Sunday 30 March 2014

V/A - Leave Nothing But Footprints, Take Nothing But Photographs: Chapter 1 7"


Time As A Color Records is a small DIY label/distro from Munich, Germany. Label owner Daniel contacted me a long time ago now about reviews and I've been an idiot and overlooked it, which I am very sorry about. Time As A Color has been releasing great screamo records since 2007 and with a staunchly DIY ethos, including screen-printing his own record sleeves and putting on gigs in Munich.

Amongst the releases, Time As A Color has been putting out a special split series called Leave Nothing But Footprints, Take Nothing But Photographs, which aims to bands sharing a record and to help get their music out to more fans. This is the first edition, which was released way back in 2011 and features songs by German bands I Found Myself In Austin, Texas and Bail, being joined by US band Her Breath On Glass. All three bands play hardcore/screamo.

Tracklist:-

1. I Found Myself In Austin, Texas - Too Late
2. Bail - Traverse Pt.1
3. Bail - Traverse Pt.2
4. Her Breath On Glass - Deprecious, It Will Be Like We Were Never Here

As regular readers and friends will know, I love screamo and in fact it makes up most of my LP collection alongside a large proportion of hardcore. It’s not something I review too often on here though, but I’m looking to write about more in the coming months. This is my first listen to I Found Myself In Austin, Texas too and I’m excited by the. The melodic indie-like guitars on Too Late and the vocals that sit back within the mix make their sound pretty engaging. A great first impression for me.

Fellow Germans Bail are up next with two songs, their sound is more laid back and more angular. Starting with the short Traverse Part 1, they air more on the side of Indie with nice clean guitar, subtle pace changes and vocals which progress from singing to screaming as the music gets faster. Traverse Part 2 follows on with a harsher sense of urgency and is more frenetic. Bail still maintain their indie roots though and the treble is still present amongst the guitar. I always find it a positive experience listening to music like this, as bands always put genuine emotion and passion into their music. Bail are no different.

Boston two-piece Her Breath On Glass will probably be the most recognisable band on this split to most readers and the sound they create is again a varied one. Despite all three bands frequenting the same genre/sub-genre they all have their own unique sounds and Her Breath On Glass feature some of the most jarring screams I’ve heard in a long time on Deprecious…. The music maintains a contact rhythm, which riffs that hold things together even when the screams are at their harshest. 

Though brief, this split it great and has opened my eyes to two bands I was unfamiliar with, which is the purpose of these types of records. It’s great to see that Europe can still hold it’s own when it comes to screamo, but also that there is such a cooperation between bands from different corners of the globe. I’m definitely check out the two newer chapters in this split series and will write about them soon.

You can stream and purchase a digital download of this split here - 



You can buy the physical 7" from Time As A Color's webstore here - http://timeasacolor.com/shop/product-category/split-7/.

I Found Myself In Austin, Texas Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ifoundmyselfinaustintexas
Bail Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bail.cologne
Her Breath On Glass Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HerBreathOnGlass
Time As A Color Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/timeasacolor

Saturday 29 March 2014

Kill The Innocent - Ayahuasca EP


It's great to see new bands taking the time to message me about themselves and their releases, off their own back. It's happening more and more and it shows that there are new bands that have ambition and drive to do it themselves. Kill The Innocent are carrying the flag for Luxembourg of all places. I'm not too familiar with the metal scene in that part of Europe, but a quick scan of their Facebook page brings up a few bands that are worth checking out.

Kill The Innocent play modern metal, are currently unsigned but have self released their debut EP Ayahuasca and have shared stages with the likes of War From A Harlots Mouth and Aborted amongst others. They formed in January 2010 and have been playing live as much as possible, in order to hone their sound and build a decent following.

Tracklist:-

1. Stepping Into The Fire
2. Call of The Wildman
3. Black Widow
4. Ayahuasca
5. Vine of The Dead
6. The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea

It’s actually good to hear a modern metal band that isn’t going down the djent path and Kill The Innocent seem to take their influence from more traditional death metal, thrash and hardcore, eschewing the trappings of deathcore and weaving great guitar melodies into their death metal in opening track Stepping Into The Fire. Okay, they have breakdowns but that is what gives the music extra bite. Their musicianship is crisp and befits the good production on the EP. They’re pleasingly technical and feature some really strong lead work. 

Call of The Wildman is less progressive than the EP’s opener but features in it’s place, some great straightforward metal flourishes and a well laid out song structure. For someone who grew up with pop-punk and nu-metal, before graduating onto metalcore bands like Killswtich Engage and Shadows Fall, Kill The Innocent’s sound would have fitted right in alongside those bands during the early 00’s, which is a big compliment for the band and is more than proved by Black Widow and it’s incredibly fast bursts of double bass.

The title track is one of the more frantic and brutal songs on Ayahuasca, leaning much further towards the death metal  blueprint that underpins their sound. The deathcore elements of Kill The Innocent’s sound comes to the front more and carries on into Vine of The Dead. It won’t come as a surprise ether that the EP was mixed and mastered by Ex-Aborted member Sven Janssens. 

Standout track for me is the closer The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea, which is the longest song but also features some of the most complete musicianship on the whole EP. The lead work is brought to the forefront of the song here and adds melody, which helps to transform Kill The Innocent’s sound and propels it to a higher level. It’s amazing what can be done when a band takes the atmospherics that different textures can create and weaves a song around them, which here has the right affect. 

People may say that you can’t touch the old days when it comes to musical nouse and quality, well they’re wrong in my opinion. Metal as a genre is in such a rich vein of form at the moment and with bands like Kill The Innocent making music and doing a lot to spread their music around, it will continue to grow. Luxembourg is now well and truly on the map and it’d be best to pay it close attention.

You can stream Ayahuasca on bandcamp below:-



Currently there is no option to download or purchase the EP from the band, but I'm sure this will change soon.

Kill The Innocent Facebok - https://www.facebook.com/Kill.The.Innocent

Thursday 27 March 2014

Cholera - Plagiarised Hope 7"


I can't believe it's been nearly a year and a half since I reviewed Cholera's first tape Egotism. Well, this noise lot from Durham/Newcastle way are back with a new 7".  They've been buys though, so don't let the time gap between releases fool you. They've lost personnel and gained personnel and they've toured/played shows wherever they can. I finally saw them live at Fuck Fest in Manchester last year and wasn't disappointed.

Plagiarised Hope is six tracks of the noisy grind/hardcore hybrid kind. If that little description seemed a bit too pretentious for you, they're just heavy! The 7"has been released as a collaborative release between Church of Fuck and Holy Ground Records from the US.

Tracklist:-

1. Eyeless
2. Gristle
3. Anonymous
4. Raped
5. Swelling
6. Puppet

So here goes; shit they don’t mess about! Straight from the off Eyeless is just insane. There’s intense blastbeats, rabid grindcore vox, twin-guitar harmonies and unexpectedly thick sludge riffs! This opening track ain’t even one and half minutes long either. Gristle is a heaving mass of twisted and off-kilter rage, that's gone before you’ve uttered it’s title out loud. Anonymous pretty much follows suit. It’s got more a formula this song, but their are hints of Holy Terror metallic guitar nestled within the noise and a constant bass buzz. The solo mid-way through is a dream. It’s not complicated and just sounds epic!

Cholera have definitely hit a heavy new high with Plagiarised Hope and Raped, is as brutal and as harrowing as the act it describes. You plead for it to be over, but the slow torture stays with you as they settle into a sludgy groove. Electronics pepper the record with alien noise and loops of feedback, but none of it detracts from the musicianship on Swelling. More screaming lead work and drumming which switches pace with ease and changes the atmosphere on a dime. The low-end is a continual presence too, reminding you that Cholera are entrenched in the negative aspects of life. 


When they settle into grooves, like during the verses of Puppet, hints of thrash come to the fore. The blastbeats per minute reduce and a subtle punk-edge draws things to a close. There’s a lot going on within these six tracks and it will take plenty of listens for you to unearth all of the subtleties hidden within, but as it’s a 7” that deserves to be played loud there’s no harm in a bit of turntable abuse. Cholera have upped their game here and put out a marker for the rest of their noisy UK cousins to follow. Now, I’m going to listen to Anonymous over and over again!

You can stream a couple of the tracks from Plagiarised Hope, including Anonymous via Cholera's Soundcloud page here - https://soundcloud.com/choleranoiseuk.

The full 7" is also being streamed over at Tight To The Nail here - http://tighttothenail.com/exclusive-stream-review-cholera-plagiarised-hope/.

You should definitely invest in this record by visiting Church of Fuck or Holy Ground Records at the links below:-

Church of Fuck - http://churchoffuck.bigcartel.com/product/cof27-cholera-plagiarised-hope-7-short-pre-order
Holy Ground Records - http://holygroundrecords.bigcartel.com/product/cholera-plagiarised-hope-7in

Cholera Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Cholerauk
Church of Fuck Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/churchoffck
Holy Ground Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ourholyground

Wednesday 26 March 2014

Full Of Hell - Rudiments of Mutilation


Now onto something more dark and oppressive.  I love this band, just like so many others to have been associated with A389 Records, they blew me away when I first heard them. I've been slowly picking up their records and splits ever since. You can imagine how excited I was when I read that they are heading out on a European tour this summer and playing Manchester in July. Wild horses won't keep me away from that one!

Fan boy moment over. Rudiments of Mutilation was Full Of Hell's second LP and it was released in 2013 via A389 Records and followed their 2011 debut LP, Roots of Earth Are Consuming My Home., also through A389 Records. Now, having reviewed their four-track live tape that was released late last year via Not Punk Records that featured both Vessel Deserted and Coven Of The Larynx from this very record, I know their doom-laden hardcore sounds equally as frenetic live and it does recorded.

Tracklist:-

1. Dichotomy
2. Vessel Deserted
3. Coven Of The Larynx
4. Throbbing Lung Fiber
5. Indigence And Guilt
6. Embrace
7. The Lord Is My Light
8. Bone Coral And Brine
9. Rudiments of Mutilation
10. In Contempt Of Life

The piercing feedback of opener Dichotomy and the lone screams, create a hellish backdrop for things to come. The improvisational drum fills lead to thirty seconds of electronic blips, ringing guitar and confrontation. Vessel Deserted is an all out attack of raging grind, peppered with slabs of thick doom guitar. It’s dark, angry and the low-end makes everything gloomier, all ending with more hyper-grind style pain.

The quick fire duo of Coven of The larynx and Throbbing Lung Fiber leave no time for rest. They’re both pummelling as hell and encompass time-signatures that change on a dime. There’s no set formula to Full Of Hell’s heaving ferocity, it’s just organic and completely palpable.

The times where they switch from powerviolence-esque passages to sludge impasses are incredible and even the less obvious moments during Indigence And Guilt will leave you smiling, menacingly. The feedback from that song spills into Embrace, which again features some great drum work. At first it seems like an interlude of noise, but the song builds into a swirling mass of spoken word tension and power-electronics inspired guitar. It’s an almost sedate moment amongst the madness, but you know that full chaos is just around the corner. 

It ends suddenly, without the expected climax and Full of Hell take on a demonic black metal form with The Lord Is My Light. It’s minimalistic to begin with. but the volume builds as the textures build and as it’s the longest song on Rudiments Of Mutilation, you’d expect it to build slowly. The music always seems to be on edge. The edginess is completely justified as the song winds to it’s conclusion.

From here on in, Bone Coral And Brine is brief but features more electronic effects that have become part of FoH’s sound and vocals that again take on spoken word form after the initial screaming torture. the title track flows from fast to slow, with high-pitched screams and ambient guitar riffs, that add dark melody to the song. 

There’s a slight pause in the recording before closer In Contempt Of Life which spoils the momentum slightly, but it’s so slight that it’s not really worth worrying about. It’s one final slab of noise infected hardcore that crawls along, dragging you to an early demise.  

You can stream the entire LP via A389's bandcamp page here - 




You can also purchase Rudiments of Mutilation digitally or physically from the same page.

Full of Hell Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fullofhell
A389 Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/a389recordings

Question The Mark/Uniforms - Split 7"


I'm trying to build a rhythm again, in terms of writing and posting reviews. I've not written as many as I would have liked. I'm gonna try and change that from now and I'm also to make a conscious effort to write about some music that I was sent a while ago, but haven't posted about yet. This 7" split is one of those releases.

For all my posts about doom, death and black metal, I'm still a sucker for melody and punk. Both Question The Mark and Uniforms are just the tonic then! Two British punk bands, one from Scotland (Uniforms) and one from Wales (Question The Mark) released this split in June 2013 via Team beard Records. Both bands are names that you will probably be familiar with if you follow gruff-punk in the UK or at least they should be.

Tracklist:-

1. Question The Mark - Whatgoesaroundcomesaround
2. Question The Mark - Ignorance Is Piss
3. Uniforms - Keep On Keeping On
4. Uniforms - Father's Day

Question The Mark start things off with Whatgoesaroundcomesaround, which features a really danceable intro that starts of mid-paced, but speeds up when the drums pick up. The vocals lean more towards shouting than singing, but they add to the energy of the band. The lead work towards the end is quality too. Ignorance Is Piss is the second song on their side of the split. It picks up where Whatgoesaroundcomesaround left off. Fast verses, great musicianship and time where all members join in with the vocals, adding volume. It definitely good time music and it’s reminiscent of when punk used to stand up against authority. 

Uniforms actually sound more upbeat than Question The Mark, but they share the same gruff and gritty attitude. Keep On Keeping On is really catchy, especially thanks to the vocal melodies and the lyrics. Uniforms describe themselves as “The Proclaimers covering Rancid” and that’s not actually too far off. Father’s Day has the backbone of a traditional pub folk-song yet retains the band’s punk blueprint. The production on both sides of this split is excellent as well. It retains the gritty sound that both Question the Mark and Uniforms possess, but it allows the instruments to be clear and obvious, which makes it even better.

People think that British punk is well and truly dead, but that could not be further from the truth. Both bands play good honest punk, which nobody else can get close to. Team Beard Records are also doing great things along with other labels like Drunken Sailor Records and Make-That-A-Take Records and are pushing British punk from strength to strength.

Stream the split here:-




You can buy the split digitally from Team Beard Records here - http://www.teambeardrecords.com and on vinyl here - http://teambeard.limitedrun.com

Question The Mark Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/questionthemark
Uniforms Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/WEAREUNIFORMS
Team Beard Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TEAMBEARDRECORDS

Sunday 23 March 2014

Charnel Winds - Sound of Satan's Voice Tape


Amongst the heaving mass of Norwegian and US black metal, there are other countries who make theirs equally as good. Finland is one such country, as past reviews featuring Pantheon of Blood and Forgojrd will attest. Charnel Winds have something in coming with former of those two bands, as both bassist Desolation and vocalist Wyrmfang also form part of Pantheon of Blood.

Sound of Satan's Voice was Charnel Wind's last release in 2013, which saw the light of day via Saturnian Productions (who later re-named themselves Saturnal Records). The rest of the band, completed by drummer Profundis, guitarists V.R. and Sandh, as well as guitarist/vocalist Shu-Ananda are all vastly experienced musicians in their own rights as well. Charnel Winds are a mysterious band, having kept their online profile low and playing selected live shows.

1. Avitchi Blues
2. Atmasphere
3. Rebellion
4. The Abyss Gazes Also

It’s bizarre to think that a black metal band would incorporate obvious blues influences into their music, but Charnel Winds do that here with Avitchi Blues. Their blues actually fits the music really well, amongst the melody of the guitars, the orchestral elements and the harsh vocals. Avitchi Blues doesn’t hold the usual blood and thunder you’d expect from black metal and it’s pretty up-beat, with subtle histrionics giving it an edge. The mix of low growls, high-pitched screams and semi-clean vocals add variety. I guess the variation is one thing that draws me towards Finnish black metal.

Guitar-led ambience breaks things up before Atmasphere features an incredible piece of lead guitar work and has a more progressive feeling to. That lead guitar work is a feature throughout the song and while it’s mid-paced in it’s delivery, the guitar keeps it interesting. Coupled with the more prominent bass tones, it certainly gives a more experimental feel to the tape.

Rebellion seems to incorporate war-metal into it’s structure, favouring more semi-clean vocals and doom-like riffs. I’m not sure what to think about the vocals here myself, as sometimes they can seem off-key but I’m detracting from the overall music at all. The drums provide an exhilarating change of pace, with plenty of drum-fills and when couple with the biting screams, are perfect.

By far Chanel Winds most progressive and expansive song on Sound of Satan’s Voice, The Abyss Gazes Also replenishes the notion that this band are definitely not your archetypal black metal band. It’s dark in places but at other points it seems to feature operative elements. I know that extreme metal has often borrowed strains and influences from classical music, so this shouldn’t be a surprise. The Abyss Gazes Also ploughs along with oft changing time-signatures and off-kilter passages. 


Overall Sound of Satan’s Voice is a real surprise. The four songs contained within the single-sided tape are hard to categorise and have more artistic merit within then than you might expect. Praise be to them. Now, go forth and continue your musical education via the help of Finland’s black metal brethren.

Charnel Winds only Internet presence is their website - http://www.charnelwinds.com/cw2.htm. More information on the band can be found via their Metal Archives entry here - http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Charnel_Winds.

There are no copies left at Saturnal Records but you get copies from Glorious North Productions - http://www.gloriousnorth.co.uk/products-page/tapes/page/2/.

Friday 21 March 2014

Thou - Heathen


Thou. A band steeped in fervour and bathed in adoration by their fans. A band that stands aloft alongside their US peers like Protestant, Northless, Baroness and others, who place integrity and musical quality over material success. They've always been a constant throughout my descent into glorious tones of heavy metal and it's multitude of sub genres. They seem so familiar yet they are in truth so distant.

From Baton Rouge in Louisiana, they released their first demo in 2005 as they set off on a voyage of creativity that saw them release their first two full-lengths; Tyrant and Peasant, within a year of each other. A slew of ep's and split records followed before they released Summit (their third full length) in 2010. The next few years would see yet more ep's and splits, including one with UK sludge band Moloch before two years of silence after their last split with Hell in 2012. Late February of 2014 saw them emerge from their hibernation with Heathen, to further acclaim and excitement.

Tracklist:-

1. Free Will
2. Dawn
3. Feral Faun
4. Into The Marshland
5. Clarity
6. At The Foot of Mt Driskill
7. In Defiance of The Sages
8. Takes Off Your Skin And Dance In Your Bones
9. Immorality Dictates
10. Ode To Physical Pain

When most bands start albums with very long songs, people say they’re being brave or even edgy, but that’s not the case with Thou. Free Will is over fourteen minutes long, but it epitomises what Thou are all about. Their slow, sludgy bass tones, their lonely guitar tracks and occasional percussion swathes create palpable anticipation as the among builds. Musically, I liken them to bands like Light Bearer but they do very much have their form as well. 

With such a long song, the vocals don’t their presence felt until nearly five minutes have passed but when they do, they are full of nightmarish, almost black metal tones. They blend with the soundscape behind perfectly well. Going back to that bass that I was talking about above, it gives Free Will a warm undercurrent of low-rumble, which is strangely warming. It’s a glorious noise from start to end.

Dawn is the first interlude on Heathen and it breaks up the gloom with a majestic acoustic guitar passage. The rich instrumental passages throughout Heathen are both barren and heartwarming in equal measure. The introduction of Feral Faun emphases this with intricate guitar work that rises in volume, as it matches the drums before Thou again unfurl their sludge. It’s different to Free Will in it’s delivery and doesn’t feel as claustrophobic. The shorter running time adding a subtle sense of urgency.

Into The Marshlands could well be an ode to their home-state landscape. The further you get into both the song and Heathen as a whole, the more you become part of it and really start to appreciate it. In a world where music is becoming increasingly watered down on the one hand, and harder to digest on the other, it seems that Thou have found the right formula. I may only be four songs in (three if you don’t count interludes) and I’m already in so deep that I can’t help but smile from ear to ear. 

It’s broken up once again by another interlude, going by the name of Clarity, which is very apt as it’s full of it. The second of four songs spanning over ten minutes, At The Foot of Mount Driskill is another body of music that threatens to crush you. If you’re at all familiar with New Zealanders Meth Drinker, you’ll know exactly how this song sounds. Bleak and terrifying! That being said, the melodic guitar does add colour and a ray of positivity to the record.

The idea of interspersing their longer songs with shorter, faster ones is a good one as In Defiance of The Sages proves. There dirty southern grooves that find their way into the song via the low-end are hella fun during the opening bars before Thou do their usual trick, of slowing the pace ever so slightly as the song flows on. They experiment with guitar tones, that bend like a possessed chainsaw at times and as the fades away, the breath of relief is obvious. It makes way for the third interlude of Take Off Your Skin And Dance In Your Bones. The quiet side of Thou may be a polar opposite to their distorted, rumble foundation but it’s a variation that is welcomed.

Some of Thou’s softer side makes it onto the opening bars of Immorality Dictates, which seems to feature more ambience that on previous songs. It hints at more immersive things to come, as the ambience fades in and out and it replaced by female singing and choral melodies. Turn it up and it’s haunting. The words are very pronounced and the vocals from Emily McWilliams are very otherworldly. Add to that her instrumental arrangements, this song is easily the standout track on Heathen.

By the time close Ode To Physical Pain comes into view, the journey that is Heathen has worn you out but at the same time energised you. It follows where Immorality Dictates left off initially before Thou launch into their final blackened assault. The rasping vocals of Bryan Funck seem re-energised and push on to he albums end, keeping momentum throughout. The instruments relishing one more opportunity to close in on the listener, like walls of nails in the movies and it’s gloriously murky, even though the production is not deliberately so. It lends Thou a clearer sound but what that is not fraught with perfection. 


Heathen is pretty breathtaking and leaves you feeling cleansed. Sometime the most negative of experiences and circumstances in life can have positive effects and the same can be said for music. Everyone should experience Thou and their claustrophobic sludge. Heathen is incredible.

You can stream Heathen in it's entirety here - http://www.npr.org/2014/03/16/288676098/first-listen-thou-heathen.

There's also a number of place you can pick Heathen up from and in a variety of formats:-

CD from Gilead Media - http://www.gileadmedia.net/releasedirectory/relic48-thou-heathen-gatefold-cd/
Vinyl from Vendetta Records (Europe) - http://vendettarecords.wordpress.com/shop-webstore/
Vinyl from Howling Mine (US) - http://noladiy.org/howlingmine.html
Tape from Robotic Empire - https://www.roboticempire.com

Thou Website - http://noladiy.org/thou.html
Gilead Media Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/gileadmedia
Vendetta Records Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/pages/vendetta
Robotic Empire Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/roboticempire

Monday 17 March 2014

Duskburn - Atum


I've not visited Easter Europe for a little while on here. It's such a rich breeding ground for underground extreme metal bands at the moment. The Ukraine's Moloch continues to release new bodies of ambient black metal, Zagreb' noisemakers Hazarder have recently toured the UK in support of their Mordgrimm released album and now Duskburn have produced this three-track sludge/doom EP via Cimmerian Shade Recordings.

As a band, this four-piece have been producing music since 2007, where they started as a death metal band. As the years and releases went by, their sound changed and they moved towards a sludgier sound. Atum sees them build on that sound. Heck, they're due to support the mighty Sourvein and Graves At Sea in Zagreb next month, so that tells you all you need to know,

Tracklist:-

1. Between The Swarm
2. Atum
3. Seamless

It’s always an eye opener hearing how bands from different regions, portray certain sub-genres. Some bands inject inspiration from their homeland into their music, like singing in their native tongues and others stick more rigidly to the blueprints layer out for them. Duskburn are different. They have a very organic sound that is very obvious from the start of Between The Swarm. The guitars are the overriding element, providing melody and atmosphere. The skillful drumming behind them provides a layer of originality to their sludge as well.

Between The Swarm takes a while to get going, but after that rousing build up they stop, before revealing a more death-doom direction. That stop was a bit unnecessary for me, as it slowed the momentum of the track but that momentum is regained by the minimalism of the song and the gloomy feeling that the band creates as they crawl through the song’s near nine and a half minute length. The characteristic feedback and slow rhythmic passages give the game away later on, with the feedback at times sounding like whirling air raid sirens that threaten to disorientate you. The joy for me is their thick guitar passages, that sound so clear and pronounced. 

Compared to Atum’s opener, the title-track is brief and just under six minutes and it shows a slightly different side to Duskburn’s songwriting. There’s more treble from the guitars and the song seems more focused, with the quiet-loud dynamics that injected into it. At times it’s gentle and at other’s it can be explosive, the band still manages to show a great deal of restraint in the mid-section, choosing to offer up a measured instrumental passage. The vocals are a mixture of darkened hardcore scream and mid-pitch death metal growls, but when the deeper backing roars enter the fray, they add more heft and menace to the song.

Closing song Seamless seems to get slower still. The simple yet clever guitar nestling alongside almost whispered vocals that hint at louder things to come and the due vocals work in harmony to make things more claustrophobic. Seamless sometimes feels more akin to black metal, which is no band thing. The bass is more prominent and Duskburn use the song as a chance to experiment with effects and textures, which present the song in more of an improvisational way. Duskburn’s strong point is definitely their ability to weave simple strands of instrumentation together to create songs that sound more complex but also pleasingly complete on the ear. Seamless is even a cleansing, euphoric experience at it draws to a close. Atum may be a mere three-tracks but it’s plenty enough to help you decide if you’re into them. I’m into them for sure and I definitely can’t wait to hear what they do with their next full-length.

Listen to Atum and download it (pay-what-you-want) from Duskburn's bandcamp page below:-




Head over to Cimmerian Shade's bandcamp page to pick up Atum as 6-panel digipack CD here - http://cimmerianshaderecordings.bandcamp.com/album/atum.

Duskburn Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/duskburnband
Cimmerian Shade Recordings Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CimmerianShadeRecordings

Sunday 16 March 2014

Ovid's Withering - The Cloud Gatherer EP


I'm often guilty of discovering awesome bands but don't have time to talk about all of them, such is life. Ovid's Withering are one such band that I came across a couple of years ago now, when I checked out Subliminal Groove Records. Ovid's Withering are from Tampa, Florida and play killer theatrical modern metal, with heavy influence from dent and deathcore.

They have a more recent album out, which was released late last year but I like to start from the beginning with a lot of bands, so I'm starting with their 2012 EP The Cloud Gatherer, which was later released in early 2013 on CD by the band, only to sell out super fast. After all, I need to keep my current tech-metal obsession in check. This band's stock is rising and they've shared staged with the likes of Preiphery, The Dillinger Escape Plan and Kataklysm.

Tracklist:-

1. Panikon Deima
2. Oedipus Complex
3. The Omen of Lycaon
4. The Reckoning. The Summoning. The Purge

Ovid’s Withering play some of the best death metal I’ve heard for some time, with plenty of progression and keyboard flourishes. It’s little wonder when listening to the solo in Panikon Deima, that they’ve shared the stage with Periphery. Modernity aside though, OW’s blueprint of extreme death metal features intensely fast drumming and symphonic elements, as well as technical guitar. The vocals are low-deep growls, occasionally joined by higher rasping vocals. There’s a whole lot of fantasy in the lyrics as well!

Ovid’s Withering play longer and more structured songs, with parts that flow into one another and represent different sides of the band. Oedipus Complex makes the most of their signature death metal sound but also shows their more thoughtful side, with the occasional melodic introspective passage and plenty of melody placed in the rest of the song. The orchestral textures provide plenty of atmosphere and drama too, while the song loses no momentum during transitions between different time-signatures. Oedipus Complex has a brilliant solo played by Jakub zytecki, which leads into quiet strings and whispered vocals and then immediately into an electronics backed dent section. it may be a mile a minute but it’s worth every penny.

The Omen of Lycaon hints at hardcore to start with, especially in the vocals, but it’s not long before OW go plain mental. There are passages of outright heaviness but when they slow down and add other elements like the choral vocal effects, you’ll understand exactly what they are trying to achieve. A song with so many ideas and twists will no doubt be hard for some to swallow, but The Omen of Lycaon is well worth standing by. The guest vocals provided by Jamie Stewart from The Absence add further weight too.

The production of the album is good, though I think it favour the electronic effect and orchestral elements more than it favours the guitars. That’s my opinion though, ad that shouldn’t take away from the EP as a whole. Closing among The Reckoning, The Summoning, The Purge is Ovid’s longest song at just over eight minutes. It take their progressive death and injects it with more ideas and more twists. It’s an epic EP that plotted the trajectory of the band to where they are now. 

Have listen to it for yourself here:-



You can purchase the EP for super cheap as a digital download from their bandcamp page, as well as merch and of course their new album, which I'll review soon probably.


Ovid's Withering Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ovidswithering
Subliminal Groove Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SubliminalGroove

Saturday 15 March 2014

Nexhymn - Black Horizon EP


Colorado, US based death metal band Nexhymn are relatively new if their current form. They started plying their death metal trade in 1997 and went by the name of Throat Culture, before morphing into Throcult in 1999 (which counted an ex-member of Vale of Pnath amongst it's ranks). Throcult terrorised the US for a further ten years before changing their name again to Nexhymn. Nexhymn's debut EP Black Horizon was self-released in 2012 and to date is their only recorded output.  There was due to be new material at the back end of last year, but it seems the band have been going though more line-up changes.

Tracklist:-

1. Decaying Monument
2. Undetermined Supplication
3. Repacious Tempest
4. Black Horizon
5. Exquisite Plague
6. Death Emotion

The most immediate thing that hits you when Decaying Monument begins are the deep, bellowing vocals of vocalist Holly Wedel. They are blood-curdling to the core. The instrumentation behind is equally as crazy too, with the guitars and drums holding a furious pace throughout. There are some intricate riffs hidden behind the battery and there’s plenty of technicality. Nexhymn seem very focused straight from the off. They play their brand of death metal with minimal outside influences and each member uses their musical experience to keep things tight.

This is definitely for the purists who appreciate death metal for it’s purity and extremity. Undetermined Supplication is your archetypal tech-death song, with some absolutely destructive double-bass and riffs that change pace and time-signature at the drop of the hat. It seems that the modern side of their sound takes over more during this song. Nexhymn switch back into a more old-school stance with Rapacious Tempest, with swathes of black metal-like ambience from the guitars. It’s relentless throughout and even with the brief flourishes of melody, the band’s constant barrage of blastbeats never lets up.

From here on in, Nexhymn turn the screw even more. The title track ratchets up the pace of Nexhymn’s attack, condensing their songwriting into little over thee-minutes of chaos. There are some symphonic flashes and it’s the first song that features a solo of sorts. Exquisite Plague follows immediately after in much the same vein. Nexhymn end proceedings with Death Emotion, which acts as more of an instrumental outro than a full song, but it does show off their musical prowess once more.

Overall, Nexhymn are a very solid band with experience in their ranks. They offer something for the hardened death metal fan but also have enough approachability to appeal to fans of other extreme metal and even for those graduating from melodic metal and the mainstream. This is wholesome, honest death metal.

You can stream and purchase Black Horizon digitally here - 



Nexhymn Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nexhymn

Friday 14 March 2014

Axecatcher - Sparks & Spears EP


I've neglected Savour Your Scene Records for far too long. Not anymore! This is another EP I should have reviewed sooner. Axecatcher are a hardcore four-piece from Limavady, Derry. Sparks & Spears was released in early-2013 on very limited cassette via SYSR. While Axecatcher have a more recent EP online, I wanted to start from the beginning.

Live wise, they've played alongside Rotting Out, Ken Mode and Unkind in gigs across both sides of the border, to name some highlights.

Traclist:-

1. Circle Pit Roller Derby
2. Seismic Toss
3. Methuselah
4. Youfinder

Like The Colour line in the previous review, Axecatcher have a sense of humour. Circle Pit Roller Derby anyone! Actually, that would be killer. However, they play a different strand of hardcore. One that’s less mind-bending and more party-inducing. Taking cues from the caustic screams of Trash Talk and the snotty punk of Gallows, the aforementioned EP opener blasts passed before you know it. Seismic Toss keeps the pace well and truly up, with added thrash. On occasions like this, there’s no point in going for half-measures and Axecatcher just slays. The cool thing with Seismic Toss is that despite it’s relentless nature, the band manages to make it sound huge, with towering riffs and plenty of treble. Their sludge-ridden breakdown of sorts at the end is headbang-heaven!

Methuselah’s sub one-minute abrasion is controlled by more sludge-like guitar. It’s starts off crusty but  deceives you by slowing down and leading into Youfinder. This has more metal-histrionics but keeps a constant, thanks to the caustic screams. The drums keeps things grounded, the bass adds some lowness to the rhythm section while the guitar just careen through the entire track, at times slipping into tech territory itself. It’s angry, it’s emotive and it’s the kind of hardcore that you could shout from the rooftops too. It’s also a great place to start if you’ve not heard Axecatcher before.

Sparks & Spears can be streamed and downloaded (name-your-price) from Axecatcher's bandcamp page here - 


Savour Your Scene Records still has copies of the tape version for sale here - http://savouryourscenerecords.bigcartel.com/product/axecatcher-sparks-spears-tape
Axecatcher Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Axecatcher
Savour Your Scene Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Savouryourscenerecords

The Colour Line - Riff City EP


Back when I started this blog (in it's previous guise) and when I didn't really know what I was doing,  I mainly featured bands from my home county of Yorkshire. Those posts are still hidden in the depths of my archive on here, though for some reason the formatting has gone to shit and I haven't got the time or this inclination to fix it. Anyway, The Colour Line were one of those bands that I featured. This five-piece from Hull were finding their feet then, so it was a good match.

Since then they've recorded Riff City (released in mid 2013) and appeared on Metal Hammer's cover mount CD, as well as touring everywhere they can and causing chaos with their technical hardcore, which has seen them get compared to The Dillinger Escape Plan by some parts of the music press. They're also singed to UK label Destroy Everything

Tracklist:-

1. Colonel Sanders Flying Machine
2. Heights Of Abraham
3. Sunshine Adventureland
4. Mariachi Firing Squad

These guys have appeared at Tech-Fest previously and are coveted by Basick Records, which is no surprise when you first hear Colonel Sanders Flying Machine. It’s full of changing time-signatures and tech-laden riffs. They go a bit La Dispute during the mid-section, with a spoken word verse that breaks into occasional screams, while they back it up with light instrumentation to break of the math. There is plenty of musicality here, even for people who don’t like their music head-spinningly complex but at times they do recall past forward-thinkers like Tangaroa. Heights of Abraham is nowhere near as serene as it’s British countryside namesake. The drumming towards the end it especially intense. It is strange not hearing the technical guitar backing up some serious guttural death metal vocals, but I guess I’m just a little old-school in that respect. Sunshine Adventureland still puts the fretboard frenetics to good use. Also, the minimal use of breakdowns is a plus here, because it means that The Colour Line don’t lose momentum during their songs. 

Closing with the positively mammoth Mariachi Firing Squad, The Colour Line strap themselves in for over six minutes of math mayhem. The drums are mid-paced, while the guitars flit between burst of schizophrenic picking and menacing, atmospheric passages. The screams that sit atop of the quiet guitar art the three-minute mark are full of emotion and the band are sensitive enough to not overdo things allowing the song to build as it’s many elements and textures converge to build volume and power. This is a great way to end this short EP, which along with the addition of clean backing vocals provides an insight into TCL’s more experimental edge. Now where’s that new EP at!

Have a listen to Riff City here (it's also available for free download, so it's win win!):-




Keep an eye on their Facebook page and Destroy Everything for news on the new EP.

The Colour Line Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thecolourline
Destroy Everything Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/destroyevrythng

Sunday 9 March 2014

Anodes/Enta - Split 10"


This weekend hasn't been very productive for me. I've managed to intermittently get onto the Internet so far, but it's not been easy, hence why this is my first review of the weekend. Still the sun is shining outside and I've decided to go all screamo on you. This split 10" between St. Louis, MO band Anodes and Champaign, IL band Enta was released in January via Skeletal Lighting. It features two songs from each band and they both offer contrasting sounds an takes on post-hardcore. So, even if this is the only review I write today due to my Internet connection issues, I know it'll be a good one.

Tracklist:-

1. Anodes - The Same Traps
2. Anodes - Fall And Rise
3. Enta - '78
4. Enta - Words Full of Mouth

Anodes begin their side of this split with The Same Traps and their’s is definitely a harsher take on post-hardcore. More reminiscent of You’ll Live and the more abrasive strands of post-hardcore, though they do still deal in introspective, melodic passages. The dual vocals passages deliver life into the song and the thoughtful guitar underneath, that transitions into feedback ridden post-hardcore noise gives Anodes an atmosphere all of their own.

Fall And Rise is a longer song, allowing Anodes to make more use of the extended 10” format. It carries on where The Same Traps left off, with an abrasive edge. The melody from the guitars though is more generous and inspire of the chaos that surrounds it, it come across really well. out of nowhere though, the mid-section of Fall And Rise changes the mood completely. The volume level lowers and the instrumentation weaves some great textures that seem to build up slowly, as the rhythms get more daring from the drums and the cymbals crash. It feels like it could be leading you to an explosive ending and with just under a minute to go, it does but it’s restrained. It ends a great song.

Enta are a different proposition to Anodes. They are more laid back, with more dean guitar and clean indie-style vocals that segue into screamo tones in ’78. I can see why both Anodes and Enta wanted to share a record like this, because despite their stylistic differences, they compliment each other really well. Also like Anodes, Enta have multiple vocalists amongst their ranks. Three of the four members offer their lungs for the cause. Also, Enta offers songs that are lengthier as well, which allow their song-writing and musicianship more space to be heard.

Their second song Words Full Of Mouth has was on the best build-ups I’ve heard for a long time. The brooding clean guitar is met by a very clever percussion rhythm and majestic leads that sit over the top. It’s a swirling song that passes through different emotional spaces and yet it remains completely cohesive. It’s this kind of thoughtful song-structure that really makes s band special and it rare that you get two bands on a release that share that plaudit. Thankfully both Anodes and Enta have plenty to offer and the sensitivity with which they put themselves across is evident on their music. Really solid music and another two bands that really should be bigger. 

You can stream the whole split below via Anodes bandcamp page:-



It's also available to stream on Enta's band camp page - http://enta.bandcamp.com/album/anodes-split-2

Both band camp pages have links to purchase download or physical copies, as well as other merch so check them out.

It's available from Skeletal Lightning here - http://www.skeletallightning.net/store

Anodes Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anode
Enta Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theageofliars
Skeletal Lightning Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/skeletallightningrecords

Thursday 6 March 2014

Dogbane - Residual Alcatraz


I've digging deep into my review pile again tonight and I've decided to write about US heavy metal/doom quartet Dogbane and their 2011 album Residual Alcatraz. They were originally a five-piece when Residual Alcatraz was recorded, but sadly in 2012 one their guitarists, Dave Ellenburg, passed away. They band have carried on though, playing the music they love to keep the memory of their comrade alive. The album was released by Heaven & Hell Records.

Tracklist:-

1. Ride The Serpent
2. Born To Die
3. Banished
4. Annihilator
5. God Forgive You
6. Devil In The Dark
7. Burning In The Light
8. Residual Alcatraz
9. Fire And Brimstone (Link Wray Cover)
10. How The Mighty Have Fallen

All sub-genres of metal have grown out of traditional heavy metal. Everyone knows that fact, so sometimes it’s good to celebrate that fact. Dogbane do just that with Residual Alcatraz. Taking the best bits from heavy metal of Iron Maiden, the doom of Black Sabbath and the blues of Lynyrd Skynyrd to weave their own sound, which may seem like a throwback but it’s more than worthy of your ears. Ride The Serpent starts things off with a mid-paced and often brooding melodic metal song, with some excellent melodic guitar work that keeps things simple.  Born To Die brings thrash to the party (I think of Arnie every time I read that sentence!). Add to that the well used twin-guitar harmonies and you’ve got a perfect old-school recipe. The extended instrumental section towards the end demonstrates my Lynyrd Skynyrd comparison perfectly too, even if it is more metal!

Residual Alcatraz is definitely a grower, as Banished is mental. Chock full of great musicianship and subtle extras that make their heavy metal stand out. Annihilator is doomier than the trio of songs before it and it’s got plenty of groove, especially 2:15 when Dogbane break out into a great upbeat section that lays the foundation for an opulent solo.  Dogbane’s song don’t outstay their welcome. They’re able to fit all they want into four-five minutes for the most part, yet they don’t sound rushed and let their songs breath. God Forgive You is a great example, as they again prefer musicianship over histrionics and it pays dividends. In Devil In The Dark, Dogbane might have settled on the most catchy song on the record. It’s got a horror-punk edge to it and it goes down really well, without sounding cheesy. At about 5:05 the song changes and the atmosphere darkens, in a twist which completes the song in downtuned-guitar and ever slowing drum crashes.

Burning In The Light is their closest song to doom in terms of length, at nearly ten minutes. The good thing is though that it’s not painfully slow. It’s one hell of a mighty song. I sat and listened to the whole thing without breaking to type and I lost my shit to those riffs. It’s followed up by the title track, which is a polar opposite to it’s predecessor. It’s fast, thrash-laden and that Iron Maiden comparison jumps out at you again. It’s almost devastating when you get to penultimate track Fire & Brimstone (a cover of a song by Link Wray, one of the early pioneers of the power chord), because it means that there’s only two songs left (unsurprisingly). This album reinforces my theory about just sticking on a new band and rolling with it. You’ll more than likely find a band that you’ve missed out on and that you’ll really dig. It’s definitely happened to me here. Okay, so it’s not breaking the mould, but Residual Alcatraz is still a whole heap of fun. Album closer How The Might Have Fallen follows on instantly and carries on the momentum gained from the previous two tracks. It’s a song which highlights their relaxed swagger, as they solo and croon their way to the end. A great end to the record.


I’m not going to babble on much longer, but Dogbane are well worth listening to if you have a passing fondness for heavy metal in the traditional sense or fancy a break from your uber technical death metal. Great stuff by a band who are clearly playing for the love of it.

Dogbane are streaming a selection of the songs from Residual Alcatraz on their website - http://www.dogbaneband.com/music.html, where you can also pick up the cd version of the album.

Heaven & Hell Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Heavenandhellrecords

Tuesday 4 March 2014

Evergreen Terrace - Dead Horses


Wow, it seems like an age since I've reviewed a new Rise Records release. Still, this one seems a good place to start. Evergreen Terrace seem to have been around for years and years now and I've lost track of how many albums they've released. ET's brand of punk and metal core has been honed in recent times and it's testament to the band, that they've been able to share stages with a wide variety of bands from Rise Against to Agnostic Front since they began in 1999.

Tracklist:-

1. Crows
2. When You're Born In The Gutter, You End Up In The Port
3. Post Satanic Ritual Baby
4. Dead Horses
5. Browbeaters Anonymous
6. It's All Over But The Cryin'
7. Lacuna Inc
8. Mike Myers Never Runs, But He Always Catches Up
9. The Fortunate Ones
10. That Dog'll Hunt

So modern day Evergreen Terrace, what have you got for me. Plenty of melodic guitars and hardcore vocals for a start. Fast tempos from the drums and of course the obligatory breakdowns. The opener Crows immediately shows off ET catchiness, in the chorus. Crows certainly sets things off nicely.
ET aren’t afraid to inject the odd thrash guitar lick into their songs, like on occasions during When You’re Born In The Gutter…, while dramatic guitar during the chorus, coupled with well layered drumming highlights their songwriting skills too. With the title Post Satanic Ritual Baby, they must be poking fun at the “oh so serious” black metal community. Don’t fear though, there isn’t an ice-cold scream in sight and it’s more of a technical metalcore masterpiece with singalong sensibilities. Also as with all Rise Records bands, there is a hint of electronics within the music, which must be written into ban contracts or something! 

The title track could be a glam-rock song or something that Blessed By A Broken Heart could have dreamt up. I don’t think ET ever collaborated with Steel Panther, but if they did, this is what it would sound like. Autotune and all. It’s just a good job I’m a sucker for a decent tune. In Browbeaters Anonymous, ET have their mosh sorted. It’s all breakdowns and pure hardcore rage. The thing that sets this song apart from other metalcore/melodic-hardcore bands are the occasional flourishes of musical brilliance that add extra depth to the song. Other bands may just their brootal riffs do the talking, but ET are actual musicians at heart and still haven’t forgotten it. The rad thing about ET is that you don’t have to be a hardened metalcore fan to get into them.  The punk element of their music is more than enough to prick your ears up, especially during It’s All Over But The Cryin’. Okay so their not uber extreme, but chances are if you’ve read this far, you’re already a fan so don’t care. At this point, you’ll begin to really notice that the production job is spot on for what ET are trying to achieve. 

There is a sense with Lacuna Inc though, that they are trying to do what A Day To Remember have done already, or it could be the other way around. I’m not entirely sure. Either way, by the time the amusingly titled Mike Myers Never Runs, But He Always Catches Up fills the speakers, you’ll have forgotten all about that little misdemeanour. Normally at this point in an album, bands try to slow things down with an acoustic song or an instrumental but ET don’t. There’s some Eastern flair within the intro to The Fortunate Ones and it turns into one hell of an infectious punk song. There’s more dramatic soundscapes courtesy of the guitars and it’s one of the standout songs on Dead Horses for me. Talking of infectious, That Dog’ll Hunt is a fine song to end on. It’s got that shout-from-the-rooftops feel to it during the verses and plenty of singalong oomph. One things for sure, ET have really upped their game with Dead Horses. They’ve kept their hardcore edge and fused it together with melodic punk, to create a slick and hook filled record. Consider me bowled over!

Evergreen Terrace have elected to stream the whole of Dead Horses on Youtube here - http://www.youtube.com/Evergreen_Terrace_Dead_Horses

You can buy Dead Horses digitally, on CD and on vinyl from Rise Records here - http://www.riserecordsstore.com

Evergreen Terrace Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/EvergreenTerrace
Rise Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RiseRecords

Sunday 2 March 2014

Jotnarr - Demo


Taking things in a slightly different direction now is blackened-crust band Jotnarr. Another new addition to the currently bulging UK scene, Jotnarr released their demo in October of last year on tape via new UK label Vetala Productions. On their bandcamp page, the band states that this two-track demo was recorded straight into a tape player using two mics, so chances are it's gonna sound raw.

Jotnarr are another band that like to play live as much as possible, having notched up some great shows since their formation in August. They've played alongside Famine (the subject of the previous review), Harrowed and Moloch as well as tonnes more.

Tracklist:-

1. I
2. II

I wasn’t wrong when I said this would be raw. I is pretty full of cymbals, symphonic guitar and high-pitched that nestle within it. Live sounding demo’s are the best, because they really harness a band in full flow and Jotnarr show off their experimental sides here. the guitars are the main draw, with the melodic riffs that compliment the dark and cold atmosphere that music gives off.

II eschews the gung-ho spirit of I and instead, builds with a sensitive intro that features some great guitar work, before Jotnarr drag you back into their blackened vortex. Even with the raw production on the tape, you can still pick out subtleties in the songwriting and instrumentation. It may be a step to far for some, but this is what DIY is all about. Part of me wonders what they’ll sound like when they take a step up in terms of recording and production, but this is still mighty fun to listen to.

Listen to it here:-



Pick the tape up from Vetala Productions here - http://vetalarecords.bigcartel.com

Jotnarr Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jotnarr
Vetala Productions Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/vetalaproductions

Famine - A Hand Of Sore Thumbs EP


I didn't get as much time as I'd have liked yesterday, so I'm going to try and make up for it today and get three reviews written this morning. Three reviews of UK fast stuff, starting with local Leeds PV duo (used to be a trio) Famine. In my eyes, Famine did things in the right way. They wrote songs and performed live numerous times, before they released their first official demo/EP, whatever you want to call it. I've lost track of how many times I've seen them, but they've always been ace.

A Hand Of Sore Thumbs was released digitally in October of last year and then on tape via Reagent Records in November. It was initially just five tracks but Famine have added to unreleased tracks to the digital version. Gig wise, they've notched up shows alongside Art Of Burning Water, The Afternoon Gentlemen, Heksed and Suffering Mind amongst others. They're also playing this years 'Kin Hell Fest, which is gonna be a total banger!

Tracklist:-

1. Famine
2. Sold Bowels (Saved Owls)
3. It Takes A Nation of Shopkeepers To Give Me Free Food
4. Squid
5. In Shortage
6. Grindsnore (Comp track)
7. Alligator Man (Comp track)

Famine have crafted an EP that features low rumbling grind, with multiple vocalists and raging drums. The title track starts fast, slows to near-sludge levels and then speeds back up again. Pretty simple grind song layout you might think, but oh no. For a band who have been honing their sound live, the opener Famine sounds more assured and musical than that of most grindcore/pv debuts. The movie samples help it along to, meaning there are no awkward silences or pauses between songs.

Sold Bowels (Saved Owls) starts with some great drumming and screeching feedback. There’s crossover influences shoved into the song and the production gives it a retro feel. It’s not all polished and super clean, it’s just good and exactly what grind should sound like. The third song is about an unfortunate event that happened as Leeds cafe A Nation of Shopkeepers, though I don’t fully remember what actually happened. It’s a more immediate blast of grind and the melody from the guitar is strangely warming, considering the low-tuning.

Famine seem to get more ferocious as they flail through A Hand Of Sore Thumbs, with Squid coming and going in the blink of an eye. In Shortage follows and it the longest song on the EP and the last of the original five. Again it’s a mix of fast and slow sections, with more thrash riffs mixed in. Famine were a three-piece when this was recorded and each member contributes vocals on this release. The ending to In Shortage is raging and those cannibalistic spoken-word samples are the perfect backdrop. 

The compilation tracks tagged onto the end consist of Grindsnore and Alligator Man. Grindsnore actually appeared on my digital compilation last year (shameless plug!) ad it’s thirty-three seconds of snotty attitude and buzzing feedback. Alligator Man ends it all with punk vibes. It’s probably the most chaotic song on the EP, as the drumming is crazy. It’s obvious throughout this song and the EP that Famine’s choice to scream without American accents is a good idea. They have a more unique and richer sound because of it. Forget about all of your Scion AV backed grind, this is what you really should be listening to.

You can stream and download A Hand Of Sore Thumbs here:-



If you want to download my digital compilation, featuring Grindsnore and songs by similarly awesome local bands, head here - https://thisnoiseisours.bandcamp.com

Tape copies have been sold out at Reagent Records for a while, so you should pester them to repress it.

Famine Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/faminegrind
Reagent Records Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/ReagentRecords

Saturday 1 March 2014

Cold Summer - Wake EP


I thought I'd spend a few hours this weekend writing about some releases by UK bands, that I've had in my review pile for a little while now. Some old stuff and some new stuff. Not all fast, as I had previously stated on Facebook. I'm starting things off with a local band from Wakefield.

Cold Summer started in 2010 and play post-hardcore. They released their debut EP Wake in May 2012. Last year they played at Leeds Cockpit alongside Lemuria and Hearts & Sounds, while they've just completed their first UK tour as well, in support of their debut album. 2014 looking like it's gonna be busy!

Tracklist:-

1. Waiting
2. Wake
3. A Is For Arson
4. Car Crash (In Progress)
5. Mistakes

I remember when post-hardcore was the in things, thanks to bands like Funeral For A Friend getting coverage and inspiring a whole host of similar bands to rise through the ranks in the UK. Post-hardcore has never really gone away thankfully and Cold Summer are one of it’s latest protagonists, yet remaining staunchly DIY. They pepper their sound with a hard-rock vibe and mix clean with harsh vocals. Opener Waiting is a mid-paced song, that plays on the hard-rock influences of the band. The EP title track is a short fifty- second song filled with atmosphere and angst. The melodic guitar that backs up the screams reminds me of the current wave of screamo. 

After Wake comes and goes, A Is For Arson turns the pace up again. It reminds me a bit of Exit Ten and Gratitude at times, because it’s catchy and the loud/quiet dynamics in the middle of song, coupled with some great bass lines and gang vocals, give Wake some real momentum. One thing that strikes me about Cold Summer is that all of the songs on Wake sound subtly different, but with a constant running through in the form of the vocal textures, especially in Car Crash (In Progress). It’s really refreshing to hear a band playing post-hardcore that isn’t trying to copy today's “cool” bands and is instead doffing it’s cap to when the sub-genre was full of genuine quality and humility.

Mistakes is Cold Summer’s token acoustic song and is a bona fide radio friendly anthem. I know that these songs and indeed the EP is two years old now, but music transcends time, which Wake proves. For anyone who is unfamiliar with the band, this is a good starting place. It may have me a bit nostalgic for the bands that I used to listen to in my late teens, but it also stands alone well as an honest and well written EP from a band that is moving forward. Good stuff indeed.

Wake is available to stream and as a name-your-price download from Cold Summer's bandcamp page below:-




You can by band merch from their BigCartel store here - http://coldsummermusic.bigcartel.com/products

Cold Summer Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ColdSummeruk