Thursday 4 April 2019

Singular - F.E.I.A.R


Labels: Terr-Records/Tenzenmen
Formats: CD/Digital
Release Date: 07 Apr 2019

Tracklist:

1. Comrade
2. Iron Heart
3. Man Of Escape
4. Cyberpunk
5. Cicada 3301
6. Plagiat
7. Dark Thought
8. Heat
9. Heaven Is For Heroes
10. Siren
11. W.Kemmler

This week is taking it's toll on me. I wasn't going to do any writing tonight but I received an e-mail today from Mashi, whom I know from Malaysian post-hardcore band Cantilever (by the way, I have some tape/CDr copies of the Cantilever EP If people in the UK want one). Mashi is the sole member of Singular, which is a grind project and F.E.I.A.R is the band's first full-length. It's being released on pro CD via Terr-Records and Tenzenmen very soon. At this point I should make it clear that Singular is a fully functioning live band too, so you should book them (if they tour your locale!).

Grind is just what I’m after this evening and you can’t get any noisier than this. Comrade opens “F.E.I.A.R” up with grind of the angular and technical persuasion. It’s fast and awesome. There’s no time to breath between songs as Iron Heart blasts through just over one-and-a-half-minutes of mental noise, though it feels like much longer. I’m loving the instant stop/start between tracks and Man Of Escape is a rager. The screams are throat-scraping and the instrumentation could’ve come from the likes of Napalm Death or Water Torture, albeit with a slightly more melodic edge. 

I was a bit worried when I saw that Singular had a song called Cyberpunk, but thankfully it’s not terrible. In fact it’’s an atmospheric instrumental piece with the sound of rain falling in the background, which adds a layer of ambience that’s often missing from records this extreme. The true shock to the system comes in the form of Cicada 3301, which contains some of the most jarring riffs on the record. Off-kilter for the most part but also combining the band’s obvious love of punk. 

This album absolutely flies by and when Plagiat drags you into the second half, it does so in bludgeoning fashion. Its one-minute playing time leads you into the jarring guitar tones of Dark Thought, which is equally as urgent in its delivery. The layers of feedback only add to its immediacy. At this point in time it may be too easy to call this a grind record, as Singular adds more elements to the music, such as post-hardcore (that may be unsurprising though if you’re familiar with Cantilever).

Heat sees Mashi’s first true attempt at clean vocals on “F.E.I.A.R” and they work really well, given the relatively sedate nature of the opening passages of the song. It’s a moody number that quells the ferocity somewhat and lets you take a breath. It’s back to the maniacal soundscapes with Heaven Is For Heroes, which is made up of a repeated guitar/percussion sequence that takes you into Siren without so much as a warning. 

Siren sees Singular going back to its grinding best. It reminds me of when I first heard bands like Coins As Portraits (Romania). Chaotic and brilliant all in one. The guitar work at the end even sounds like an air raid siren (I suppose that was the intention). Album closer W.Kemmler is just as intense but with melody that seems to sooth things a little. I’ve said here before that those bands outside of the bigger scenes are making the best noise and Singular is definitely up there at the top. Don’t miss out.

You can stream three tracks from "F.E.I.A.R" via Singular's bandcamp page below:-



You can also pre-order it digitally above too.


You'll be able to get CD per-orders from the labels below:-

1 comment:

  1. What an album! Check out our new track by track feature at https://idioteq.com/one-man-bleak-chaotic-hardcore-pandemonium-singular-discuss-debut-lp/

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