Review / 200 Words Or Less
Cape Of Bats
Transylvania

Holy Terror (2012) Jon E.

Cape Of Bats – Transylvania cover artwork
Cape Of Bats – Transylvania — Holy Terror, 2012

Cape of Bats is probably the least known about band in the Holy Terror Roster. Cape has slowly been releasing songs online for free throughout the past couple years. Now one the cusp of their first physical release one may ask what are they about. Well, with as many ill founded conclusions one could come to between their name and EP title let me assure any reader that there is no silliness or twilight related stupidity to be found. Instead this is an EP based on lore of a place that one of their members live near. This lore is highlighted within the liner notes through an essay.

The music itself is a very caustic blends of first wave black metal, crust and a slight bit of old school deathrock. All of these elements are blended in such a way that each track seems to flow without sapping energy away from their attack. Opener "To Transylvania" starts with plaintive piano before delving into a nasty lurching song replete with caustic screams that eventually lead to short bursts of fury. Within this one song Cape of Bats not only introduces themselves but also shows you what they have up their sleeves musically without giving everything away. Simply put Cape of Bats deserve your notice the songs are a mix of many things without ever feeling forced and the artwork and essay are a perfect outer shell for the music that lies beneath.

8.4 / 10Jon E. • February 13, 2012

Cape Of Bats – Transylvania cover artwork
Cape Of Bats – Transylvania — Holy Terror, 2012

Recently-posted album reviews

Lethal Limits

Elevate EP
GhettoBlaster Productions (2025)

The archival hunt for the "missing links" of first-wave California punk usually leads through a trail of grainy handbill Xeroxes and tape traders' overdubbed copies. But with The Flyboys, the story has always been a bit more elegant—and a lot more colourful. Long before they were swept into the gravity of the Hollywood scene, frontman John Curry was already performing … Read more

The S.E.T.

Self Evident Truth
Flatspot Records (2026)

Hardcore doesn’t need reinventing; just needs conviction. On Self Evident Truth, Baltimore’s The S.E.T. come out swinging with a debut EP that’s built on exactly that. It’s got groove, urgency, and a clear sense of purpose. Clocking in at around fifteen minutes, the EP wastes no time establishing its identity. From the opening moments of “This Chain,” it’s all forward … Read more

Dashed

Self Titled
Independent (2026)

When a band describes themselves as surf punk, it usually conjures a certain image. Reverb drenched guitars, sunburnt melodies, maybe even a sense of looseness that leans more carefree than chaotic. Dashed doesn’t really fit that mold. On their self-titled LP, they take those familiar elements and run them through something colder, sharper, and far less predictable. Across eleven tracks, … Read more