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 and look into renting a Mellotron. No dice. 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, running the gamut from sludgy punk to straight up rock. Out of the gate, the 10 track LP kicks off with Muttley, not quite their standard beer-guzzling tune, but more of a whiskey-soaked exorcism. A Watched Pot and Classic Action re-affirm that Wilful Boys are masters of chugging rock n' roll anthems, riddled with nifty songwriting tricks. Heaven is grooving noise rock not unlike Metz, but Fisher's deadpan vocals perfectly balance out the rough as guts guitar. Better alternates between introspective verse and 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.
