Haapoja - Haapoja (2013)

Full Length, Self-released / Indepenedent
March 27th, 2013

Genre: Black Metal/Hardcore
Region: Finland

Well this is an interesting transformation. Haapoja had a demo back in 20111 titled Hallitsematonta voimaa that I heard on The Living Doorway back when that dude JGD posted semi-frequently, the sounds emanating from it were stealthily riding the wave of blackened hardcore that was in full force. Except they weren't really "blackened hardcore" ala YAITW et al even on a first pass, instead like Dephosphorus the fluidity of the influences was such that it escaped complete pigeon holing. I liked it a lot and I like this even more.

So for those who don't remember Haapoja are a fairly young four piece from Finland that are play some kind of hardcore. This self-titled doesn't sound quite like the demo — the change is fairly noticable and entirely awesome. The direction is the same one they took in the EP largely, it's just the force behind it that's been supercharged.

Haapoja is just under a half hour so it seems they've sheared their best material in the interim between 2011 and 2013, coming out with nine diverse and equally engrossing, twisty songs. The grooves you heard in between the Rorschach chaos and blackened angularity is overclocked, in this record, speed and intensity is cranked the majority of the record as well. At points in tracks like "Kerosiini" it's the closest any band has come recently to touching what Dephosphorus exposed in their debut Axiom and this is very exciting.

At other points as in "Suurempi, Hallitsematon" or "Takauma" that same approach slows and the feeling the demo had returns but more enticing. The latter is a drifting labyrinthine series of rhythms that are oddly calming even when dissonant, and even with the sonic shredding of the vocalist cutting through the riffs. The drums are a bright pylon and here they toss and hurl between softer and more martial moments. It's a memorable track and one of the stand outs

The rest of their time they find something different to draw out through their style that sounds like Melechesh covered by a French black metal act playing '90's hardcore. Especially the first half of the record: it's not as obvious initially on the opener "Suuren Varjon Alla" until about the halfway marker where theirs a distinct Night Sky Transform vibe but once you hit "Ihmisyyden raja" their new tact reveals itself and it's pretty damn hyonotic. That track takes another turn later in the last quarter I wasn't expecting before circling back to the start.

The groovy and agitated riffs, enraged scratchy screams, crystal clear and fast percussion — all of it is very cohesive and easy to get hooked by. "Elämän Vaihtokauppa", which is definitely a standout for me, is another great example of this comfortable amalgamation of sounds that crushes and soothes all at once. The back end of this track has such a wicked riff, but from the beginning it's not that remarkable. Mid-paced, a little more traditionally thrashy with some proggy twang in there. A few moments where bouncy riffs and violent screams come through show where the song is heading, and once it hits about 2:15 in a truly gripping section ruptures forth and spreads to the end of the track.

They generally manage to stay away from driving something into the ground as well which can be a problem with groovy shit I suppose. For instance that last portion of that previously mentioned track doesn't stick around long despite it being hypnotic. And even in the less frantic, more slowly churning tracks like "Kolmetoista Askelta" or "Takauma" where there's less going on they don't damage them by lingering on one moment; even when particularly enjoyable.

In quicker tracks like "360 Astetta" (or again "Kerosiini", fuckin great shit) they blast through ascending discord over punk and pummeling blackened beats, then will rest momentarily to create excellent harmonious grooves with lots of string skipping. "Ikuistettu" is another example of this and closes the record nicely once showing their controlled harmonic chaos interact with the sounds of Dephosphorus, Converge and death metal.

Haapoja's potential has been given a proper exploration and outlet on this release, confidently approaching the level of excellence that Dephosphorus hold to both quickly and unexpectedly (minus the grind). Recommended. I think if you like Deathspell Omega, Rorschach, Ulcerate, Svart Crown, etc. you should at least give it a spin.

It's up for pay-what-you-want on bandcamp so there's no price other than your time. And lets be honest, if you're reading this you've probably already wasted more time doing something far less entertaining than listening to Haapoja.


DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp)
DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)

Baptists - Bushcraft (2013)

Full Length, Southern Lord Records
February 19th, 2013

Genre: Hardcore
Region: Canada

Now that it's been out a little while here's the new Baptists record. Links will probably get taken down via DMCA complaint I would think but who knows... I haven't received one of those in a while.

Baptists had a nice 7" record a while back that showed great promise. I remember stumbling on it and enjoying it but never giving it too many replays honestly. Bushcraft is a little different obviously since I'm coming back quite often. The attitude is one of solid confidence. They know what direction they're going for and they nail it pretty damn well on record and even more so in live environments; without paying much mind to inevitable detractors. I recommend you see them if they drift by you.

So people have been comparing them to Converge a whole lot. This is not without reason, I mean a cursory listen is all you need to recognize what people are recognizing. Kurt Ballou brought them over to record this, and the guys have been admitted Converge fans from the start — it's kind of hard to not find their influence somewhere at this point.

But I would argue there's a far bigger east coast Cursed style/sound cascading throughout Bushcraft that mixes nicely with their love of Converge (whether intentional or not). Couple that with their experience within local grind/crust acts and the west coast atmosphere there's a comfortable synthesis, creating very catchy and energetic expression of hardcore somewhere between the old and new.

By comfortable I don't mean lazy. Baptists have struck a wonderful balance between the crusty-punk discord and anger of Cursed and the twangy high-speed pummeling hardcore that Converge have helped pioneer. I think a closer comparison could be made with All Pigs Must Die maybe, certainly if you compare songs like "Sacrosanct" with "In Droves" where both are drawing out that vehement punk energy from the past and bringing renewed vibrancy.

Obviously each band there has different plans of attack. For Baptists the one they've cut works well and reminds me of the type of thing Vilipend is doing by bringing back old school metalcore, where Baptists are less on the Rorschach end of things.

Their sound is kind of an anomaly in the context of their peers and colleagues regionally. At least as far as my limited experience or knowledge tells me. While the Vancouver and Victoria areas are no stranger to filthy grind and powerviolence, most of the crusty hardcore that I've heard like FAMINE, Subsist, or Erosion does not dabble in the chaotic, Deadguy/Rorschach twang arena that is becoming more recognizable (especially in the Deathwish Inc. stable). Nor the dark rusted hatred of Cursed and it's distinct 'Toronto' aura —  instead the island and mainland groups often fall along Infest and Nasum lines, while also subtly skirting the recent blackened wave too.

Baptists have embraced and tempered this selectively and injected it with a 'cascadian' ethos which casts scorn on the concrete expansion over the beauty of their west coast home. I'm not arguing that this makes their sound wholly unique but there's enough spice in there to ensure that Bushcraft escapes the 'copy-cat' label in my opinion.

Almost in a stealthy manner actually. Like I said if you give it only a few listen the comparisons to Converge are unavoidable, but I found that a few of the tracks like "Russian Spirits" and "Bullets" forced me to return due to their ridiculous hooks. Eventually I found myself running through this 27 minute record twice in a row every other day, it really crept up on me and I have a feeling this is the case for a lot of people. Even those who are tired of Southern Lord's grip on what some designate 'faux'-thrashcrust should look into Bushcraft.

As you can expect the production is rich which is great for their sound, so only gains since the 7" in that respect. The percussion is right fucking there and the guitar tone fees quite lively, bright but with some jagged edges while the bassist slickly carves a spot in the madness. Some are going to cry about the production and I understand.

Regardless, all four members are undeniably skilled in their crafts. The passion is evident as they layer on the simple and rewarding or cathartic formula of thrashcore ingrained in them. From the outset of "Betterment" we are met with a series of dark twangs and into a hissing drum surge before the track actually kicks in — switching between jerky slams and midpaced galloping, vocal chords shredding through words of regret. You get a good sample of his range from more deep death-like barks to gritty snarls/rasps. A good opener before getting to the more meaty sections.

"Think Tank Breed" is a scratchy furious tune and the shortest on the record. It makes up for it in frantic bludgeonings and later some shining injections into the rhythm and a violent chunky closing riff. On more laid back tracks like "Still Melt" my attention doesn't drift: the rhythm is hypnotic both the melodic riffs and the metaphoric, hallucinogenic lyrics together while the drumming is consistently compressing in more controlled blasts.

This aspect is always an impressive battering like axes on a felled evergreen. The intro to this track for example is real nice in that regard. "Soiled Roots" is another slow one that will bind you over it's five minute ritual, entirely groove-laden bass-filled, and as heavy as logging truck tumbling down a mountain. That weight increases ten-fold in the last minute.

On the subject of words: lyrically there's the classic punk social commentary through short and clever lines laced in venom."Mortar Head" for instance, not only blazing and awesome with a touch of that blackened vibe, but could be interpreted multiple ways. It remains interesting if it's commentary on the societal or state reliance on bureaucratic ideological power groups ("Think Tank Breed") who are disconnected from reality on the ground. Maybe I'm reading to much into it. But Baptists also tackle that raw expression of humanity's connection to the forests and biosphere blatantly as well (if the cover and title didn't tip you off).

It's not always obvious: shorter tracks like "Crutching Trails" give the impression of possible relation to the environment but deal more in carving ones own bath in terms of belief, release from moral slavery over a high-speed, slightly dissonant thrash attack which gets a little more complex during the brief chorus.

On the other end the whole title of the record and the song "Bushcraft" as well is just spelling it out plain over some wicked riffs: "I want to practice bushcraft and the leave this shit behind!" over intense snare work and feedback. I'm pretty sure anyone living in the Cascadian region (or anything like it) in the current climate has seriously considered this at one point — just it's never been expressed this well through chaotic and wailing hardcore. Normally it's a more meditative black metal approach so this is refreshing to me and the self-titled track is particularly captivating.

"Abandon", dealing with abstraction and apathy (perhaps?), is the final song and turns into an extremely boisterous one at the end following a bass solo. In a live environment this is another one that ignites the venue with it's bouncy cadence and groove.

As I already mentioned my favorites are probably "Russian Spirits" and "Bullets" because they're sincerely excellent jams on every level. If you don't have time for the whole thing at least give those two a chance. "Bullets" might take the cake: it's is wild and flailing, whining bent strings punch through and stormy percussion overwhelms for the entirety until at two minutes in the break down comes — its a magnificent moment on the record (drummer's a beast). However slams that end "Russian Spirits" make me reconsider which is heavier.

Overall Baptists have released something awesome and different from even the local fare even if external comparisons make this seem less significant. You can tell they had fun pouring their energy into this and I think it payed off. Bushcraft is the kind of album I imagine blasting in a beater pickup truck (or hatchback as is often the case here) while tearing through the gravel logging roads and muddied trails of the mainland and Vancouver Island, hollering as you escape the encroaching industrial landscapes in that brief afternoon of freedom.

That is, if people around here who went bush-bombing didn't only listen to AC/DC, Lil Jon, and Steel Panther.
 
You can get this probably at a local record shop but if not you go to Southern Lord or a distro who carries their titles (there are many). Or go to bandcamp because they have it up finally. You should probably follow them too.



DOWNLOAD (Zippyshare)

Black Mask - Black Mask (2012)

Demo, Very Tight Recordings / Get This Right Records
June 1st, 2012

Genre: Hardcore
Region: USA

Just another record request that got buried and I unfortunately just never got to it. It's stupid because a few months back I came across them on bandcamp journey and that's when I caught Black Mask's demo. Then I checked my inbox on a hunch and bam — my inattentiveness laid bare. Anyway I've been spinning it pretty regularly since then. Black Mask are a four piece hardcore unit from Pennsylvania with just this six song demo to their name, but I suspect that they'll be pretty busy in the next little while if their sound here is any indicator.

First thing that has to be said is that I am under no illusions about Black Mask's sound, they're not exactly breaking convention or pushing the innovation envelope. It's very feedbacky Entombed/Converge/Catheter influenced crusty-thrashy-core much like a lot of the recent Southern Lord catalog so if you're tired of that you're probably considering a pass on this one. I suggest you give this a shot despite your warranted cynicism. For me all that doesn't kill something as long as the material does what it should do and these guys can manifest some vicious hardcore that resides a bit on the dark and crusty side. I keep coming back to it.

The guitar tone is that thick chainsaw growl that Vorum, Magrudergrind, Black Breath, and early New Lows have adopted and it definitely amps up the simple break downs and hardcore rhythms to have greater impact. All of them strike with a lot of force. Lots of sharp feedback between songs and in fills and the vocals are what you might expect: pissed, rasped, and loud. Very much like YAITW which is hard not to love. Drums feel a little weak in the mix at times with all the noise (not the performance), while the bass is clear but not as chunky/weighty as say on a Protestant or Converge record; some minor shit that doesn't lessen my enjoyment overall.

Stand out tracks? Honestly they're all really good. "Bottom Feeder" and "Serpent" probably if I had to say followed by "Agony". The first one there is hugely memorable and catchy (like something ACxDC or Osk would do but a notch or two slower) with a giant final riff, the whole this is very tight and should be played loud. The opener "Serpent" has a similar finale that just cracks concrete, leading into "The Greys" which is fast and gnarled.

We get a slight change of pace in two songs: the closer "Loner" which is shaped slightly different then the rest of the tracks, littered with bends and a thick oldschool groove. And then the only break in the hardcore gallop in the form of  "Death Unfolds", a static and feedback-laden semi-doomy instrumental flowing through a lone, crawling bass line for the first minute only to evolve into a nice slow buzzing procession.

This is one of those records that is just simply enjoyable, something that if you cranked your tubes and started jamming to you would get a great deal of enjoyment out of; I've done that few times. No real weak spots as the focus is clearly on aggressive, short, noisy, and catchy blasts and while it's hard to fuck that up it's also hard to make it interesting anymore. Black Mask do it for me an laugh in the face of a saturated scene.

Brutal, loud, jagged hardcore that I slept on. Recommended to those of you who like Converge, All Pigs Must Die, Young And In The Way, Baptists, Magrudergrind, Black Breath, etc. you'll appreciate this. I guess if you are the cynical type you can at least rest easy knowing black metal is left out of the mix. Plus it's less than 10 minutes long so they won't wast much of your time.

If you want it you can grab it for $3 on bandcamp or for a physical copy check out Get This Right Records for the 7" version. Follow them on facebook for more info on tours and upcoming material.


DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp)
DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)
DOWNLOAD (Zippyshare)

Old Soul - Who Are Willing To Draw Close (2012)

 Full Length, Dingleberry Records / IFB Records / East Train Records
 2012

Genre: Blackened Hardcore/Post-Rock/Black Metal/Post-Hardcore
Region: USA

Apparently I missed this last year as well. Who Are Willing To Draw Close is something I came across by accident and I think it's pretty sweet. I'm sure the combination of genres will pissoff a few people out there and normally I'm a little wary of such mixtures these days, but like I said this turns out to be very enjoyable. Containing only four tracks Old Soul's second album should have got a little more attention.

Five guys from Mount Pleasant that are experimenting and coming up with some sounds worthy of your time. Both of Old Soul's present releases are short and sweet, realistically EPs but the content is pretty sweet. I would describe their compelling style as Celeste channeling Darkest Hour through a haze of post-rock and black metal; maybe Alcest, Krallice or Wildernessking. Actually Dweller On The Threshold are doing a similar thing but in a more folk Do Make Say Think kind of direction.

Right from the opener "Crater" you know this is as least going to be a little different. The clean bends in the beginning of this track remind me of a few moments from Skagos' "Colossal Spell" or Godspeed You! Black Emperor's work. It takes a almost mid-east tone before erupting into chaotic blackened distortion, swirling and slowly breaking down and tangling with Celese-like dark hardcore until the finally volley — mellifluous and aggressive, suddenly post-hardcore is thick in the air. It combines with the black metal to make an almost Alcest beauty flowing in the twinkling black haze. They don't rest on this for long though and break into the next track quickly.


This is the pattern that gets put through some creative paces within the next three tracks, feeling legitimate and never staying longer than wanted in its experimentation. 'Twin" goes from wailing black tones to a more playful progressive chord section and back again. Amongst this strange mixture organs and children spoken word samples ("Forest" and "Tundra") weave their way comfortably enough into some tracks. avoiding cheese nicely. "Forest" is the one track that feels very much on the post-hardcore side of the tracks for the first two minutes before the climax which is a massive but quick blackened explosion, repeating only once near the end after a particularly melodic clean build.

All the tracks have this undercurrent of placid sadness that works its way out in the clean moments, "Tundra"'s intro for example. That track is another where the screamo/post-rock influences reign, and the bass is far more showcased (though the production doesn't cover it up elsewhere).

I think the record could be a little louder and maybe longer but not by much on that last part. Song lengths here are perfect and offer great variation without stumbling. The spoken samples don't feel necessary but they really don't derail the music either. The vocalist hits perfect shredding rasps and at times lets them bleed into anguished cries, percussion and bass/guitar work is complex and with purpose — there's no wankery or needless busyness and that goes for the ambient/post-rock elements too. If anything there's more to be explored here and hopefully they push it further with the following record.

Recommended especially if you like Celeste or some of what Dweller On The Threshold was fucking around with. If you want a taste go to their soundcloud page, and if you like it there's a couple of places you can get it from like Halo of Flies, Scream//Writhe, etc. or directly from them over at their blog where they have a download link to both records (here's a direct link to the store). They have bandcamp as well so you can download shit for free there as well.

The new record called "Tidal Lock" is coming soon as are shows I believe so check their facebook for updates on that stuff.

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)
DOWNLOAD (Zippyshare)

Three Nights of Rain & Grind In Vancouver

(Erosion)

Well technically two-ish of grind, powerviolence and rain followed by one of vagrants, cold wind and punk. It's a very uncreative title.

I recently got back from Vancouver and a few nights of local live shows: Baptists’ Album Release show at the Biltmore Cabaret, followed by Iron Lung/Column of Heaven/Osk/Koszmar/Cooked And Eaten in the back of Zoo Shop records, and then a kick of show in a photo gallery in a bad part of town for White Lung’s tour. This will be a quick one followed by a few posts with actual substance and content so don’t fret as I have plans.

It’s been a while since I’ve been in Vancouver longer than a transfer between flights so I did take a chance to try the New Amsterdam Cafe finally and I also was re-acclimated to the notorious presence of the underclass on west Hastings. Both of these things were interesting as was checking out venues I had not been to. All of this was amidst the pineapple express (awful term, sorry) we were going through on the coast so constant mild rain made everything a little more uncomfortably damp than you'd like.

Cower - Mind Over Matter (2012)

Full Length, Howling Mine / Vendtta / Television Records
December 21st, 2012

Genre: Sludge/Hardcore
Region: USA


I've become obsessed with Cower over the past few months, this record in particular but even more their split with Thou (who's members really dig this as well). I'll be putting up the rest of their catalog eventually but Mind Over Matter deserves a little more time first. I said it pretty concisely in my list so lets see if I can mess it up here.

Cower are definitely flying under the radar despite their odd accessibility, putting out four records so far all of which are really good as I found out. This one is at the top with their split. Their grand, usually upbeat style of stoner-sludge hardcore is difficult to not enjoy and has mad staying power.

I think they're sometimes a four piece but usually a three piece, drummer Logan and bassist Jakob providing both clean and scratchy punk shouts. The important thing about the cleans is that they're melodic without becoming cheesy or overdone. That doesn't mean everyone will like tit of course. Tons of thick riffs sometimes filtered through tremolo and flang effects bringing a little stoner psychedelia into the mix but never oversaturating the riffs; it remains fuzzy and loud. Cower also offer a lot of aggressive punk energy that can quickly part the dope cloud and stir shit up nicely.

Mind Over Matter has a lot of variation even if you want to boil it down to just sludgecore. Listen to "Skylids" which is loud and anthem-like and also quiet and bluesy., it's ridiculously catchy from every angle and one of my favorites on this. "The Secret Garden" has similar qualities but it's arranged a little differently so as to make shit fresh, ending up with another hypnotizing song with a sick build from the beginning. Those bass lines are engrained into my mind.

Then check out something like "Fungus Summer": a pretty acoustic balad that turns into something much more once the drums and bass creep in. Even from "The Secret Garden" you leap into something much different directly afterwards. It changes over to a bouncy almost southern rock near the end before slipping into the pure hardcore "404" which only progresses into a more sludgy Converge section at the end. This is the mark for the next track "A Rocket Man's Reality" which falls right in line with the first two mentioned as it carries that Converge-twang for only a few quiet moments, yet again morphing into a swampy sway.

As on previous releases each song shows that Cower does these genres extremely well separately and fused, with passion and making them just internally enjoyable. Another example of this is in "The Lonely Road" which is a bit dark but clear cut hardcore while "Fifteen" sounds like something out of the fastcore punk '90's or maybe Touche Amore these days; high speed, frantic with a bit of a screamo vibe by the end without the vocal style. The final track might be my pick though. "Moving Day" is just so heavy and hypnotizing, from the scratchy punk intro to the  heavy rhythms and cadence of as he shouts along jerkily, it really couldn't get much better you'd think until the slow fade and build at the end.

Admittedly you might get a different impression from the first track "Cops" as it is deceptive for the first half of the song, more obtuse and angular hardcore then most of what Mind Over Matter sounds like; though these elements are certainly incorporated. The switch is made and like that the stoner-sludge influence takes over at the same pace. Its even more palpable from "Cowboys Pt. 2" (appropriately titled) onward. They do some of this mid song flips in other tracks like "Thieves of the Night" which becomes very melodic and chilled, grooves pulsing and vocals turning clean, as well as in "A Rocket Man's Reality".

Cower on each release have brought this accessibility to a manageable/tasteful level, as with the experimentation, so there's no way you can't enjoy it even if you're on a strict diet of kvlt. A sludgy Cave In is what I would describe it as except I'm getting far more consistency and enjoyment out of Cower than Cave In.

This doesn't have a physical release yet but considering the fact that all their previous records made it on to wax and cds you can bet this will, and probably from Television Records too. Possibly Howling Mine or Vendetta in Europe if I had to guess. For now it's up on bandcamp as a pay-what-you-want download along with the rest of their discography (which I will also be posting in the future) so please give these guys what you can if you like what you hear.




DOWNLOAD (Zippyshare)
DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)
DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp)

West Coast Round-Up #1: B.C. Grind & Hardcore Part I

My previous post about the Vancouver group Ahna kind of resulted from a renewed interest in the underground on the west coast of Canada, specifically because I'll have been back on this coast longer than I have been in the past 4 years. So excuse this local focused and semi-indulgent round up of a handful of good grinders from B.C. and if it's not your thing then don't worry, more posts are coming. I think it fits in well with catching up on 2012 too.

It's strange growing up on Vancouver Island and just when you've become more invested and interested in underground music, you move to Toronto. That basically happened to me, and understandably from there I became more observant of the metal and hardcore scene in Toronto than I ever was of the one back west. Even when I was in B.C. I was in a place where it was an ordeal to go to a decent show (local or otherwise) even if I had known where and when, or was interested in music bands around me were putting out. I was a little underage as well so that wouldn't have helped.

What I'm getting at is I'm ashamedly very unfamiliar with the B.C. underground music culture where. I did know of and love a few acts (such as Skagos, Baptists, and Mitochondrion) however despite my geographical disconnect for so long I know I can do better.

In that spirit I plan on attending more shows when I can while I'm here, I've only been to two here compared to the hundred I've seen in Toronto. Even then in those two I came away with two great locals outside of Mitochondrion: Griefer and Ahna, plus others like sludge makers Hoopsnake. I'm kind of annoyed because I just missed a Despise You show with five bands I'm writing about here, a perfect chance to ease into things, meet people, and pick up some records while avoiding increased shipping costs.

This post will deal with releases under the punk umbrella but I intend to get some local doom, sludge and death/black metal together if I find enough enjoyable records. What you'll find below are some of the grind and punk bands I've been enjoying lately from my home province.

Amenra - Live (2012)

Live, ConSouling Sounds
October 2nd, 2012

Genre: Atmospheric Sludge
Region: Belgium

It's coming up on the release date for Mass V, which is up for preorder right now from Soul Slayer and Neurot Recordings. Until then we have a live record of theirs.

Eight tracks in total from four different rituals from 2007 to 2010, each show recorded and mixed by different people. The first three (De Dodenakker—Nemelendelle, Your Shapeless Pain, Aorte—Ritual) are from the visceral live show on 23.10.09 in Belgium which were captured and released on their infamous dvd, as well as their four part 7" split series. 

"Your Shapeless Pain" is easily one of my favorite Amenra songs, and hearing it altered and slowed down slightly live makes it even more powerful. "Ritual" includes guest musicians from Oathbreaker (Caro on vocals, Gilles on guitar, Kristoffer on bass, Thomas on percussion) who they've toured with often and are fantastic musicians; Caro's vocals are great especially in the context of this song. A little different from her style in Oathbreaker.

The extension of this track is wonderful — as Colin is hoisted up on the chains and members of Oathbreaker are slowly added to the stage, creating a thick layer of spellbinding chugging and pounding drums, to the final moment when Caro screams Colin's lines: "Chains encircle my broken wrists — but we can get out of them now!" Deeply cathartic.

I've already given my appraisal of the dvd and the songs on it in a previous Amenra related post (on the re-press of Mass III-II and the various splits), so I shouldn't need to say much. They're much more impacting with the footage mind you, but the weight is still clearly represented regardless.

The switch in the first track, just when the final throes of De Dodenakker begin to ramp up to those crushing riffs, to the final hypnotic riff in Nemelendelle is a great touch. The two tracks melt together seamlessly, replacing one set of excellent riffs for another.

The next three tracks (Thurifer, Silver Needle Golden Nail, Razoreater) are from a 2010 show in the Netherlands. Track s7 (Nemelendelle) is from a 2007 show in Belgium, and track 8 (Am Kreuz) is from a 2009 show yet again in Belgium. The performances here do not disappoint, and are a great selection of tracks from their best albums. Especially Thurifer, Razoreater and Am Kreuz. Hearing Nemelendelle in full as opposed to the spliced version in the first track is great as well.

I'm a fan of anything Amenra as you probably know already, so what should I say about this? The bass feels a little underrepresented in the mix on the first three tracks but I don't have many other complaints. The track list is excellent and the additions to songs here and there make things more interesting too. Colin's vocal style is probably my favorite at this point in time, and he loses none of his tortured and agonized tone live; if anything these qualities are heightened.

I've still yet to see Amenra live but this coupled with the dvd is all I have to experience until the day comes I can witness one of their rituals.

Definitely a good representation of their art in live form. I suggest you guys grab this one if you're a fan of their work. You can get a copy from Soul Slayer's store and at ConSouling Sounds, its packaging is as lovely as the sounds within. It looks like stock is running out so grab it quick if you want one.

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)
DOWNLOAD (Zippyshare)

VYST - Try Again. Fail Again. Keep On Trying. Keep On Living. Gain While Giving. (2012)

Full Length, Vendetta Records
January 1st, 2012

Genre: Hardcore
Region: Germany

Here's a surprisingly awesome shard of hardcore I only just came across. What made me take interest was that VYST contains members of Throwers, Glasses, and Perth Express — and by extension of those last two bands, at least one member of Men in Search of the Perfect Weapon, one of my favorite bands ever. So naturally I had to check them out as I'm always interested in hearing what the members of such a phenomenal sludge act are up to after its demise..

The drummer of Glasses and Perth Express was also in MISOTPW if I'm not mistaken, and while he's not on this record he has joined the band and will appear on their soon to be released new EP "Bad News Travels Slowly". Regardless of this bit if information once I gave this record a spin I was immediately impressed. VYST will surely join the ranks of other great new German hardcore acts if they haven't already.

Try Again. Fail Again. is a half-hour of darkly tinged hardcore with some great ferocity displayed in each of the nine tracks featured here. They dip into moments of melody on some of the longer tracks like "Towards the Cliff", "They Run", and "Count Me Down" and their briefness makes them all the more powerful.

The production is quite good also, everything rings clear and sharp bringing out the heaviness of some of the slower, crunchy passages. Vocals are wonderfully raspy and hoarse, rending his throat as he runs through issues both bleak and uplifting, contemptuous and angry. Nothing that hasn't been said before but it all suits the tone of the tunes here. Speaking of tone, the guitars sound great as they roll and slice through some very catchy rhythms.

VYST don't rely on dissonance. Merely powerful riffs that move from high speed punk to a moment or two in sludgecore territory (almost) to a short melodic or melancholic (sometimes clean) section — briefly there will be in a few songs a rough tremolo passage just touching on something blackened. Not enough to take over at any point but you can here some of this in "This Is All Exhausted" which is the only track with a simple breakdown to end the song as well, but a tremendous riff before that.

I think the last four tracks stand out the most for me. Especially "Towards The Cliff" where things slow down a bit in the beginning and gain some mass as the riffs pound, and that same riff from the start returns with a vengeance in the latter half; augmented a little and for the better, with a great slow fade. "They Run" has some similar captivating strengths, a real nice clean section and melody peppered throughout.

Not injected with the blazing sludge found in Perth Express and yet not being as strictly hardcore as Glasses, VYST have found a comfortable middle ground with a very minor blackened-crusty influence without completely falling into the ever-popular splinter genre of dark hardcore; and it works very well.

Actually they probably have more in common with their brothers in Throwers than the other two groups which is more on the dark dissonant side of the sound (and which I will eventually post up here as well). There's some excellent arrangements to be heard on Try Again..., very catchy and abrasive, fast with some hammer-blow heaviness sprinkled at just the right moments. Quite an enjoyable listening experience all the way through but nothing that could be said to be "off the beaten path". Just solid, head-bang-inducing hardcore.

I definitely recommend listening to what VYST offer up here. And they present it as a "name your price" download on their bandcamp so either snatch it up for nothing or be generous and throw them a few bucks for their hard work. And as I said, the new EP that's going to be released features the drummer from Glasses/Perth Express/MISOTPW so be sure to check it out. It feels a little more complex and angry from the one track up at the moment

DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp)

Planks - Funeral Mouth (2012)

Full Length, Golden Antenna Records
October 12th, 2012

Genre: Sludge/Hardcore/Blackened Sludge
Region: Germany

It wasn't until a little while ago that I became aware Planks were working on a new record, it crept up on me.

Funeral Mouth is this German act's third full length and it manages to build quite well from their sludgy hardcore foundations by adding a little more atmospheric, blackened influences and blending them all quite seamlessly. It ends up with a slight post-metal tinge without the padded song length, reliance on effects and abundance of shimmering instrumentals. Planks (alongside Black Freighter and Perth Express) are not too far removed from Canada's Titan but with this they've managed to step out a little and separate from the pack ever so slightly.

It isn't a huge departure but the differences are noticable structurally and in terms of emphasis on atmosphere, rather than pure steam-rolling heaviness. The vocals stand out quite a bit, passionate and mournful with a wicked deathly and deep rasp while alternating to semi-clean yells with a subtle melodic touch — nothing cheesy and they fit quite well. They're more muted and haunting than in their last release a lot of the time and with that the effect it has on you is different. In "Agnosia Archetype" the chorus stands out a lot as it flows with the melodic riffs and compels the listener to repeat it along with the vocalist, and in past records the style was more loud, gruff.

Guitars still have a wonderful thick tone with a tasteful use of effects and the percussion is clear, strong and very much in the hardcore vein. The bass is right up front playing off the guitars nicely, smooth with a great punch — occasionally left for a short interlude before blasting into the fervor.

When it comes down to the rest music their writing ability has not faltered one bit. Songs on Funeral Mouth still retain the sharp twangy elements and high energy, trampling passages, but this time situated among droning reverb soaked chords or tremolo sections when not dragging you through the hazed sludge. Planks manage to make this interesting by not stretching songs or sections within and harmonizing all elements very well. They effortlessly traverse slower paced and atmospheric soundscapes before injecting the hardcore venom into it to ratchet up the intensity.

Admittedly compared to The Darkest of Grays which was more straight-forward, crunchy, aggressive sludgy hardcore the feeling has changed just a bit and hardcore influences mentioned are not as prominent. Of course this aspect still rears its head at least once in each track (especially in the later songs) but augmented, not as chunky or prominent. It stays dark and heavy regardless. The blackened, hectic energy is still lingering but it feels more controlled and this doesn't hurt the record at all. We also get quite a few lingering quiet sections between the stormy attack every other song, breaking up and building up things well.

The two opening tracks spread things out a little more than the core of the record, the first being slow and dark bleeding into the second with feedback which is where we can hear the black influence more clearly in the drums and riffs; slowing down as you progress to breath out the sludge and reining that back in with a few clean sections before returning to crushing.

Funeral Mouth also has a lot of satisfying grooves throughout as one would expect. Some excellent examples would be in the previously mentioned "Agnosia Archetype" but also in "An Exorcism of Sorts": staring with a clean bassy build, shifting into heavier areas quickly once the vocals come in while the slow drum beats cut a nice notch to get comfortable in. By the middle we have a series of heavy slams and descents drenched in a murky blackened mist. The track which follows it up ("Kingdom") brings back more of their older style as well, muted gallops and flurries of twang sneaking in and feeling quite satisfying.

This is the case for the core of the album but with the mutation in style (however slight) the groovy moments are less about pounding you and are more gradual, tame and spaced.

A few instrumentals appear as they did on previous releases: one as an opener, one as a very short, clean outro;, and right before that the longest track "The Spectre" takes this form as well. Like a lot of their tracks this one hits various territory, never becoming overbearing in terms of effect usage and in fact hits the crust early in the song, but retains a heavy atmosphere. The middle has some great riffs, tumbling at a nice pace and morphing from that groovy sludge into a addictive harmonized and repeating riff with the grumbling bass follows below.

I definitely like this one. Maybe not quite as much as The Darkest of Grays but it is a pleasant surprise from Planks. Like a lot of genres the sludgecore can be fairly limited in terms of direction (especially when in high demand as it is more so these days) and while Funeral Mouth isn't taking any huge leaps it's a pleasurable listen and builds well on what they've previously created.

If you like Titan but wanted something a touch more atmospheric and blackened then you'll enjoy this. Head over to Golden Antenna Records to preorder a copy right now, or check out either their bandcamp or Cvlt Nation to listen to it in full.

DOWNLOAD (Zippyshare)

Vilipend - Inamorata (2012)

Full Length, No List Records / A389 Recordings
August 16th, 2012

Genre: Hardcore/Metalcore
Region: Canada

This is another review originally written for Cvlt Nation. I held off on posting it here but I see some links have surfaced on the net elsewhere, so I'm getting this up here now.

Inamorata, the first full length from Toronto's rising hardcore act Vilipend, is quite the wrecking ball of blazing discordance.

I've reviewed a few of Vilipend's EPs not too long ago at the band's request, and I've seen them a few times since then; including a few nights ago at Titan's Burn release show. I filmed their set in which they played quite a few tracks from this very record. Some I heard for the first time and others I've definitely heard prior, but now that I have the new record in my hands and have given it a good dose of spins I can definitely recommend grabbing this sharp shard of hardcore for yourself. It's a sign that the old styles of metalcore and hardcore from the '90's like Rorschach still survives and is driven by just as much passion, without an injection of black metal (not that it would be a negative, it's just nice to see).

The title of this record should give you a hint as to at least one main theme of the record — whether it's a reference to a past lover or being used ironically/metaphorically, in thinly veiled spite or all of the above. Chris' despondent snarls spewing the subjects of betrayal, hatred cowardice once again translate very well feelings of destitution and frustration; rolling between vicious rasps and warped semi-clean slurs.

These topics are not unfamiliar but they are universally relatable, strongly written and performed, and he's supported in his vocal duties by Derek and Mike at various points in many tracks as well. Coupled with Adam's catchy splattering of percussion, and the coarse rumble of Mike's bass supporting Derek's dissonant, furious guitar attack this all makes for a twisted and bitter voyage into chaotic hardcore the band can stand proud by.

Out of the gate Inamorata presents the angst and anger nicely with "To Impede The Healing Process", noisy with tumbling drums and loads of distortion as Chris unfurls the vitriol within. Scraping rhythms and acrid presence fills this song and the next, "Cutting Heartstrings [Erosion]" which has some mean percussion in the opening seconds and a clean finish. Some tracks sound straight forward and punkish at first like "The Last Stand of the Hopeless Romantic", beginning with a bouncy assault (almost upbeat) before descending into dark slams and bent dissonance — emerging with a chorus of shouts, wicked and loud as well as a short final riff that closes the track nicely.

"The Thin Red Line Between Salvation and Damnation" is an example of the band slowing things down beautifully as it opens with a hypnotizing drum beat, the satisfying clang of cymbals, gradual feedback and Mike's steady plucking providing ample quakes. While maintaining the pace, Derek kicks in with a sluggish slam and slow sustained bends which will have you swaying. Chris brings intoxicated moaning and snarls over top and a moment for Mike opens up to conjure a great slithering solo bass line. What I love about the way this track ends is how it so easily, after some angular processions, drags you into the next track "Farewell, Cruel Girl [Apnea]" which immediately turns the speed up a few notches, and has one of the best opening riffs ever. It's so simple but such a seriously addicting moment and I only wish it repeated once more at some point in the song.

These two may be my favorites. They're almost symbiotic, containing some of those mesmerizing bends, choppy chugging and a repeated clean section that tangles with a distorted set of chops while Chris rails onward. The [Apnea] tag on the tail of this track brings some quiet reflection before they tear onward: a solemn and melodic acoustic instrumental that might throw you at first after the devastating assault that proceeded it.

That's the only break you'll get here though, as the guys plow ahead with "Self Low Thing" and "Great White Nothing", two more sonic batterings before the final entry. I heard the second track here for the first time live last week and it was heavy and spellbinding on stage, so hearing it laid down here you can believe that it retains just as much weight. Jumpy and jarring with a truly massive uncoiling riff near the end as Chris's vocals become heavily distorted it's no wonder they got this up and streaming first to showcase the record.

There's only one area of this album which contains a little more technical flair outside of the writhing, and this is found on the final moments of "Meant To Be"; performed by another local musician Luke Roberts. It works well with core elements of the track which is the longest one on Inamorata. It crawls at first, enclosed in a sorrow filled atmosphere but eventually opens up the tempo with that satisfying twangy rhythm and booming bass lines, hitting some very catchy moments midway through. The hook lyric "It was meant to be nothing at all!" begins to cycle endlessly towards the finale and it grabs your attention like a vice grip. It stops for a moment, then the slams, bends and kicks rotate around this lyric when suddenly that aforementioned solo punches through the caustic haze. It's a great solo, harmonized at the end without needless wank. The hook comes back for a moment before a slow fade with bass up front.

Inamorata can definitely be counted as a triumph for the band while leaving room to progress and expand, keeping the old school and tasty cacophony alive and vibrant. All of their outputs have been powerful but this one tops them undoubtedly.

Yes, this is some excellent hardcore you should definitely check out and support. If you're looking for a copy it's up for preorder on baby blue vinyl on A389 Recordings, and I believe the cd copies are distributed by No List Records; the band currently has copies so if you see them you can get a one from them. I assume they'll eventually be available at the band's merch site too so keep an eye out!

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)
DOWNLOAD (Zippyshare)

Dephosphorus - Night Sky Transform (2012)

Full Length, 7 Degrees Records
August 20th, 2012

Genre: Grindcore/Death Metal/Hardcore/Black Metal/Astrogrind
Region: Greece

Dephosphorus have returned with their first full record. I've been listening to Night Sky Transform for a little while now, but even when I had only heard the first two tracks at the beginning of this year I knew it was going to be something ferocious and formidable.

Now that I physically have it and have spun it an ungodly number of times even before it was in my grasp I can confidently say that this is my #2 record of the year at this point, and until I hear the new Tesa it'll have to be something of considerable heft to move it from that spot. If you're wondering what #1 is then you haven't been paying attention.

I do admit that the first few times I listened through Night Sky Transform it did not hit me as hard as Axiom. I didn't think it was bad, it's just that I was a little concerned that they couldn't follow themselves. But I had faith and returned to it repeatedly, and at some point it hit me just as hard as their first release. That alone is impressive enough. Being able to top such a devastating opener to their library is something I was concerned would not happen even though I trust in their creativity, skill and dedication.

Night Sky Transform is 10 tracks (exactly 31 minutes) of swirling blackened grindcore that is easily the best in it's still ambiguous genre this year and a worthy follow up to their EP. What's notable about the length here is it never ceases to impress and never wears on you; most grind and hardcore records that reach or pass the half hour mark can become tedious and repetitious but this is far from what you experience here. Of course this is much more than pure grind or hardcore to say the least — Dephosphorus perpetually elude categorization.

Almost every track hovers around 3 minutes in length but they're so packed full of exciting, gripping elements that you're often surprised at how quickly they seem to progress. You'll feel compelled to return to them in order to catch something you missed before. And yet it's nothing overly complex at all. It's not flashy or self-indulgent. That's not to say the skill level isn't impressive — surely it is on all fronts. And it's all extremely tight and hasn't dropped one bit from their debut. The important thing here is a completely smooth transition between all the various styles they've mixed, channeled through rich and very pleasing riffs Thanos conjures, wonderfully harsh vocal work from Panos, and Nikos' percussion that is searingly fast and tastefully busy.

At first the production seems coarse compared to Axiom which felt very cold and clean, but by the second track you settle into it comfortably as it brings the rough, muddied texture of the guitar and the force of the drums into a new level of dynamism. It does not smother anything — Panos' voice is not drowned, Nikos' blasts do not burry Thanos' mighty guitar work. Lyrically we see that the cosmological-spiritual themes glimpsed in Axiom are preserved and expanded upon, sometimes ceremonial in form, with (what I think are) subtle dystopian undertones taken to a celestial level in some songs.

Dephosphorus pour untold quantities of passion and intensity into this record. Fierce cosmic radiation seeps into each song as they retain their signature style, a unique atmosphere draping all songs, while on a few occasions they slow down and experiment ever so slightly with the strong formula they've established.

Examples of this can be heard in "The Fermi Paradox" which at the start could almost be confused with something Neurosis might have created: slow martial or ceremonial drumming, eerie twinkling atmospherics and minimalistic, bendy swelling grooves; as well as a switch for the first time to clean droned vocals to heighten the ritualistic feeling of astral projection through the dominating blackened chaos. Panos' vocals are fairly varied on this record and just as terrifying. Desperate and agonized on the higher register and when he dips low they are an unearthly growl

"Unconscious Excursion" is another instance where things are slowed down for a time with thick sustained chords and once again clean moans. It's a very hypnotic sway that is created, which is carried into a slightly faster paced second half where we return to some of that wonderful and tasty hardcore groove found throughout the record (accompanied by a short and howling solo). You can see this kind of formula work it's way into the middle of the following track "Aurora" as well, continuing to the end. It gives variance between the rusted cacophony that tears through the coldest reaches of space, without dropping the power.

What I love about everything they've released so far is that they manage to capture the heaving weight of sludge at various points but never actually settle on it, so you don't actually encounter or experience it in it's pure form but taste the influence in a new, dark manifestation. This is kind of captured in it's more distilled forms in the aforementioned tracks, but in almost every song you catch glimpses of it, alongside the death metal and black metal which stains the grinding hardcore.

I have to say that while I could easily say everything recorded hear impresses me (as it all does) which makes it hard to choose favorite tracks, I will say the first four songs are my favorites. "Uncharted" and "Cold Omen were wise choices to show off before Night Sky Transform was released, as well as being great openers to have back-to-back. Both have a very similar vibe and formula, sounding like a brief transition from where Axiom left off to the full earth shattering impact of this record.

Each riff in these openers is so addicting and well crafted, smoothly slipping into one another and leading to a dissonant and heavy dirge at the end; injecting the black metal with some sludge ooze to great effect. These ending caps have some lovely drumming to compliment the just as impressive guitar and vocal work. "Cold Omen" especially has some hurricane-force percussion. Both are captivating seemingly aided by the unceasing pressure of surrounding celestial bodies

"Starless" follows them with a more bouncy and mid-paced section on guitar while the drumming continues to awe, and when you hit that section at the 50 second mark it becomes truly spellbinding; shortly afterwards assaulting you with that blinding haste they channel so well. And then we hit the title track, decidedly more on the genuine hardcore side than blackened grind (on the outset at least) with flurries of discord added to the powerchords. You can still feel the astral atmosphere lurking within each moment however. By the time you're halfway in a slow gratifying oscillation lulls you, signalling they haven't dropped their approach at all, before a return to the previous thread.

From this point on we see Dephosphorus shape their formula continuously into deeply satisfying and intense new configurations without straying too far from their transcendental, darkened, angular atmospherics. It's remarkable how they can transfigure their style and keep it fresh without losing the force behind it.

We see it in tracks like "The Astral Putch I" which starts off jarring before jumping effortlessly between grindcore with a definite black metal structure shortly after the intro, and then again near the end where a riff appears that reeks of evil; tremolo angularity feeds into chords of the same style. "The Astral Putch II" is split from the first by "Identifying The Encapsulator" — which is jumpy vortex of riffs — and is far different from part one. Slower at first, breathing deep and shining with a brooding cold patina, before jumping into more technical territory. It then shifts into a sharp blackened cascade shortly after, urgent and ominous; suddenly we're back in the hardcore gear as Panos shrieks his last words.

And then as if to prove my earlier point we sink into "Stargazing & Violence". A distinct death metal overtone is cloaking the opening minute, close to the old school on both the drums and guitars. Just as you're settling into it we're greeted with a delicious groove and before you're finished enjoying it an escalating scheme of chords appears as Panos calmly and clearly speaks with it. The black metal enters and Nikos blasts us while Panos screeches — and one final return to a more hardcore flavor. *


The final three tracks that close this record also appeared on their split with Wake released a few months back, and if you read my review of that record then you already know what my impression of them was at that point. The shortest tracks on the record and still being fairly different from each other in spite of your expectations of them being a burst of speed to close the record. "Unit" is certainly a scorching meteor, but both "The Final Computronium" and "The Cosmologist" have some nice slower sections crush you with. Sure they're executed with a disturbing urgency but amongst the oppressive speed is breathing room, making the blistering pace all the more satisfying. *


Why would you even hesitate to listen to this? This is an album of undeniable strength and creativity, something that blends genres so effortlessly and smoothly it can please practically anyone with working ears who can appreciate great underground music. A pleasure to listen to, Night Sky Transform is a huge accomplishment for these Greek grinders and that's saying a lot when you consider their debut Axiom was one of the best pieces of grind-esque metal in the last decade this side of GridLink and A Scanner Darkly.

Listen to it loud and conjure an astral storm.

No download link this time even though it's out there. Dephosphorus deserve your money, so go to bandcamp and download it for a measly $5 as it's easily worth more than that. Stream it and hear for yourself I do not lie. Or you can go to 7 Degrees Records and send them an email to pick this up in vinyl form with some beautiful artwork. I just got my copy and it's well worth the cash.


DOWNLOAD / BUY (Bandcamp)

EDIT: A mistake on my part everyone. Apparently the advanced copy I had included the tracks from the Wake split and the Great Falls split, and now that I've spun the vinyl and been contacted/informed I'm aware of this. So I've struck the last two paragraphs of the review dealing with those aspects and amended the length. Just be aware of this when reading this and checking out the album, those four tracks are found on separate releases. *

Titan - Burn (2012)

Full Length, Hypaethral Records / React With Protest
June 29th, 2012

Genre: Sludge/Hardcore
Region: Canada

And here it is! The first full length from Canadian sludge act Titan. I've been given the pleasure of reviewing it a little early. It's been in the works a while and from the live version of some of the songs I've heard ("The Fire Sculptures", "Little Seeds", "Indulgence") I already had a feeling it was going to live up to expectations. And now it's on the cusp of being released upon the world.

Burn (another album mastered by Colin Marston) is something for this Toronto group to be proud of. I'm not going to argue it breaks molds or is hugely innovative but what it does do is raise this band up high on the list of sludge/hardcore acts that deserve a lot of attention. They have created an enormous sound which does serve to separate them from most others that reside in this fusion of genres. It is a commanding, extremely loud and passionate album that refines and cements Titan's sound into something that shouldn't be ignored.

Somehow James' vocals here are even more ferocious and loud then on their previous records. His presence is utterly overwhelming, and the energy he displays in every song on Burn is something to be revered. Harsh and vicious in tone. Even when he reaches down to a lower throaty growl (as on "Indulgence" and "Sermon") this power is not lost. It is enough to peel the paint from the walls. You can taste the wickedness in his passionate delivery of each line, the melancholic and serious tone invigorates the listener especially in his more drawn-out yells. The guy has mad pipes.

James gives this record true immensity alone (even without taking into account the riffs and drumming) and this is immediately shown on the opener "Feast" which strikes a devastating blow, plowing down the listener with an imposing tower of shaking riffs and beastly roars. The main rhythm is killer enough but then the song slows, and when the energy returns and builds after a solo bass line it becomes something far more mighty. It's definitely one of my favorite tracks on Burn next to "Warmer Months" and "Telepaths."

I mentioned it before in my review of "Colossus" but again compared to his solemn, silent, brooding position in Gates the contrast here is jarring. There are also the added vocal talents on "Myopic" from Chris Colohan (of Cursed and Burning Love) who is someone that always brings an added element of terrifying aggression to any project he touches, and it's no different here.

Speaking of riffs: the ease with which Titan blend swirling hardcore and sludge with atmosphere is astonishing. Chris W. and Brandon comfortably shift between screaming powerchord leads, thrashy, dirty galloping and strings of tremolo picking, to a doomy series of sustained notes and chords, and then on to huge distorted crushing slabs of sludge that rock and lean back and forth with purpose — often all in one track (certainly the longer ones like "Warmer Months", a volcanic track, which really helps ward off any sense of monotony). The formula is straight-forward but dense and very energetic.

The yearning dirges that build slowly, occasionally harmonizing, clouding the listeners psyche with fiery atmosphere (without dipping into post-rock) are quite impressive. And then they'll break into barrage of chugging chords with a  hypnotic sway which is always satisfying. There's only one moment of technical indulgence on the final track right near the end: a short flurry of sweeps serving to heighten the final moments of the album and it manages to fit well without becoming masturbatory.

The bass duties of Mike do sometimes feel smothered by the loudness of everyone else here but on some tracks it's far easier to pick up on (for example on "The Fire Sculptures"), and other times it spikes up at key moments helping to anchor the heaviness of the guitars with a satisfying and smooth rumble. He follows the guitars elegantly without any trouble, pulling the thick riffs out of his amp with just as much fervor to batter your headphones to shit. Chris M. unleashes a ridiculous battering of percussion on every front of Burn. It doesn't rise too far above the other instruments in the mix so it never feels like it buries these elements, but his work is far from going unheard as each thunderous strike of a kick, tom or cymbal quakes and pounds deeply throughout each song.

It's a constant aggressive attack, especially on tracks like "Feast", "Warmer Months", "Little Seeds" and "The Fire Sculptures" where the force of their guitar work is oppressive enough to match James' roars. The only real break from this molten assault being the brief acoustic interlude "Corrupt", the clean section in "Vitiate", and then a slow acoustic, ritual build in the beginning of "Telepaths" — a track which could arguably contain some blackened noise influence no doubt due to input from both Bryan of Gates coupled with the legendary Tyler Semrick-Palmater (one of three brilliant guys behind the revered sludge band Mare); this combination of talents is phenomenal.

In fact the group work on "Telepaths" makes for one of the more interesting and engaging tracks on Burn. Beginning with the cycling hums as a faint sustained "aun" whirls behind acoustic strums and slow tribal drums for almost 3 minutes. Then the intense stillness is broken as the slow riffs erupt through while the noise reverberates behind them, and the initial deep growls of James slowly are overtaken by Tyler's signature pained wails (he does a great job, bringing a cold, haunting power into this track); guitars picking up pace beneath. It breaks with sudden cymbal crashes before slamming into a blackened fury with both vocalist bellowing, and a subtle churning dissonance that boils below. One final break as things come to a grinding, noisy halt and in comes Bryan from Gates who uses his skills wonderfully once again.

Outside of those points be ready to brace yourself for continuous volleys of well honed sludge riffage. Even in slower, shorter tracks like "Indulgence" with it's trembling distortion intertwined with plodding slams or "Vitiate" with its sad, mountainous force the echoing melody is kept massive.

A highly recommended surge of atmospheric and sludgy hardcore I suggest you all ingest this year. All of what Titan has been crafting up to this point is crystallized on Burn with blazing fury and it is tremendous — showing that they are quite deserving in calling their group Titan.The addition of several other extremely talented musicians from the Toronto area is just icing on the cake. There is room to grow from here and I'm interested to hear what they produce in the future. I also can't wait to see them again this weekend.

Here's the deal: as of June 22nd you will be able to download this for free (with the option to donate what you please) from the Hypaethral Records bandcamp page linked below. I've been asked to keep all other links off this review and I will honor that request. You can hear it streaming over here in the meantime.

Eventually you'll be able to pick this up in hard copy from both Hypaethral Records in North America and through React With Protest in Europe. Check Titan's official website for updates on this and their immanent European tour.

DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp) June 22nd
STREAM (Exclaim)

Seven Sisters of Sleep - Seven Sisters of Sleep (2012)

EP, A389 Records /  Southern Lord
May 26th, 2012

Genre: Sludge
Region: USA

Ah Seven Sisters of Sleep. I'm always eager to hear what these dudes have mustered up. Their self-titled record is massive and their split with Child of God was no different in that regard. This, their newest EP, continues to bring their brand of sludge to new depths of heavy.

They present 6 tracks on this record, the latter 3 of which are taken from their recent split with Child of God which was fantastic. So lets talk about the new ones: there's "Sundown", "High Priest", and "Slower Downer". As is to be expected the vocals are wonderfully vicious, blaring atop the storm of fuzzy riffs and chaotic drums. Another entry dripping with hellish atmosphere while being very simple in structure and sound.

"Sundown" starts with screeches of feedback followed by an avalanche of diving riffs and thick bass licks, but quickly descends into a blackened fervor midway through before returning to the aforementioned crawl. "High Priest" is slightly longer, crushing waves lapping turbulent shores of doom only speeding up a few notches to a hardcore tone, and then into another addictive set of rhythms that start to fade in pace towards the end.

The last new track, "Slow Downer", is the longest of the new material. It breaks the silence with noisy feedback once again and falls into a dark shaft of smokey doom, as distortion lingers in the background. Things become slightly less noisy as both guitars soldier on together, with a break for one to play alone and then back into a filthy sway as the vocalist bellows angrily — only changing in the last third of the track to a growl as the kickers pummel.

The tracks from the split are as heavy as they were when originally released. With the addition of new tracks this could almost be considered a new full length, and it is some of the heavier shit they've created as it trades the more evenly split hardcore-sludge aspects for a more straight devilish sludge-doom flavor. This is escpecially evident on the new songs but even the old, especially "Green Garden of Unrest" or "Weapons" which should be blasted on 11.

Highly recommended dark wreckage right here. Definitely pick this record up by heading over to A389 Records to grab a copy of this sweet album. It's a 7" with a cd copy, poster, and a patch so for the meager price they're asking you get quite a lot for an excellent slab of sludge.

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)
DOWNLOAD (Zippyshare)

Titan - Colossus (2009)

EP, Hypaethral Records / Feast or Famine
November 13th, 2009

Genre: Sludge/Hardcore
Region: Canada

Titan have a new album coming out in the next few weeks and are embarking on a long tour, and it was actually fellow poster and friend Inresurrection who tipped me off to these guys a few years back. Since then I've seen them live (and will again next week) as well as spun this record a few times, so I decided I should get this, their 2009 EP, up here before the new record drops.

A very heavy Canadian band that have been known to cause blackouts during live performances here in Toronto, they meld atmospheric sludge and hardcore over their small collection of splits and EPs that have helped them mold their sound into a loud and very heavy interpretation of sludge. Colossus contains 5 tracks that are sure to interest and flatten any fan of the genre.

Behemoth dirges and melodic stains are all encompassing here with jagged hardcore undertones to shake things up further. A large portion of the tracks here contain thundering drums, kicking endlessly, while the guitar duties are sharp and vicious. When they're fast the riffs cut perfectly between traditional hardcore thrashing and more othrodox sludge sounds but with a draping of melody, and when they crawl to a snail's pace as they do in the opener and "Next Winter" it becomes tragic and crushing; possibly resembling Reka if I had to compare. The atmosphere of despair is quite clear in these moments, yet it never slinks into post-metal territory. On tracks like "The Standard" there is even a sprinkling of dissonance when the mammoth riffing crumbles down upon you.

Moments of stillness do appear as the intro to the first track shows, shaking quietly before an explosion of power wipes them away in anger. On the final track "His Eminence" (which does not appear on the vinyl version, but on their split with June Paik) this kind of soft section is accompanied by minimal pianos as well. The bass is there as well, occasionally spiking above the other members in a clean but strong tone serving the heaviness well.

Screeching, crackling and filthy vocals from a man who also does guitar duties for the enigmatic group Gates serve as the voice of this act, and he does his duties damn well. When the screaming is not present there are deep, monstrous growls that shake the ground to replace them. It's quite a contrast both on record and live compared to his position in Gates which is mute and silent; here we feel the energy in a different way, showing some great diversity in his talents.

Altogether it's a very solid release, satisfying, well structured and paced with songs that are passionate. A band that definitely deserves support. If you like what you hear than go see them live on their upcoming European tour and pick up a vinyl copy of this and their new record, or you can go to bandcamp and listen to this or download it. Also check out their official site for all news and other merch.

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)

Baby Boy - 2010 Tour CD (2010)

Split / Demo, Self-released / Independent
October 29th, 2010

Genre: Post-Hardcore
Region: USA

Here's one I've been meaning to get up here since I returned from the Gilead Media fest, which is where I first heard Baby Boy as well. Don't know if any other blogs have a link up for this. Also I'm pretty sure they're goofing on the horrendous movie with the same name, but luckily the music here is leagues better than the movie.

I know post-hardcore is often used as a tag that masks screamo bands to make them more marketable these days (apparently Fugazi is the only true post-hardcore band) and I myself have a hard time placing what the tag exactly means these days, but I feel it's appropriate for this group's sound.

Baby Boy is comprised of 3 members of Thou (Andy, Mitch and Josh) and is the complete opposite of that wonderfully heavy, socio-politically charged, and dark group both in terms of sound and aesthetic. It's an extremely catchy batch of 8 songs (one of which is not available on their bandcamp page) which are light-hearted though still weighty, sometimes melodic and twangy. Most of the material here runs just over 2 minutes with a few exceptions but are fairly dense and noisy, with all members contributing vocals (together and separately) that are in the hardcore vein of things: screamed as their convey frustration. Lyrics dealing with fairly straight forward punk themes (religion, reason, race) while others are more vague and open to interpretation. They're easy to hear without the sheet though as, while the vocals are harsh, they are clean enough to be decipherable.

There are some excellent and catchy riffs here too. The opening section of Handwriting and the final third of Wake Up have some addictive sections that leave you wanting more, and In Our Blood has some tight grooves running though the whole length with a fair bit of noise draping the guitars, while a more clean riff supports it underneath with the bass. With the song Lovers it starts of with some pretty harmonics, playful and clean but dips back and forth between more muddy powerchords before the hook kicks in and the instruments drop out.

Other tracks become more melodic, slower paced, as can be heard in What I Did On My Summer Vacation which is quite beautiful right from the beginning — drifting ever more softly the further it progresses into the warm haze of melancholic chords and effects. There's a subtle hint of post-rock but the track does not over indulge itself here, keeping to their bouncy style as a great lead drifts above to the end. Definitely my favorite track on this album. The Littlest Frenchman is another track with a similar feeling but a little faster and angular at points.

This is quite enjoyable, surprising and memorable. It sounds like the guys had a lot of fun with this and when watching them perform I got that impression as well.

Highly recommended for those who want to hear how versatile the boys from Thou can be outside of their doom adventures. This release can be bought, streamed and downloaded (for $5) from their bandcamp page. It has been pressed on cd but I believe it's only sold at shows and is limited to 100 copies, and it will eventually be re-pressed in 12" format as a split with another Baton Rouge act known as Small Bones at some point in the future.

DOWNLOAD (Zippyshare)
DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp)

New Lows - Demo (2007)

Demo, Independent
2007

Genre: Hardcore
Region: USA

I did enjoy Harvest of the Carcass, I really did, but I felt that the professional production dampened the potential lethality of the songs — which were admittedly a little disappointing having heard this gem before it. They felt a little bland. For comparison on what I mean you should really check out their 2007 demo right here. I really hate to be that guy who says "their early shit is way better than their new shit" but in this case it really is true.

The four tracks on this album completely obliterate, put to shame that whole album in my opinion. Every riff and slam on this short demo is fine tuned to absolute brutality. A large part of it in my opinion is due to the gritty and harsh production making it incredibly loud, crushing and guttural — the amount of distortion and feedback amps it up even further.

The vocal duties are also far more powerful. You can virtually taste the hatred and malice spit forth, anger only matched by something like Kiss It Goodbye. It feels and sounds as if the guy's vocal chords are about to explode and tear right out of his throat. The drumming is not particularly notable on its own but when combined with the aforementioned aspects it really ties the whole record together, crashing down with incomprehensible force.

From the opening track it is abundantly clear these guys aren't fucking around. They aren't innovating to be sure but holy fuck this is the essence of pissed off hardcore done so right. Tightly written and violently executed: it's short, simple and truly barbaric with an ugly and evil guitar tone to carry the riffs into unknown levels of sheer power.

When they're not racing forth with unwavering speed in good old punk fashion, the slow moments will collapse on top of you with such force that it will leave you speechless; it's like being crushed beneath and torn apart by some ferocious wild animal. There is no way you won't thrash and headbang uncontrollably when they settle into a thick groovy breakdown like those heard on Lucifer Crucified or Lowest Depths. These two tracks alone make the album fantastically intense you'll ask why Harvest of the Carcass didn't hit such heights; it honestly is a little disappointing returning to it once you run through this sonic evisceration.

Get this now. It demands to be played multiple times on the highest volume possible. Some absolutely fantastic hardcore. The only complaint one could make is that it's too short but I'd much rather a short and exquisite record then a long and bland one. I'm not sure if this is available on its own but it is also coupled with their selftitled re-released EP which has a few other excellent tracks. It can be found on the Deathwish Inc. store.


DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)