While scrolling through our mailbox to find some sweet tunes to shred I came across “Jack of all Spades,” the new EP from the Greek/Swedish hard rock act Code Noir, sent to us by German/South-Asian friends at Qabar PR. And after listening to that release’s opening track “The Devil Within,” my Shredder mind quickly got hooked and my Shredder claws quickly sharpened! So let’s do this!

“Jack of all Spades” is the second EP from the Code Noir and is released through the Swedish record label Leviaphonic Records. This 5-track release begins with the aforementioned single “The Devil Within,” a catchy tune which features elements from Black Sabbath, Motörhead as well as stoner rock in general. The next tune, “Supersonic” is faster and more aggressive with pounding drums and slightly harsher vocals. The song’s middle section gets particularly ambient and moody until the song picks up the pace again, fired up by a frantic guitar solo and equally frantic rhythms.

“Words Never Said” is the third track on the “Jack of all Spades” EP and features the band’s more melodic side despite the very dark lyrics. This song’s high emphasis on bass makes this tune even crispier. The EP’s penultimate track “Monarch” features acoustic guitar and piano with the usual down tuned guitars and clean vocals. One thing I love about this particular song is the middle part wherein the guitars play along some orchestral keyboards, giving the tune a nice symphonic feel.

And finally there’s “Crucify Their Way,” the heaviest song on the “Jack of All Spades” release with grinding riffs, thunderous melodies and soaring vocals. A nice ending to a short, but very enjoyable EP that every hard rock fan can certainly enjoy!

A jack of spades with a menacing looking, pitch black devil with a crown, wings and a tail gazes through the artwork. One detail I noticed was that the devil’s lower head doesn’t have a crown and that his head is seemingly turning into dust while the upper head looks gloriously with that crown of spades. Other fun detail I noticed is that the J of the card are in the shape of razor-sharp hooks. Overall, a simple and soberly colored artwork with some fine details added to it. Nice work!

The themes on “Jack of all Spades” are quite dark, with topics like depression, breakups, loneliness and suicide, very fitting subjects for the overall heavy beats on this EP.  

8 devil jacks out of 10. If you enjoy stoner rock or the beats of classic heavy acts like Black Sabbath or Motörhead then you’ll certainly enjoy this second EP from Code Noir! Here’s the single “The Devil Within!”