Review: “8oz Cantrip” by Rotgut

“Before Rotgut was formed, we still wrote music in our concrete, lightless hell. Raw, dogged, but not yet Rotgut. Four tracks that kick-started the oeuvre. We’re bringing them out of the dark so they can rot in the light of day.” ~ Rotgut

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction and so a mere seven months after Seattle Washington Black ‘n Thrash ‘Roll four piece Rotgut offered up their debut EP “24oz Cantrip” they have returned. Not with a new record but with a prequel because much to our surprise they’re dedicated followers of fashion. As with their debut “8oz Cantrip” was engineered, produced, mixed and mastered by Scot Michael at Titan Recording Studios and offers another piece of booze-fueled offering of sonic fury.

The band comment: “They will kill you and feel nothing. They will destroy art, the artist, and force feed you slop. Don’t embrace Nihilism. True strength protects the weak. Resist in rage and thrash and crust and blood.”

Soaked in feedback “Slash and Burn” finds Rotgut rising form the grave with urgent Blackened Thrash riffs of a menacing and sinister variety as they demonstrate the bark and bite of an apex predator that has been caged for far too long. A blistering solo of the Black Metal persausion is the absolute Chef’s kiss moment, adding a verve and swagger to the otherwise all out aggression of the number. Galloping drums introduce the twisted metal of “Disgraced“, the savage vocals bolstered by gang chanted moments as the band drag you to hell kicking and screaming with the electrifying energy of the performance. What impresses with this one is that there are plenty of nuanaces in it, including bursts of percussive violence and even what sounds like a bass solo. It’s almost like Rotgut are planning to try and keep you engaged while their techs steal your beer at their shows. Cut from the same cloth “Ye Intrepid” is an absolute rager, harnessing the darkside of what bands like Gwar have offered in the past while slapping you silly with their righteous indignation. Stylistically it has a bit of everything and while the band know only one speed, they’re masters at it. Make no mistake, this isn’t a rough basement demo but a fully fledged first EP that was shelved for seemingly no good reason and has all of the qualities you’d expect from that. “Gods and Masters” rounds off the collection in style, the quartet hammering out classy old school riffs like it was nothing while their drummer pounds the living daylights out of the kit. A tale of violence with a scintillating solo has never sounded so good, so if you’re sleeping on Rotgut, there has never been a better place than here or a better time than now to check them out. Hell won’t freeze over night and Rome wasn’t built in a day but these four dudes need to be heard, come whatever may! [8/10]

Track Listing

1. Slash and Burn
2. Disgraced
3. Ye Intrepid
4. Gods and Masters

“8oz Cantrip” by Rotgut is out 16th January 2026 and is available over at bandcamp.