distinct movement begins. Vocals join in at this point, with layered yelling voices shouting along to the rhythm of this new section. After another short pause, Woorms show off an entirely different side of their band. The last section of this song oozes dissonance, reeks of mathcore, and feels like getting hit in the face with a sledgehammer. The song comes to an abrupt ending after only two verses.

Woorms is Joey Carbo (Guitars, Voice, Noise trap), John Robinson (Bass, Voice), and Aaron Polk (Drums).

Woorms is out of control. I took a listen through some of their past releases just for a reference, and I feel like "The Math Says, Yes" is probably the closest thing to a traditional style of song that they've released... and that's a stretch. This band is on the bleeding edge of experimental noise kinds of music. It won't be for everyone, but I don't think that's the point. "The Math Says, Yes" is a facetious commentary on society, a giant middle finger to the signs and the rules. This is apparent in their song structure as well as lyrics such as "The little teacher says, know!"

The rest of the EP is completely different, which is one really cool feature of the split concept. A Hanging is a wildly different style of music, while still falling under the banner of heavy. A Hanging is straightforward Hardcore Thrash. "Graft" sets up a short introduction to the band as the guitar begins and the other instruments join in fiery fashion. A Hanging showcase lower register Hardcore vocals, delivered with powerful and angry form as well as interesting and fast guitar licks. The drums are fast and direct, a sped up version of D-Beat with creative and quick fills that match up to the guitar riffs.

"Document" continues the trademark sound of A Hanging, but features cool tempo changes as chorus parts, slowing things down just a hair and providing an almost breakdown feel to the intense, fast, and short song.

The final song on the split, "Winter" has a bunch of perfectly aligned staccato notes to change parts, and is the first song on the EP to feature a guitar solo. This is another ripping fast tune, and it ends abruptly.

A Hanging is Scott "Scorilla" Walle (Guitar, Vocals), Bobby"Paranoize" Bergeron (Bass), and Billy Bones (Drums).

When people think of Hardcore Thrash crossover bands, they immediately head to NYC, Connecticut, Boston. However, as I've been able to uncover on 5 Skull Reviews, it seems like Baton Rouge / Louisiana has a formidable Hardcore following as well. Just because a band is from a certain area, doesn't mean that they're going to play the stereotypical style from that area.

I think that a show with both Woorms and A Hanging would be an interesting night. These are two very different types of bands, which could lead either to a revolving audience or a bunch of people being turned on to something that they never would have tried out before. More bands should definitely be doing these kinds of split EPs! They produced a limited run of vinyl records for this split as well. One issue with a split EP is that it's very tough to provide any type of cohesion or tell a story between more than one band. This is a collection of 4 songs that stand alone.

I would like to thank Woorms and A Hanging for submitting to 5 Skull Reviews, and encourage YOU to check out both of these skilled bands. Open your ears, and your mind!