It’s not clear whether Horse Head‘s new “comeback” EP, Missionary is referring to the sexual position or religious outreach. Based on the music, we can assume the latter as there is absolutely nothing boring about this four-song EP. Their screamtastic yet groove-oriented sludge metal is sure not only peel the paint off your neighbor’s walls but also to get in your head. Hopefully the precursor to an LP, Missionary reveals a band hard at work in shaping their sound.Horse Head are a tough band to categorize. Their straight-forward, driving sound is energetic and loose. The vocals are layered with some deep growls supporting a more screamo, alto-type version of howling. The drums are active, rolling over the entire set and utilizing extended fills to enhance the backbone. The guitars, much like the vocals, are layered. Clever pedal work allows Horse Head to constantly up the ante to yet another level of distortion, aggression and intensity. Put together, it’s a winning combination.

Horse Head’s song jump around from late 90’s Majority Rule style post-hardcore to their near Pearl Jam-like clean guitar work on the closer “Destroyer Television” (which you can stream here). The album is diverse and attacking, lunging at the listener from all speakers. Almost alive. Most interesting is the guitar work which draws from a wide array of influences to create a constantly evolving and always increasing level of tension, discordance and aggression.

Horse Head were briefly thought deceased (as a band), but they have emerged from the arid climate of Arizona to put forth a near death punk-like work of intoxicating proportions. Horse Head is for fans of all types of loud music and should even entice those on the fringes of the heavy. There’s a bit of everything on this brief yet beguiling, seventeen-minute EP.

– Manny-O-War

Missionary is available 9.25.2015 through Horse Head’s Bandcamp Page. For more information on Horse Head check out their Facebook Page.