The Montreal/Rhode Island-based trio Towanda will follow-up their 2016 LP PLAYTHING with an upcoming 4-track EP called Freak of Nurture due out April 6th as a limited edition cassette via Girlsville Records. Combining their sludge-fried take on stoner metal with homegrown punk spirit, the band is led by guitarist/vocalist Rosie Gripton, and it includes bassist Claire Paquet and drummer Emily Smits. Recorded by Patrick McDowall (Spectral Wound) in February of 2017, the upcoming EP was also mixed with assistance from the band’s Rosie Gripton.
“Pain Now, Pain Later” comes out of the gates swinging with both fists as a pummeling bass and drum attack joins the guitar on a toke-choking downward spiral. The track’s gritty, speaker-blasted bass is soon matched by Gripton’s hard spat vocal combinations. Seemingly ragged with rage, but still empowered by the taste of blood in her mouth, the singer/guitarists’ staccato delivery carries a blunt and galvanizing power. While it’s true Towanda’s music has always been raw, “Pain Now, Pain Later” finds the band tapping new layers of righteous indignation–and they make a fearsome racket doing it.
