Album Review: Bad Earth – Stitches (Self Released)

Bad Earth, the three-piece rockcore band from North Wales, will release their new album, ‘Stitches’ on October 23rd, 2026.

A major talent in the UK rock and metal scene, Bad Earth are back and delivering hefty and heavy metal goodness. However, don’t let that fool you into thinking they don’t have something to say, that the record doesn’t have depth, and they aren’t afraid to mix it up.

Kicking off proceedings in style with 12th Hour. Where we get spoken word and a cacophony of noise slowly building to a crescendo. One that comes via Break of Day, a fiery and infectious effort that has vibrant groove and plenty of head banging inducing flair. I like also, that when the tempo shifts around the halfway point, it gets a bit more chaotic.

However, the Bad Earth I really like is when they go hard, hot, and heavy. A track like Southern Gold, with its crashing drumbeats, wild riffs, and vocal variety, is right up my street. It has appealing heft, and you can hear the rawness, but it compliments rather than detracts. Whereas Come What May is impressively catchy and delivers some of the album’s most kickass riffs.

Though creating kickass riffs is pretty standard stuff for this band, and you’ll not find yourself wanting when the likes of the title track and Coerce come along. Yet, with the former, it’s the hardcore-style call and shout that makes that one special, and with the latter, it’s the excited punch and power. Two of the album’s best efforts.

Things get a bit weird with Interlude as Bad Earth explore stoner and psych groove, delivering a short slice of instrumental noise. A very impressive listen that sets up the latter part of the record as Bad Earth hit an explosive high via the scathing Another Knife in the Back. The shout of ‘don’t hold back’ is one that everyone will feel compelled to do, and that’s before I mention the roaring final section.

I’m not sure it gets groovier than Misunderstood, and the urge to head bang to its beefiness will be too much for many to withstand. It should go without saying, but just in case, I urge you to warm up the neck muscles before hitting play on this record or you risk having to see either a medical professional or a masseuse. Especially when the album still has Blood On My Hands and Trigger Point left to offer. Crunching riffs, fast-paced groove, and banging shout along choruses, it’s head banging gold.

Bad Earth are well respected, and it’s because they put out music like this, and then back it all up with their live shows. Get on board, you’ll be glad you did.

Bad Earth – Stitches Track Listing:

1. 12th Hour
2. Break of Day
3. Southern Gold
4. Come What May
5. Stitches
6. Coerce
7. Interlude
8. Another Knife in the Back
9. Misunderstood
10. Blood On My Hands
11. Trigger Point

Links

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