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For their large label debut, Atlanta’s Whores. seek to build on the wanton brutality of EPs 2011’s Ruiner and 2013’s Clean, breaking free from the cluttered playing field of ear-bleeding noise rock extremists.

Clean’s scuzzy riffage and a bowel-shaking low end drew comparisons to Melvins while still inviting punks and stoners onboard. Gold takes their sound much further, with sharp, purposeful structures and a tightly harnessed aggression playing out in piledriving tempos and riffs, as heard in chest-pounding belters like Of Course You Do and I See You Also Wearing A Black Shirt. Such titles underscore Whores.’ zero-fucks irreverence, calling to mind the misanthropic playfulness of Pissed Jeans. The band stay largely within the lines on their debut, and the tighter focus, ambitious songwriting and speaker-blowing production cast Gold as a ferocious and exhilarating intro to the big leagues.

Hailing from San Diego, California, Joe Daly is an award-winning music journalist with over thirty years experience. Since 2010, Joe has been a regular contributor for Metal Hammer, penning cover features, news stories, album reviews and other content. Joe also writes for Classic Rock, Bass Player, Men’s Health and Outburn magazines. He has served as Music Editor for several online outlets and he has been a contributor for SPIN, the BBC and a frequent guest on several podcasts. When he’s not serenading his neighbours with black metal, Joe enjoys playing hockey, beating on his bass and fawning over his dogs.