Early Man: Beware the Circling Fin

Brooklyn outfit Early Man has never shied from the fact that they are a shamelessly retro-minded metal band, but three years after their enjoyable Matador records debut Closing In, they throw us for a bit of a loop on their first release for new label The End. Instead of the doomy, mid-1970s groove that had people dragging out the Sabbath comparisons, Beware the Circling Fin sees the band speeding things up considerably, focusing more on the faster metal sounds of the early ’80s. Cynical listeners might instantly label these dudes are mere trend-hoppers, switching from hipster-pleasing doom to the in-vogue thrash revival that’s going on right now, but this EP’s simple, no-frills approach works surprisingly well, as “Sinking the Blade” hearkens back to Megadeth’s Killing Is My Business…. Most intriguing, though, is the strong new wave of British heavy metal influence that pervades the following three tracks, “Coiled Like a Snake” reminiscent of Tygers of Pan Tang, the headbang-inducing groove of the title track undeniably catchy, Mike Conte’s ear-shattering falsetto’s adding a flamboyant touch to an otherwise workmanlike record.