Sunday 20 April 2014

Suffering Mind/SixBrewBantha - Split 7"


Well, I hope you all had a good Record Store Day. Though I think those that read this blog will know what a waste of time it's become and would rather support DIY/small labels all year round. I took advantage a grab box deal from Life To Live Records and picked up a record from Dog Knights Productions that I didn't yet own, which coincidentally was an "unofficial" RSD release but was the same price as usual from the label, which I'm pleased with.

Anyway, it's time for some grind and this 7" is a rager. Perennial Polish grinders Suffering Mind (who seem to release a hundred records a year) and like minded Canadian dudes SixBrewBantha teamed up towards the end of last year to release this record. This was released by Halo of Flies, so that should be a sign of it's quality. Suffering mind pitch in with five songs while SixBrewBantha contribute four. The record is nearly sold out too, so be quick if you want one!

Tracklist:-

1. Suffering Mind - Niezdolni Do Walki
2. Suffering Mind - Nie Zatrzymam Sie
3. Suffering Mind - Kolejny Medialny Obrazek
4. Suffering Mind - Prawicowa Zaraza
5. Suffering Mind - Kompendia Nienawisci
6. SixBrewBantha - Game Show
7. SixBrewBantha - Corroding From The Inside
8. SixBrewBantha - Confined
9. SixBrewBantha - Excesscrement

I don’t think I need to go into to much detail about Suffering Mind now. They’ve been featured here a number of times and remain one of the most revered names in modern powerviolence. Here, they spit forth five short blasts of which four are under a minute. Niezdolni Do Walki is as chaotic as you’d expect from the band, with their characteristic chunky riffs while Nie Zatrzymam Sie speeds by before you have chance to take it in.  Kolejny Medialny Obrazek features more of the high/low vocal contrast that SM are known for, while Prawicowa Zaraza hints at their more sludgy, groovy leanings, while the rhythms are noticeably off-kilter. Their final addition to the split, Kompendia Nienawisci has a much more menacing atmosphere and a prolonged instrumental mid-section with some mean riffs. The stop/start aesthetic and the spoken work sample shows variation and with that their side ends, as quickly at it started. I still don’t know how Suffering Mind continually manage to release music that while fast, maintains an edge of quality that other powerviolence manage to struggle to achieve, but somehow they do and it’s purely out their love of the genre and their hatred of posers!


SixBrewBantha are a newer name to me but one that I’m familiar with none the less. Their sound is equally as thick, especially in the guitars and their drums sit more prominently in the mix. Game Show and Corroding From The Inside seem to feature  more obvious metal influences, especially in the riffs of the latter. Confined is brutal and neck-snappingly fast. It’s features more of a punk edge too. Their closer, Excesscrement (best song-title for a power violence song ever!) sums up SBB for me. Their wall of sound is immense when all parts are fused together, yet they sound controlled, which stops their music from sounding like a feedback-drenched mess. There is some stop/start sections between some of the transitions, but you wouldn’t begrudge them a break of a few seconds when they play so fast. As ever, it’s great to see two bands from different corners of the globe appearing together and highlights the sense of community within grind/powerviolence. SBB are definitely up there with their peers in Water Torture and Dead Church and are another band that deserve your attention.

You can blast the entire split over at Halo of Flies here -




Halo of Flies pressed 700 copies of this split. 500 on black vinyl, 100 on red vinyl and 100 on white vinyl. There were also 50 special packs containing all three-colours. You can still pick up copies directly here - http://www.halooffliesrecords.com/label-releases/halo63-suffering-mind-sixbrewbantha-split-7/.

Suffering Mind Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Suffering-Mind
SixBrewBantha Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/SIXBREWBANTHA
Halo of Flies Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HALOOFFLIESRECORDS

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