Anders Manga’s first album as Bloody Hammers served up scoops of gothic horror covered in death-grunge syrup. Spiritual Relics comes from the same carton, only more potent, touring having tightened up the graveyard riffery and given Manga’s vampiric croon a raspy edge. The former synth-rocker reconnects here with his inner Roky Erickson, source of the band’s name. “At the Well of Nazareth,” “What’s Haunting You,” and “Night of the Long Knives” make terror tuneful and brooding intensity exciting instead of creepy. “Science Fiction” ends it all on a shockingly pretty, mostly acoustic note. (Sat., 3:05pm, Antone’s)

***.5

This article appears in October 25 • 2013.

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Michael Toland started writing about music in 1988 on the Gulf Coast, moved to Austin in early 1991, and has inflicted bylines upon the corporeal and digital pages of Pop Culture Press, The Big Takeover, Blurt, Amplifier, Austin.citysearch, the Austin American Statesman, Goldmine, Sleazegrinder, Rock & Roll Globe, High Bias, FHT Music Notes, and, since 2011, The Austin Chronicle.