Heavy. That’s the way to describe English five-piece Black Moth (not to be confused with enigmatic Black Moth Super Rainbow).

On their debut, The Killing Jar (released last year in the U.K. by hard rock label New Heavy Sounds and issued this month in the U.S.), Black Moth melds pummeling metal (femme fatale opener “The Articulate Dead”), sludgy Black Sabbath-ish rock (contorted basher “Plastic Blaze”) and riot grrrl-styled punk-metal (mosh pit-ready “Chicken Shit”). Throughout, vocalist Harriet Bevan sounds like a mix of L7’s Donita Sparks and the Gits’ Mia Zapata: snarling one moment, ferociously and darkly charismatic the next.

The music has a dirty, distorted approach similar to bands such as Grinderman (no surprise Grinderman drummer Jim Sclavunos is the listed producer). There’s very little let-up as hefty riff follows crushing riff from twinned guitars and snarling drums and bass, and that’s a good thing.

Listeners who appreciate the dirtier side of grunge, stoner rock and proto-metal will certainly get a ferocious rise out of this degenerate and ballistic 10-track salvo.

Grade: B