BitterJalapeno Conjurer is arguably amongst the most exciting and most hyped bands in the UK metal scene today, receiving raving reviews from big players in the alternative music media. While this praise is fully warranted, 2016’s EP “I” has been overshadowed and undeservedly left behind.

Opener “Behold the Swine” achieves plenty in its 6-minute run-time. Punishingly heavy riffs lurch underneath anguished growls and screams that come from the depths of hell. The guitar interplay between Dan Nightingale and Brady Deeprose exhibited here is fantastic – filthy, sludgy riffs, rapid, intricate, thrashy riffs and beautiful clean atmospheric guitar work all play off each other to create a truly monstrous track. As the journey through the EP continues, it becomes apparent just how diverse a palate Conjurer has at this stage of infancy. Post metal, black metal are major influences not to mention the deep grooves which help add maintain rhythmic interest throughout the two tracks which make up the albums centre.

Aside from the combination of barbaric brutality and atmospheric beauty, Conjurer’s other trademark has always been one of overhanging misery and hopelessness. The vile despair projected by the music is perfectly emulated by song titles such as “A Chasm Forged in Dread and Disarray”. The most wretched point on the album is the crushing doom-fest that is the closer “Frail”. “I” also impresses structurally, squeezing touches from a plethora of metal sub-genres into something that feels less a collection of songs but more a single cohesive 23-minute track, leaving the listener’s soul obliterated to dust by the end.

The early EPs of artists are sadly often forgotten by all but the hardcore fanbase and despite Conjurer having evidently developed their songwriting chops significantly with the release of 2018’s “Mire” and further still with 2022s “Páthos”, “I” staunchly stands proudly as the solid foundations for what has rapidly elevated to become a powerhouse of progressive, blackened, post-sludge. A must check for those who have enjoyed the subsequent albums.

BitterJalapeno I discovered this most interesting band in the autumn of 2016 when a good friend offered me a spare ticket to see WEEDEATER play at Glasgow's famous/infamous Cathouse Rock Club. As much as I enjoyed the set from WEEDEATER, the then unknown to me CONJURER turned out to be the support band. They completely blew my tits (man tits) off.

At this point, the only music of theirs I could source was their debut EP "I" which i listened to several times that week and began to tell anyone I thought would listen all about my new discovery. Whilst that EP was and still continues to be very enjoyable, it was only setting the tone for what was to come next in the form of 2018s MIRE.

The album opener presents a thick, doomy wall of sound giving the listener a strong ominous feeling and a major sense of foreboding and despair. The pace soon picks up with some nice intricate yet powerful riffing and thundering drums before dropping back into hard, almost groovy death/doom. The majority of the album switches between grinding doomy sludge with more ferocious parts full of blast beats and riffs more akin to thrash and also some lighter sections with strangled anguished screaming.

The musicianship is at a very high standard and the vocal performances from both vocalists are very strong - one with a very powerful death growl and the other slightly higher pitched but they work very well together.

One other thing that struck me about this album is the atmospheric quality and real genuine, heartbreaking despair this new band manage to showcase. The guys are playing/pouring their hearts out with undeniably monstrous results. It does not feel dated in any way shape or form, but very fresh.

I would recommend to anyone who enjoys anything on the heavier side of music, particularly to fans of NEUROSIS. Watch this space as I believe we have much bigger and better things to come from CONJURER in the coming years.