Euclid C Finder - A Standard Basis For The Set Of All Discontent

Labels: Self-Released/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 26 Feb 2018

Tracklist:

1. Morning Glory Memory (Quantico 3mph)

2. I Just Want To Live In A Banach Space

3. You Too Can Be A Toxic Avenger!

4. A Proof About Hungry Ghosts

5. October 31st, 1994

There's a bit of a strange explanation behind this review. I reviewed Euclid C Finder's self-titled EP back in November 2018 and around the time of it's release, Zegema Beach Records did a run of tapes for it that also included the band's earlier EP (this one), which was released digitally in February 2018. As I've already written about half of that ZBR comp release here (and it was going to be the next write-up in my ZBR roster series), it makes sense to focus on A Standard Basis For The Set Of All Discontent without repeating myself.

This marked the debut release for a mathcore/tech grind band that has grown in stature many times over in recent years (that’s even before you get to the new 2023 full-length). Made up of five songs that barely hit ten minutes and beginning with ‘Morning Glory Memory (Quantico 3mph)’, you’re greeted with the most angry mathcore you’ll probably ever hear. The grinding drums and hardcore-inspired guitar riffs are loud enough, but the vocals are delivered in such a way that they tower over everything else (at least to me anyway).

‘I Just Want To Live In A Banach Space’ follows immediately at frightening pace. It’s first thirty seconds are just a non-stop barrage of chaotic noise before Euclid C Finder breaks it up with an instrumental mid-section that’s top-tier powerviolence (at it’s slowest) and a stomping hardcore-punk close. It’s epic.

There’s one thing you can count on with a mathcore release and that’s the well thought-out (and sometimes obscure) song titles, like ‘You Too Can Be A Toxic Avenger!’. The metallic riffs and panic chords take full control this time, and they’re glorious in their jarring beauty as they’re woven into what could be best described as the aural equivalent of ADHD (and it’a totally fine by me).

It always amazes me how musicians can Inject so much intricacy into a sound that’s so violent, which for somebody who predominantly only listens to metal and hardcore, might come as a surprise. It might be because I’m not a musician myself. ‘A Proof About Hungry Ghosts’ illustrates the point I was trying to make perfectly as it flies by in just over a minute sounding so precise. You won’t find anything sloppy about Euclid C Finder.

It’s left to final song ‘October 31st, 1994’ to provide the most bizarre of EP endings. Much like when I first heard Capitol Swizzle Credit (thanks to Mathcore Index), this song hits me in exactly the same way with it’s initial burst of mad grind. Later on it settles slightly with some metallic (post?) hardcore vibes and draws to a subtly atmospheric close.

A Standard Basis For The Set Of All Discontent is now over five years old but age doesn’t affect it one bit. Hearing the first utterings of a band can set you off on a journey. The Euclid C Finder journey is fast and wild. You’ll want to retake it over and over again.

You can stream and purchase the EP digitally below:-

Euclid C Finder - https://www.facebook.com/euclidcfinder

The ZBR tapes are long sold out but you can stream and grab the full comp digitally here:-

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords

Don't forget to check out Euclid's new album The Mirror, My Weapon, I Love You. I'll have a review of that one coming up in the near future.