### Thou: The archer and the owle

#### 03/01/12 || gk

Thou’s second EP this year and its a bit of a mixed bag. The EP opens with “Voices in the Wilderness” which is a great song with harsh sludgy parts sitting next to a melancholic melody but it was already on 2010s “Summit”. Next up is a superb cover of Nirvana’s “Something in the Way.” A depressive ode to homelessness gets the Thou treatment with vocalist Brian Funcks’ tortured screams. It’s a mostly faithful cover although slowed down and it works remarkably well. “Summit Reprise” is again off the “Summit” album and is essentially a mood piece with a mournful horn section and crashing cymbals. “Bonnet Carré” is the only new song on this release and it’s vintage Thou. Huge, lumbering riffs crawl for ten plus minutes with vague hints at melody as Funck screams over the top of the music. The EP ends with two covers of Pygmy Lush. This release on 12” vinyl and cassette is for the hardcore Thou fan and 5 of the 6 songs here are available for free on their website so it isn’t exactly essential but if you’re a fan of the band then “The Archer and the Owle” is another superb release from Thou that makes perfect sense and is worth it just for the new song.

8.5/10: For fans only.