Palehorse canter back into the spotlight with a new full-length, 'Soft as Butter; Hard as Ice', capitalising on their uniquely atmospheric interpretation of heavy, downtuned sludge on their 2003 debut album, 'Gee, That Ain't Swell', and its cheeky little sibling, 2008's 'Habitual Linestepper'.

Continuing in grand Palehorse tradition, the record pits colossal slabs of low-slung riffage, feedback squalls and razor-sharp percussion against eerie acoustic interludes, vocals both hushed and hollered and even the odd hand-clap (I shit you not!).

From starting line to finishing post, through the ferociously spikey 'Shit Colombo' and the feverish pulsing of 'Don't come knocking when I'm listening to Dokken' to the tar-like drones and pregnant pauses of 'How to avoid huge riffs', Palehorse ensure that the listener dismounts saddle-sore and bow-legged.

Thanks to the thunderous engineering and production, the ten tracks that comprise 'Soft as Butter; Hard as Ice' spring to life, rear up out of your speakers and slap you hard across the face with a leather riding glove, as if to say ‘You sir, are a scoundrel, and I fully intend to give you a damn good thrashing!’.

Palehorse first reared its ugly equine head in the year 2000, birthed in the liquor amnii of the hardcore bands Kneejerk and Abjure. With their idiosyncratic take on heavy music and dynamic formula of dual bass, dual vocals and drums, the band attracted the attention of Dry Run Recordings, the label which released, amongst other things, the first Jesu ep. In 2003 their debut album 'Gee, That Ain't Swell' saw the light of day, to much critical acclaim.

Following a hiatus, which saw drummer Ben Dawson and bassist Tom Fowler enjoy success as half of Million Dead, Palehorse returned to form with a new record, the 2008 ep 'Habitual Linestepper' on Eyes of Sound. The Palehorse lineup has shifted through the years; starting as a five piece, then a four piece, then five again, then back to four after the departure of vocal stalwart Seedi in 2008.

The personnel for the recording of 'Soft as Butter; Hard as Ice' were drummer Ben Dawson, bassists John Atkins and James Bryant and vocalist Nikolai Grune. The band has since returned to the five man format with the addition of Mark Dicker of fellow London noisemongers Trencher on vocals and electronics. Palehorse are renowned for the intensity and heaviness of their live performances, and have gigged alongside bands such as EyeHateGod, Oxbow, An Albatross, Brujeria, Ramesses, Narcosis, Mistress, Trencher, Red Stars Parade, Humanfly, Pulled Apart by Horses, Army of Flying Robots, Bossk and Nine Bar to name but a few.


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