Richmond, Virginia metal-punk trio Bat welcomes the release of their second full-length album Under The Crooked Claw via Nuclear Blast Records. The brainchild of Municipal Waste guitarists Ryan Waste & Nick Poulos, Bat ascended from the underground a decade ago on a dark, leather-winged trajectory. The band delivers their own blood-spattered horror leaning heavily on the dirtier side of speed metal.
To celebrate the release, Bat offers fans the single, “Revenge Of The Wolf”. The band once again returned to horror director Norman Cabrera to create the perfect visuals. The video included cinematography completed by Rob Lucas, editing handled by Mike Mendez, and Maya Kay was responsible for the production.
Ryan Waste states, "The wait is finally over as our creation takes flight, sinking its claws into the airwaves. It was a true test of our will, caging this beast for what felt like an eternity. I’d especially like to thank my bandmates, Nick and Chris for their hard work and patience through the entire process. We wrote these songs during grim times and their ferocity is certainly emulated by that. Unleashing these tales of terror gives me a sense of fulfillment that is completely unmatched.”
Chris Marshall states, “I still bear the scars from The Claw.”
Nick Poulos comments, “From note to note, speed on speed, to say I’m proud of Under The Crooked Claw is an absolute understatement. We poured our hearts, minds, and souls into this record and I’m so proud of what we accomplished. My favorite Bat offering to date!”
The power trio, completed by drummer Chris Marshall, decamped to Philadelphia in June 2021 where Arthur Rizk recorded the basic tracks for Under The Crooked Claw. y avait Rust tracked lead guitars and vocals later when the band was back in Richmond, ultimately to be mixed by Rizk and mastered by Joel Grind. The artwork for the album was inked by Brandon Holt and colored by Margaret Rolicki.
Jam-packed with tight, concise songs loaded with punchy choruses and lightning-laced leads, each of the 13 tracks offers a new horror short story mixing the perfect blend of heavy metal, punk, and rock ‘n’ roll or as Waste coins it "primitive heavy speed".
I'm the lost one chasing colors to the sun
Colors bleed but never fade
