I first caught West Yorkshire based Mezcal live at the Huddersfield Parish in February, and while the lads on this occasion were first support and the sound mix perhaps not quite top ticket, I immediately got into the band’s blend of heavy rock indie.

Back in the day, I was equally happy moshing with the goth, the punk or the heavy metal crowd so Mezcal’s varied mix hit the sweet spot in my ear.

When Mezcal offered me the chance to have a little pre-release listen to their debut EP, I was in within a heartbeat.

Mezcal’s Sour Apple EP is a nicely solid collection with a good balance and mix of sounds that will demand regular replays. With those lyrics, solid rhythms and considered delivery, to steal one of the song titles, it’s a debut EP to be proud of for sure.

Opening track Scream N Shout (Na Na Na Na) is an obvious live favourite (I’ll give you no further clue about the chorus lyrics), and you are immediately swept into the power of this band.

Lead singer Ashton Baker professes to a childhood fed on the likes of Black Sabbeth and Avenged Sevenfold with a sprinkling of Alex Turner, and the result is a clipped heavy metal kind of vocal, one that uses a good range, one not afraid of a long note, and a vocal style power quite rare in indie.

Musically, the band has a full on and hard approach – this is a track that strides out to the audience.

I Dont Wanna Talk helps set out what Mezcal are about; this is a really brooding but likable guitar heavy track.

To me, it’s a song about one of those tough relationships where you get sucked up into their problems, and you risk becoming part of the issue rather than the helpful support. There’s a nice twinge of resentment and a lot of sad resignation running through this song, and I like the way the band create the edgy awkward vibe where the tune is unforced and understated, but with its punchy rocky chorus, the band create an interesting contrast.

Proud exposes the soft underbelly of Mezcal, and lead vocalist Ashton Baker who has written all of the tracks on this EP, offers a touching lyric about how grateful he is to how he was looked after as a child, and how he hopes to repay that love.

There’s a nicely sweet little guitar riff running through this tune, and then the second half of the song revisits the theme only in a punchier way which brings it an added strength.

Mushy much, lovely much, likable much.

I have no problems with bands having their influences and heroes and wearing them on their sleeves, but unfortunately sometimes that admiration can slip into awe, and before you know it the song sounds just like the original artist, rather than manage to push it forward.

That slow dive is not for Mezcal, and there’s some very nice work on the title track Sour Apple – while there’s a strong initial Arctics vibe, the band quickly makes the song move somewhere else, with the bands heavier influences.

This is a track I recall the band playing, and its a strong one live.

Once again there’s a solid substance and meaning in the lyric, here I pick out the resentment of being on that cusp of adulthood, where everyone is giving you advice and you might feel pushed around.

To close this fine collection of songs is a track I immediately loved from the off – Marilyn Monroe.

Throughout this EP I’ve been impressed with the thoughts and images that are within the lyrics, and I was hooked here from the off: Actress by day secret by night, those common lies may stir up a fight.

Not only that, is a gentle circular rolling tune with a harder edge than you might expect for such a gently sung tune. That sightly rough mix up gives the contrast to the bittersweet life being described, and its perfectly balanced to my ear.

When I last saw Mezcal, I kind of went in cold with no real thought about who the band were and what they are about. Some bands comprise of deeper layers and Mezcal is one.

While you can (of course) just come as you are and listen to Mezcal live, they are one of those bands worth taking a bit of time to discover.

Whether you discover them deep or arrive just in time to pick up the vibe, Mezcal are headlining at Leeds Oporto on 31 August (this coming Thursday) with Shoddy Merchant and Repose as support, for an EP launch gig to remember.

* words by Tiggerligger

* first photo by Tiggerligger, the rest are from the band’s socials.