When I saw Monterey, CA, trio Razorhoof, they struck me as a very familiar, very blue collar-type of doom. The kind of doom dudes play on the weekend after getting their asses handed to them at work all week. A doom not all that surprising for a band named after a High on Fire song. They weren’t the most original band in the world, but they had their hearts in the right place, they were loud, tight and earnest, so I had absolutely no complaints. In fact, I even bought a CD.

That disc was their first EP, Razorhoof (Oscillator Records). Recorded by Scott Evans of Kowloon Walled City, packaged in a hand-screenprinted, hand-numbered cardboard case, and boasting six tracks in a little under 23 minutes, the disc gives off much more noise influence than I perceived in their live set, which may or may not be due to the work of vocalist Tony, who has since left the band, relegating vocal duties to bassist Nic and guitarist Rick. Tony’s distorted voice definitely adds some of that intense Unsane feel to the songs (some Pro-Pain in there too), but the bass-heavy mix is even more of a factor. In any case, Razorhoof still rocks.

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