From checking out the various photographs posted by the band on their Facebook page, you'd never guess that, underneath the hair and the blurry-eyed expressions, Eyehategod have been indulging in the very act of cranking out ear-splitting hybrids of stoner-rock and so-called sludge-metal, now would you?

Formed in the late '80s, at a time when the similarly zonked-out zombie-rock of Killdozer and The Melvins were carving up venues with blunt-edged sleaze and brain-mashing riffs, Eyehategod tempted a reaction from the almighty by christening themselves with a moniker that was sure to court controversy. Thankfully, neither has happened and founder members Mike Williams and Jimmy Bower have survived a religious backlash.

With previously issued albums that include the wonderfully bummed-out titles like 'Take as Needed For Pain', 'Dopesick' and 'Southern Discomfort', you begin to wonder what's up their collective sleeves, apart from a few miles of tattoos that is. A new batch of UK dates suggest that Eyehategod do have new material knocking around, their first in 7 years, as well as plenty to choose from across their 20-plus years in action.

Provisionally entitled 'Whiskey Drink', the new album promises to be highly sought-after, although probably not as much as tickets for their summer tour which starts in Bristol on 7th August, followed by Manchester on the 8th and London's Garage on the 9th. More shows may be added in due course but meanwhile you can grab tickets for this trio for £15 (or £17 for London).