From the same Chicago freaks that brought you TARANTÜLA, CÜLO, and BLEEDING GUMS, comes the debut album from MAN-EATERS. "Gentle Ballads for the Simple Soul" sits at the perfect crossroads of ugly '81 LA punk/HC (think "The Decline" or "Hell Comes to Your House") and glammy mid-70's American hard rock. We're talking high quality stuff like the first albums from KISS or BANG! MAN-EATERS combine the precision and drive of golden era US hardcore/punk with the fluid riffing and driving rhythms of 70's hard rock, perhaps bordering on NWOBHM territory as well. Like a sonic shot of Malört, MAN-EATERS' rugged debut roars out of the gate and sits heavier with each spin. Packaged with heavyweight 24pt. jacket featuring incredible full color original artwork from MAN-EATERS' own Drügface and an 11"x17" color poster. 

Our take: In case you didn’t catch their self-titled cassette from last year, let me get you up to speed: Man-Eaters is a new Chicago band featuring folks who brought you Cülo and Tarantüla. The aesthetic resembles those bands, i.e. sleazy-sounding hardcore punk, but this time around they add an element of Annihilation Time-style 70s rock riffing to round out the sound. Their combination of rock chops and nihilistic hardcore punk energy reminds me of RKL’s Keep Laughing LP, and if you’re a fan of that record’s combination of hooks, energy, and musical prowess, check this out. The slower, brooding “Baptized in Spit” and “Man-Eaters” also incorporate some of Hank Wood’s vibe by locking into dense, James Brown-like grooves. Check that killer Drügface cover artwork too!