Big Lad

London-based electronic/drum duo Big Lad surfaced in 2014, originally operating as Shitwife and evoking a hybrid of Lightning Bolt with Aphex Twin. Their sound merged gabber and breakcore with post-hardcore and noise-rock foundations, augmented by blastbeats, allowing seamless placement within the U.K. underground alongside label mates ILL and Casual Nun even as the groups diverged stylistically.

The project originated when drummer Henri Grimes, an alum of post-hardcore/math rock trio Shield Your Eyes, dispatched an unsolicited message to electronics specialist Wayne Adams of punk/hardcore band Death Pedals, proposing an electronic/drum venture. Adams, having grown weary of solo work under the Ladyscraper name, welcomed the partnership. After productive rehearsals the pair began shaping their first album. Released in 2015 on Sapien while the Shitwife name still applied, the nine-track Big Lad listed Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, and Venetian Snares among its cited influences yet earned live-performance comparisons to American noise-rock band Lightning Bolt for its volatile energy.

For the follow-up the duo signed with British independent label Box Records, adopted the title of their debut as their new band name, and issued Pro Rock in 2018. The record intensified Big Lad’s sonic extremes, showcased by the abrasive synths and dense percussion of advance track “Ricky Balboa.”