Holy Scum is a devastating collision of captivating mixing and production with high caliber, high volume improvisation. Their debut 2022 LP is headphone candy for folks who love the intricate and the distorted. It’s an album that hasn’t left my rotation since release.

The group is guitarist Peter Taylor (of Action Beat,) bassist Chris Haslam and drummer Jon Perry (both well known for their work in experimental/noise rock/psych titans Gnod,) and on vocals and production is Däleks Mike Mare.

Mikes contributions are dystopic lyrics delivered as if they’re last words and recorded in one take, and masterful mixing that adds overwhelming walls of sound and hypnotic dubbed out details. The intensity and spontaneity of the original trios improvisation sessions is preserved and whole new dimensions of groove, trance and sludgy heaviness are revealed within it. That’s clearly what sets them apart from other noisey ensembles but it’s the total chemistry between all of them that allowed such an impressive final product.

If you like your records dark, noisey and hypnotic with intensity that demands attention and detail that rewards many listens then don’t miss this one.