Melbourne’s own BLKLST have steadily been releasing quality heavy music for a number of years now, but here on their latest EP, Spider Love, the band really takes it up a notch.

From the opening of BLK.FM, we are delivered a bludgeoning wall of sound, brutal and uncompromising in its delivery, complete with scathing lyrics directed towards the current radio climate.  In just a minute and a half BLKLST deliver a huge opening statement proving they are clearly here to take no prisoners, and certainly don’t fuck around.

Something Inside Me introduces a cleaner vocal style incorporating harmonies and heads towards almost spoken word territory at times, in a track that has a certain sinister vibe to it.  The riffs are still huge though. BLKLST definitely know how to craft a song.

The first single from Spider Love is They All Look the Same.  Possibly the most accessible song of the EP, it should be the track that carries BLKLST towards a larger audience and the recognition that they deserve.  It’s still heavy, both musically and in its lyrical content.

Let Go introduces another element to the BLKLST sound.  It’s airy guitar intro, coupled with haunting vocals are very interesting.  Let Go builds slowly, with the haunting vocal giving way to an urgent delivery that brings Jonathan Davis to mind, while the title track is another very accessible track, catchy, but not at the expense of its heavyness.  It’s a highlight of Spider Love for me.

Closing out the EP is Shut Off.  It’s a perfect way to close out the collection, as it calls back to all of the different influences that came on the songs before it.

BLKLST have delivered an excellent EP in Spider Love, where they’re not afraid to say exactly what’s on their mind.  The entire EP comes in at around 13 minutes, so my only gripe is that it’s a bit short, and I was left wanting more.  In saying that, it’s always a good thing to leave a listener wanting more..

8/10

Review by Shayne McGowan