It’s been an intriguing journey up to this point. Originally known as Fucked And Bound, and spewing the kind of acerbic basement punk destined to burn out before dreaming of fading away, Filth Is Eternal were outsiders. Now they’re highly respected scene leaders capable of roping in Baroness’ Gina Gleason to electrify halfway highlight desire, and Blood Brothers vocalist/fellow Seattleite Johnny Whitney to add some cataclysmic punch to Total War.
Balancing punch, grit and unapologetic listenability is everything, now. The old ‘D-beat Distillers’ label might feel reductive, but on the evidence of songs like Outbreak, So Below (featuring Fall Out Boy’s Joe Trohman!) and Slipstream, Lis deserves to be held up alongside the mighty Brody Dalle as both razor-sharp songwriter and irresistible vocalist, with Filth Is Eternal keeping pace every step of the way.
Bloody minded brutalists would surely have liked a little more unadulterated firepower, but as the smouldering Skorpio sees things home, it’s hard to deny that sometimes there’s even more heat in the slow burn.
Verdict: 4/5
For fans of: The Distillers, Gouge Away, The Blood Brothers
Impossible World is released on March 17 via MNRK Heavy