Richmond, Virginia metal-punk trio BAT have been delivering their own blood-spattered horror since ascending from the underground a decade ago on a dark, leather-winged trajectory. The brainchild of Municipal Waste guitarist, Ryan Waste, BAT's origins actually go back to 2008 when Waste and former D.R.I. drummer, and Texas native, Felix Griffin, hatched the idea of working together. Waste is known for his love of the NWOBHM, but with BAT, he's taken that influence in a fresh direction on 'Under the Crooked Claw', with its tight, concise songs loaded with punchy choruses and lightning-laced leads. 'As big of a heavy metal fan as I am, I think the dirtier side of it fits better with my vocals', he says. 'But we try to push the boundaries in BAT between heavy metal, punk and rock 'n' roll to where you can't quite put your finger on it'.