The UK’s favorite two-piece punk provocateurs, Slaves, have surprised fans with the release of their new EP, The Velvet Ditch, marking the duo’s first new music since last year’s critically acclaimed full-length, Acts Of Fear and Love. The EP sees the band showcasing the two sides of their collective personality. Side 1 is a balls-to-the-wall display of the band’s more aggressive tendencies. “One More Day Won’t Hurt” starts with a thrash metal-inspired riff which descends into a heavy mid-paced groove, with drummer and vocalist Isaac Holman roaring over a thundering beat, while “It Makes Me Sick” shows the influence of breakneck hardcore punk the pair grew up on. Side 2 ties into the duo’s more contemplative mood, as the EP’s title track strums out into a slow, acoustic bluesy tone with lyrics lamenting the commercialization of our culture. Closer “When Will I Learn” on the other hand is new territory, a plaintive piano ballad showing the band in a more vulnerable light. You can stream The Velvet Ditch here now and order the vinyl here.
On The Velvet Ditch, guitarist and vocalist Laurie Vincent stated:
“The Velvet Ditch is four songs from four different corners of our band. This EP was us approaching small town mentality, destructive behavioural patterns, and the mental cycles that can be such a struggle for us all to break. The dark recesses within all our minds and how to keep them at bay is what we were exploring through these different styles of music.”