The Wilful Boys Debut New Single From Upcoming LP

The Wilful Boys are set to release World Ward Word Sword on Big Neck Records on May 6th. You can hear a new track "A Watched Pot" now.

Forming in Brooklyn in 2014, The Wilful Boys inception began after a chance meeting at the now defunct Cake Shop, a venue that would become a staple venue for them until its closure at the end of 2016. The name says a lot, these boys are loud, boisterous and stubborn-but they've got good hearts.

As a unit, The Wilful Boys are led from the back. Drummer Steven Fisher is a legendary sweetheart who bellows bitterly clever lyrics with shovelfuls of grit and teaspoons of melody. While the Boys are a New York band, Fisher hails from the land Down Under, having played actively in Melbourne until moving stateside in 2011.

So, it's not your imagination, Wilful Boys sound like burly Aussie rockers because it's in their blood. Guitarist Johnny Provenzano grew up in the East Coast punk scene, logging countless hours in basements absorbing hardcore, thrash and street punk and indulging a flair for metallic shred.

Nick Isles augments the sound with his not so classical approach to guitar, adding the discordant touch distinct in so much early Aussie punk. Bassist Eric Lau comes to The Wilful Boys from noisecore standouts Child Abuse, with basslines about 1/100th as complicated, but equally as effective.

After 2016's debut Rough As Guts (Ever/Never) and 2019's follow-up Life Lessons (Homeless), you'd think The Wilful Boys would be ready to slow things down, maybe stretch out a bit, look into renting a Mellotron or consider developing a group dance routine. No dice.

It's as if The Wilful Boys have channeled the planet's current dire straits, distilled it and churned out some of their most aggressive work. Slated for release in early 2022 on venerable punk label Big Neck Records (home to Lost Sounds, Baseball Furies and more), The Wilful Boys' third album, World Ward Word Sword, is the band's definitive statement to date.

Recorded by longtime associate Jordan Lovelace (Brandy, Pampers) at his Spiceworld studio, WWWS is a crusher of a record, representing The Wilful Boys' most vicious set of songs. "Muttley" opens up World Ward like a tornado, bodies are flying every which way... This ain't a beer-guzzling good time, it's a whiskey-soaked exorcism.

"A Watched Pot" and "Classic Action" re-affirm that Wilful Boys are masters of chugging rock n' roll anthems that come riddled with nifty songwriting tricks while clearly stating an appreciation for the working class' struggle. "New Job" drills straight into employment anxiety with a directness that should be taught in schools-"Oh my God, I fed it up!" Who can't relate? "Heaven" is grooving noise rock not unlike Metz, but Fisher's deadpan vocals perfectly balance out the guitar torture.

"Better" plays hide-and-seek with itself, alternating introspective verse with explosive chorus, all accompanied by Provenzano's top-shelf soloing. Any band that ends its record with a ferocious run-through of Discharge's classic "Ain't No Feeble Bastard" is far from depleted. The Wilful Boys' World Ward Word Sword is a call to arms, a sharp-tongued rejoinder, a balls-out rocker and a damn fine album sure to throttle the masses.

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