Bronto Skylift – Date with a Ghoul

From the opening bars of Bird Catcher, Bronto Skylift grab you by the scruff of the neck and pin you against the wall. Ordinarily, when confronted with this kind of brutal guitar, feverish drumming and frantic vocals, you would turn the music down and give yourself time to consider what the fuck had just come roaring out of your speakers. But Date with a Ghoul compels The Skinny to turn it up louder. This is a driving but strangely infectious mass of a record.

Credit is due to Jamie Savage at Chem19 for capturing this raw power on tape. 'You can't change me though you try!' screams Niall Strachan on the appropriately titled Stormer, sounding like a direct challenge to the man at the mixing desk as Iain Stewart's drumming prowess scales new heights. Cynics might say they've been tamed since their early days of hardcore jamming. Ignore them and laugh; this is a bold and brilliant album. Brace yourself for the live shows.