April 21, 2013

Filthy Music Review - 'Lair of the Minotaur: Godslayer EP'


Lair of the Minotaur – Godslayer EP (2013)

The Grind-House

Review by Jude Felton

The advice that came my way before listening to this EP was to “grab a helmet”. At first I thought maybe I was going on a bike ride, or maybe a little mountaineering. Then again, maybe it was because I was about to get beaten around the head. Ah yes, it would be the latter of course.


This 7” EP was released to coincide with the recent Record Store Day on April 20th, and is an absolute beast. Comprising of two songs, Godslayer and The Black Heart of Stygian Drakonas, this EP is just under 10 minutes of unbridled savagery.

Godslayer opens with thick, almost sludgy, guitars before barreling headfirst into a full-on assault. Heavier than the Titanic, which coincidentally sank on April 20th, this is an unrelenting track full of fury and a complete lack of remorse. The vocals are spat out leaving us under no illusions about the intensity of the track.


The Black Heart of Stygian Drakonas starts off in a similar vein to Godslayer, with a furious guitar and drum assault, but it is with this track that Lair of the Minotaur mix things up a little. It may only be a four minute tune, but there is a more varied approach to the song. For a start, it’s got a few slower, doomier, elements to it, before kicking in some surreal electronic moments towards the end.

The Godslayer EP is an absolute brute, a street fight on vinyl and utterly fantastic. It’s just a shame that it is only two songs. But, when the two songs are this damned good it doesn’t really matter. Ten years into their career and Lair of the Minotaur are absolutely killing it.

If you want the vinyl release of this, you better be quick as there are only 300 copies. Otherwise, you can get it on digital, if you prefer. Either way, it’s an essential purchase, and won’t you just know it, my helmet needs repairing.

Track list:

1. Godslayer
2. The Black Heart of Stygian Drakonas

Godslayer is released on 7" vinyl and digital by The Grind-House.

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