Wild Throne

Wild Throne’s debut three-song EP, Blood Maker, is controlled sonic violence rolled in a layer of psychedelia and topped with epic vocals. The music is as aggressive and powerful as Jane Doe-era Converge if the hardcore heroes were fronted by a young Rob Halford of Judas Priest instead of Jacob Bannon.

As you might expect from that description, the Bellingham, Washington-based prog-core three-piece covers a lot of terrain in each song — the five-minute “Shadow Deserts” interlaces yowling electronic effects with blistering Kurt Ballou-esque guitar moments and complex drumming syncopations. Singer/guitarist Josh Holland’s vocal range is akin to that of Halford — Holland takes it seamlessly from a lower register or whisper into controlled high-pitched screams that somehow serve the spastic onslaught perfectly. Other numbers “The Wrecking Ball Unchained” and “Blood Maker” showcase the band’s propulsive blitz and include many compelling dynamic shifts and hazy atmospherics, whetting listeners’ appetites for a full-length effort. Blood Maker easily could be the best debut of 2014.