Pariah - Violence Is A Curse

Labels: Cursed Monk Records

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital

Release Date: 28 Feb 2025

Tracklist: 

1. Life/Redemption

2. Parasite's Refrain

3. Within My Skin

4. Endless Circles

5. The Swarm

Fifteen years into this blog and it feels like I've moved further away from what I started. Heavy music in the UK was the backbone and discovering new bands was the purpose. Life gets in the way though and there isn't a day that goes by where I don't long for the connections I had and the visceral emotions I felt at gigs/festivals. 

This all leads me to Pariah. A quartet of musicians that released their debut record in February. A band that both benefits from and adds to the rich history of the UK scene. They released five honest, crushing songs via Cursed Monk Records, who in turn is a proud supporter of UK heavy music.

Pariah’s sound is mired in unnerving noise and heavy metallic hardcore, reminiscent of what used to come out of the CoF stable back in the day. ‘Life/Redemption’ is filled with chunky riffs, shattering percussion/bass and bile-filled vocals. The song’s tone and atmosphere highlights a lot of anger and that emotion spills into ‘Parasite’s Refrain’, which leaves the band’s sludgier/slower tempo behind in favour of faster metallic hardcore. Frantic and brilliant.

‘Within my Skin’ is filled with palpable intensity and energy. Pariah’s metallic sound shines through again here, alongside a gnarlier aggressive edge. The switch between nastier, slower songs and those that are much faster keeps anticipation levels up as ‘Endless Circles’ (despite the name) sees the quartet going about their business in succinct fashion. Closing with ‘The Swarm’, Pariah level everything and everyone with sheer heaviness. It’s sound is in some ways familiar but also refreshing too. 

This EP has been moulded from a blueprint that was forged by Northern England’s heavy music community. A wide network of people, bands and gig promoters that support each other. With the return of revered UK festival Ghostfest this year, Leeds venue Boom rising like a Phoenix out of almost nowhere and of course Pariah (with help of co-conspirators Cursed Monk Records), there’s plenty of reasons to be excited.

You can stream and purchase Violence Is A Curse on physical/digital formats from Pariah below:-

It's also available to buy on vinyl from Cursed Monk Records here:-

https://cursedmonk.bandcamp.com/merch. 

No news on CD copies (unless I've missed an announcement) but keep an eye on the band/label pages below:-

Pariah Instagram - @pariahnoise

Cursed Monk Records - https://www.facebook.com/cursedmonk

Neuman Portentum - God Monster

Labels: Ripping Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 02 Jul 2023

Tracklist:

1. Crucifixion Asphyxiation

2. Fourth Movement

3. A Brick Through The Window Of Opportunity

4. Ghost

There's a sad story linked to the release of this four-track LP containing songs by Floridian hardcore/screamo band Neuman Portentum. The band existed for merely a year between 1998 and 1999 before splitting up, without releasing any finished songs. Their bassist Ron K paid to get the original tape tracks converted to digital ones in order to make this vinyl release happen, before he sadly passed away last year. With all of that being said, this release is a celebration of both Neuman Portentum and more importantly Ron, and his love for the music that he helped create.

Having the privilege of hearing a band from the late 90s such as Neuman Portentum is not lost on me. The fact that recordings like this are being preserved is fantastic. LP opener ‘Crucifixion Asphyxiation’ is a breath a fresh air as it’s heaviness is tempered by plenty of introspective ambience and melody. Sometimes we forget about the bands that paved the way for what we know and love today musically. Despite Neuman Portentum’s very short lifespan there’s more than enough to inspire here. That extended instrumental mid-section gives way to sludgy hardcore mixed with vicious yet emotive screamo. Not quite emoviolence but veering towards it in brutal fashion. 

There’s a shift in mood during second song ‘Fourth Movement’, given the sampled call to prayer that adorns the intro. Lowly guitar and synths lead into something much darker. There might be an anti-religious slant to the song here and I’m certainly not averse to it if so. Whatever the subject matter, it’s properly furious and engrossing throughout. The band split up due to a difference of opinion around politics and it’s influence in their direction. It’s a shame that it thwarted their progress.

The song title ‘A Brick Through The Window Of Opportunity’ is not just brilliantly thought out but it’s also apt for the current climate in which we live. It fits musically too, as Neuman Portentum make it their longest song. Bold riffs, aggressive blasts and squalid screams are all present alongside Ron’s unique bass delivery, which adds so much heft to the music. Even for me who was not familiar with the band prior to this release, is getting quite emotional listening to it.

LP closer ‘Ghost’ opens with another dramatic sample before Neuman Portentum unleashes a final blast of their metallic, anxiety-inducing screamo/hardcore. It’s melodic without being over-the-top, while progressiveness shows through as it has throughout. It’s definitely one of those releases where you long for more but savouring what’s in front of you is important too. No comparisons are needed here.

You can stream and purchase God Monster on all formats below:-

Physical LPs are also available from the below links (while stocks last):-

Zegema Beach Records CAN/INTL - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases/neuman / USA - https://zbrusa.com/collections/zbr-releases/neuman

Ripping Records - https://www.facebook.com/Rippingrecords

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

The Sons Of Montana - Subpar Lovers

Labels: Self-Released/Owlripper Recordings

Formats: Digital

Release Date: 30 Mar 2023

Tracklist:

1. Beard Of Bees

2. Dead Asner

3. Saint Banger

4. Drunken Ships And Sunken Sailors

5. We're Not Dead Yet

6. Kathleen E. Goodwin

What do you get when combine a band that's been likened to Refused, Cave In and Boysetsfire (to name a few late 90's/early 00's post/metallic hardcore bands) with one that's supported Soulfly already this year? You get The Sons Of Montana (okay so there was only one band!). Right before the end of March,  the Connecticut band released this double EP via Owlripper Recordings from Czechia. It features three brand new songs alongside their 2021 EP Songs To Seduce Your Future Ex. 

I’ve been really looking forward to doing this write-up, for more reasons than just the fact that this release is a total outlier amongst Owlripper’s roster. Straight away opener ‘Beard of Bees’ goes super hard instrumentally before bringing the sass vocally. Kinda like if Refused, Snapcase and Every Time I Die all formed one massive band together. Super good, as expected! Also, could be wrong but is that title a Simpsons reference? I can hear the Boysetsfire comparisons too (BSF are probably my all time favourite band). 

‘Dead Asner’ is an off-kilter, panic-inducing number that’s over too quickly. It’s definitely got a heavier edge, one more rooted in angry hardcore without being meathead-ish. The final new song comes in the form of ’Saint Banger’ and as it’s name suggests, it’s a banger. Really well delivered post-hardcore with metallic and mathy elements. Total escapism in musical form, especially if (like me) you’ve had a tough working week in the real world so far.

The next three songs are all from TSoM’s 2021 EP Songs To Seduce Your Future Ex. ‘Drunken Ships And Sunken Sailors’ sounds more on the raw side, but not in the recording. More in the way it’s delivered with a much greater dissonant mathcore-edge. The brutalist hardcore/emo-violence that exists on ‘We’re Not Dead Yet’ shows how explosive TSoM were when they recorded their first EP. As a song it does flit between blistering heaviness and more upbeat semi-clean vocal passages, meaning there’s plenty to get your ears around.

Final EP song ‘Kathleen E. Goodwin’ parks the chaotic heaviness, leaving you with a song that’s slightly easier on the ear, before it builds in volume and noisy intensity towards an eventual end. Honestly I’m floored. Maybe that final conclusion lit the blue touch paper, but whatever it was, it truly hit the spot. Out of nowhere The Sons Of Montana have made an unforgettable entrance. 

It would be really foolish to underestimate the ability of independent (and sometimes digital-only) labels. In my experience, they’ve been responsible for unearthing and pushing out some absolute gems, and Owlripper Recordings have done it again here, just like they did with Forcefed Horsehead and many others. Don’t turn your back for a second!

You can stream and purchase the entire double EP digitally via Owlripper Recordings below:-

You can also grab both EP's digitally from The Sons Of Montana here - https://thesonsofmontana.bandcamp.com/album/subpar-lovers

The Sons Of Montana - https://www.facebook.com/Thesonsofmontana

Owlripper Recordings - https://www.facebook.com/owlripperrecordings