Grind Your Mind - Mind Ripper Collective

After starting out as a show promoter, bringing fast and heavy music to Edinburgh (as well as featuring the artist behind my digital download comp "Reverberations Vol 1" in 2013, Mind Ripper Collective started spitting out disgustingly noisy powerviolence at the end of last year. This feature gathers together the label's first releases, as well as taking a look at the soon to be released Spazz tribute comp and even a new song from one of the bands on their roster. I've also elected to include a couple of releases that are linked, but weren't released by MRC. So, sit back and try not to move (I dare ya!). 

Wolfe/Fifteen Dead - Split 7"

Tracklist:

1. Wolfe - XIV

2. Wolfe - VII

3. Fifteen Dead - AntiTheist

This split was originally released in 2013 and features Fifteen Dead (Scottish crusty noise makers that featured members of current MRC bands) and Wolfe (whom I can't really find any info on). The reason for this 7"s inclusion in this feature is that it forms part of the "collective" jigsaw that makes up Mind Ripper Collective.

Wolfe spread their contribution over two tracks and opener XIV is as primitive as you’d like! Stop/start instruments, high-pitched shrieks and buzzsaw guitars make their blackened-grind sound pretty terrifying. They flail even faster on VII, which lasts just over ninety-seconds and harks back to grind’s early days and bands like Electro Hippies and of course Spazz. In fact, this very feature took it’s name from a CD compilation I picked up about eight year ago featuring those bands and many more of the genre’s early protagonists. Fifteen Dead are a different prospect on AntiTheist. Starting with an acoustic intro that morphs into noise. Soon after, they settle into a mid-paced groove that’s almost goth-like. That doesn’t last long though and things soon head back into more familiar territory. Fifteen Dead are less chaotic but no less noisy. Their anthemic crust containing layers of hardcore. It’s over pretty quickly but both bands present stark atmospheres and provide an insight into what to expect from MRC in the future.

Fifteen Dead Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fifteendead

Wolfe - M.I.A

Endless Swarm - Lobotomy Tape

Tracklist:

1. Transorbital

2. Lobotomy

3. Drone Control

4. Distorted Reality

5. Jonestown Delirium

6. Force Fed

7. Japanese Buzzsaw

8. Master Cleanser

9. No Hope

10. Benoit

11. Borehole

I recently saw Endless Swarm alongside fellow scots Boak in Leeds, supporting the mighty Magrudergrind as part of an all-day grind gig. I was a bit pissed and they were awesome! They're part of a new wave of powerviolence bands to come out of Scotland recently and they're certainly putting it on the map. Heck, they're gonna be sharing the stage with Cloud Rat in Edinburgh this July! Chances are, some of you who read this will have caught them on their recent tour with Brainshit, so will aleady know about them. Their EP, Lobotomy, was released right at the end of last year and there's even been a second run pressed. Again, this wasn't actually released by MRC but is related.

You know what you’re getting with powerviolence by now, but that doesn’t make it any less fun. Endless Swarm fill their's with all kinds of weird noise and electronics, in a kind of Full Of Hell crossed with Sloth Hammer kind of way. EP opener Transorbital perfectly sums that opening gambit up with the addition of a pretty stark sample explaining how to do perform a violent full-frontal lobotomy. They follow with thirty seconds of bass-heavy, dual vocalised mayhem on their title-track. Their sound is raw and infectious, with longer songs like Drone Control filled with a mix of changing time-signatures and riffs. They throw death-metal growls into the stupidly catchy Distorted Reality. Jonestown Delirium features a haunting sample from the massacre itself and something tells me that the song is anti-religious in it’s angry message. Endless Swarm don’t just play brief blasts of grind though, they also do slow sludge well. Force Fed is full of it and gives Lobotomy an evil edge, especially when it descends into mayhemic white noise. It ends with another portion of that graphic sample, before Endless Swarm spit out their own three-second fit of noise in the form of Japanese Buzzsaw before blasting you into submission on Master Cleanser. They sum up the feelings of the majority on No Hope, which has one of the best breakdowns this side of Magrudergrind themselves! All metal and grind fans enjoy a bit of Wrestling and Endless Swarm recognise this with the inclusion of penultimate song Benoit. They conclude Lobotomy with the pensive, noise-laden Borehole. It’s always interesting (at least to me anyway) to hear the beginnings of bands like Endless Swarm. They are really good live and equally on tape. You can have your beatdown and your crowd-killing. I’m happy right here with powerviolence.

Endless Swarm Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/EndlessSwarm

Godhole - S/T Double EP

Tracklist: 

Side A - 

1. Glorious Rotten

2. Emerald Youngster

3. Atrocious Forgotten

4. Diamond Scar

5. Eternal Poisonous

6. Ruby Bizarre

7. Never Healing Gold

Side B - 

8. Glorious Rotten

9. Emerald Youngster

10. Atrocious Forgotten

11. Diamond Scar

12. Eternal Poisonous

13. Ruby Bizarre

14. Never Healing Gold

This double EP marked the first release proper from MRC. It features ex-members of Fifteen Dead and is a bit of a unique release. On side A, Godhole presents powerviolence and on side B noise, but as you've probably already noticed, the songs titles are the same on both. Godhole's double EP was released on both 7" and tape late last year. 

Godhole take noisy powerviolence to a whole new level. Their double debut EP is a massive sign of intent. They’re an inventive bunch too. Side A’s openers Glorious Rotten and Emerald Youngster come and go as quickly as you can say them, yet the twenty-eight seconds of Atrocious Forgotten seem to last an age, such is the breathtaking amount of blasts and riffs that they infuse it with. The bass that rumbles at the start of Diamond Scar heralds something altogether different. A sombre and sometimes mournful slab of low-slung sludge mixed with mid-paced blackened hardcore. That sombre atmosphere is soon banished as Godhole retreats back into the rage-fuelled grind they begun with. Eternal Poisonous is just absolutely crazed, as is Ruby Bizarre, with it’s off-kilter delivery. Side A closes with Never Healing Gold, which sounds like the bastard offspring of old-school death metal and fastcore. The sound and overall production of the EP is really engaging and strangely addictive too. Side B takes Godhole in a different direction. The same songs are reworked in pure noise form. Glorious Rotten seems to take on a sci-fi persona, with screams that are swallowed up by white noise and menacing melody. Emerald Youngster is more ambient and spacey. The alternate version of Atrocious Forgotten sounds like an industrial machine going into meltdown. Diamond Scar swirls to the sound of echoing acoustic guitar and sounds starkly beautiful because of it. As you’d expect, the songs on Side B are longer for the most part. Godhole work strange progression and oriental vibes into Eternal Poisonous, before you’re pretty much frightened to death by the deafening sub thirty-seconds of feedback on Ruby Bizarre. The powerful soundclash on Never Healing Gold goes straight for the synapse. It’s genuinely terrifying, but at the same time cathartic. Godhole is definitely a band to look out for if you’re into extreme noise and with new songs already on the way. things are looking good.

Godhole Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/godholepv

Endless Swarm/Brainshit - Split

Tracklist:

1. Endless Swarm - Isolation Process

2. Endless Swarm - Tin Foil Hat

3. Endless Swarm - Hollow Victory

4. Endless Swarm - P.V.S

5. Endless Swarm - Blistered

6. Endless Swarm - Stench

7. Brainshit - Clones

8. Brainshit - Nothing

9. Brainshit - Waste

10. Brainshit - Poser-Caust

11. Brainshit - Scourge

To coincide with the recent jaunt around the UK, Endless Swarm and their noisy comrades Brainshit put this split out via MRC. The split was released on tape in March. Brainshit have played on some solid line-ups recently, alongside the likes of Corrupt Moral Altar, Pyrrhon and Despise You to name a few. Brainshit are another band that's new to me just like Godhole were, so a quick shout out to MRC for bringing them to my attention.

Endless Swarm sound a lot more on the raw side here. I mean, they sounded bloody heavy on Lobotomy, but I think the sludgy guitar and the vocals used on Isolation Process sound a lot dirtier. Tin Foil Hat is a genius song title and I can’t quite tell what the lyrics are, but I think it’s about the obtrusiveness of the Government. This split gets my seal approval due to the use of The Simpsons sample on Hollow Victory. The blasts that fill P.V.S are utterly mental and they follow on through Blistered, making both tracks essential listening. Stench seems murkier somehow, but the energy it contains is no less intense. The screams sound like rabid chainsaws and the riffs behind the vocals are massive! Endless Swarm are one of the most addictive PV bands I’ve heard in ages; however, if you thought they were fast ad loud then you haven’t heard Brainshit. They blast through Clones and Nothing with absurd pace, yet they manage to fit a lot into them. Likewise on Waste, which sounds like somebody pressed fast-forward during a Pyrrhon song. Poser-Caust starts with an expletive filled sample (probably featuring some Brit Pop band member that I should know of) slagging off heavy music, before Brainshit pour scorn over the dude by doing what they do best. Scourge arrives far too quickly yet is their longest addition to the split. It’s also the craziest song they play, with the mix of high-pitched vox and low death growls set to a backdrop of rumbling guitar and blindingly fast drums. This split provide a compelling reason to get behind UK grind and powerviolence. While it might be fashionable in the face of the efforts being made by our US cousins, both Endless Swarm and Brainshit are bands to make noise about (excuse the pun). 

Endless Swarm Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/EndlessSwarm
Brainshit Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/brainshitgrind

Now as if all of that wasn't enough fast for you, pre-orders have recently gone up for a 12" tribute to Spazz, which features 26 grind/PV bands from around the world. It's available to stream and pre-order here -

And before I run out of breath, there's also this incredible preview track for the up-coming collab 7" between Godhole and noise/power-electronics artist Crozier (also of Vile Noise Records).

Everything I've reviewed above is available for streaming and digital/physical purchase from the Mind Ripper Collective Bandcamp page above.

Mind Ripper Collective Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mindrippercollective

Castrator - No Victim EP

Tracklist:-

1. Honor Killing

2. Brood

3. The Emasculator

4. No Victim

There's no extreme metal genre more ardent than death metal. Look one way and you're confronted with Swedish greats like Grave and Unleashed, look the other way and you've got US behemoths like Cannibal Corpse and Immolation. That's not forgetting all of the gory and slamming bands that sit below the surface. US label Horror Pain Gore Death Productions have been unearthing so much underground death in recent months and Castrator are one such band. Made up of members from all corners of the world, they released their debut EP No Victim in May. 

What you get with Castrator is heavy thrash-laden death. These crazy battle vixens go straight for the jugular on opener Honor Killing. It’s hammered out at a raging tempo with a great solo at mid-point that has more than a reek of the old-school about it (which is a good think in my book). The vocals are low, rumbling growls that match the machine-gun drumming on Brood. There’s an element of slam in Castrator’s music and going back to the above paragraph. Brood even features a guest solo from Immolation guitarist Bob Vigna. That’s got to be seal of approval! After an obligatory horror movie sample, Castrator threaten to chase you down on The Emasculator. God knows what they’ll do to you once they’ve got you, but I can imagine this song playing in the background. It all ends with the whirlwind inducing title-track that’s delivered with neck snapping ferocity. After listening to No Victim, I have no hesitation in saying that Castrator have the ability to become as big as the likes of Grave, Unleashed, Cannibal Corpse and Immolation in the future. They’ve delivered a really solid EP that demands repeat listens. 

You can stream No Victim here:-

You can buy CD copies directly from Horror Pain Gore Death Productions above.

Castrator Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CastratorBand
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/horrorpaingoredeath

Edalene - I'm Still Here EP review + stream

Chances are you won't recognise the name Edalene. This Sydney quintet only formed in February 2015 and self-released their debut three-track EP I'm Still Here in May. They got in contact with me shortly after I posted a review featuring fellow Aussie band Regresser. Edalene count bands such as Pianos Become The Teeth and I Hate Myself amongst their influences and they form part of a flourishing Australian melodic hardcore/screamo scene. They've given me special permission to stream I'm Still Here via my blog's bandcamp page to help spread the word, which you'll be able to find towards the bottom of this post. 

Tracklist:

1. Ryerose

2. Awakening

3. A Tuesday In June

While doing some research into Edalene for this feature, I noticed that the recording for their debut EP was done in their guitarist’s bedroom. Only the drums were recorded in the studio. It was only when I pressed play on opening song Ryerose, that that sentence hit home because the quality of this EP is so strong in both song-writing and production. The song features a striking chorus of coarse/clean vocals, powerful drumming and plenty of melody. Edalene certainly seem very assured, more so than you normally here on a band’s debut release. I don’t want to go on talking about comparisons to other bands here, for that reason. Awakening takes subtle cues from pop-punk during it’s melodic passages and turns up the energy levels, as if Edalene are building towards something bigger. Finishing with A Tuesday In June, they don’t allow their momentum to slip and the up-tempo nature of their music really does make that crescendo-effect stand out. 2015 is getting better and better music-wise. It’s been awesome to hear more melodic hardcore and screamo with substance lately, like Regresser and UK act Faces Of Eve. Edalene are added to that list and typify everything that is good about those genres. 

As I mentioned above, I've put I'm Still Here up for promotional streaming via the blog's bandcamp. You can access the stream below:-

You can download the EP for free here - https://edalene.bandcamp.com

Edalene Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/edaleneband

Unmothered - U M B R A

Tracklist:

1. Magnetar

2. Huntress

3. Scarp

This muggy, humid day calls for some music that's equally suffocating. Unmothered are an atmospheric sludge band from Austin, Texas and they've recently released their second EP - U M B R A. It follows their debut self-titled EP that was released in 2012 and its available both digitally and on CD from the band and Crowquill Records. The release show for the EP saw Unmothered supporting both Ufomammut and Usnea. Unholy! 

Unmothered don’t play slow of mournful sludge. It’s groovy and technical. Magnetar is a noisy beast, full of crashing drums, solid riffs and blackened growls. It’s certainly dong a good job of blasting away my cocktail-fuelled hangover! Being serious though, Unmothered create more of an impression with their opener than most bands manage with an entire record. They’re not afraid to sprinkle proceedings with actual metal and they layer Magnetar with off-kilter structure. They stride into Huntress with what could be described as a speed-metal tempo. This song has a classic edge to it and the urgency is definitely appropriate. The atonal riff that kicks off Scarp is beastly, but soon breaks into something a whole lot more atmospheric. There’s no easy way to categorise what Unmothered play musically, because they incorporate so many different styles into this EP. It should come as no surprise that Unmothered offer something unique with these three tracks and you should definitely invest your time in them.

You can stream Magnetar via Crowquill's soundcloud page here - 

https://soundcloud.com/crowquill/magnetar

Unmothered Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Unmothered
Crowquill Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/crowquillrecords

Shizune - Le Voyageur Imprudent LP

Tracklist:

1. Aestheticism

2. Notes Of Decay

3. Un Telefono Che Non Squilla

4. Sputnik! Nostalgia

5. Vesper

6. Immortel Et Imperissable

7. Senza Luce

8. Orienteering In Aokigahara 青木ヶ原 

9. Difficile Da Capire, Impossibile Da Spiegare

10. Instructions For Inertia

I thought I'd take some time to re-listen to the latest LP from everyone's favourite multi-lingual Italians, Shizune. Le Voyageur Imprudent was released in March via Dog Knights Productions and Driftwood Records. It follows their 2014 4-way split EP with Infro, Tall Ships Set Sail and Things Fall Apart. The record was released on three different vinyl colour-ways. There was a Yellow/Black mix (that's now sold out), there's as solid Yellow pressing and a transparent Red pressing, which are both still available. In terms of live shows this year, they've already shared domestic stages with the likes of Storm {o}, Caravels and Regarde, as well as many others.

Shizune are similar to Ojne in their more violent approach to screamo. Aestheticism contains a lot of up-tempo blasts and jangly guitars, which alongside the vocals are delivered with real passion and emotion. The intro riff to Notes Of Decay takes you a bit by surprise, as it’s so melodic. It’s a theme of Shizune’s music that isn’t apparent straight away. There’s a lot of punk rhythms and texture hidden within their music. You think that Un Telefono Che Non Squilla is going in a straightforward rock direction initially, but it’s not long before Shizune ushers away any such notions. They sound even more powerful when screaming in their mother-tongue and the instrumentation in the background is completely in tune with the vocals. Sometimes, screamo can sound a bit misplaced but not on this occasion. The the songs on Le Voyageur… seem to flash by with the majority being under three-minutes. Sputnik! Nostalgia swirls and flows, building in volume as it goes. At times there are flashes  of previous split buddies Infro on Vesper. During the verses the instrumentation in tempered slightly and when left alone, the simple song-structures that make this song so listenable becomes apparent. The second half of the Le Voyageur is full of urgency and brief spurts of emo-violence. Immortel Et Imperissable is surprisingly engaging baring in mind it’s short running time, with plenty going on. Senza Luce contains yet distills a lot of what gave this record’s opening song it’s impact. That blistering pace that begs your attention. Orienteering In Aokigahara is a beautifully crafted instrumental track, which would be perfect on any Japanese nature documentary. Penultimate song Difficile Da Capire, Impossibile Da Spiegare is over before it’s started and is played with blistering accuracy. Instructions For Inertia is more considered as it builds, before exploding into one final burst of Shizune’s infectious screamo. You don’t harbour any feelings of relief as Le Voyageur… comes to close, instead you feel empowered and almost cleansed by the music contained within it. No song outstays it’s welcome and Shizune prove why Italy’s screamo scene is so unique and strong, even if bands are relatively small in number.

It's available as a digital stream and as a name-your-price-download from Shizune's bandcamp page below:-

Vinyl copies can be purchased from the below labels (depending on where you are in the world) -

Dog Knights Productions - http://dogknightsproductions.bigcartel.com
Driftwood Records - http://www.driftwoodrecords.limitedrun.com

Shizune Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/weareshizune
Dog Knights Productions Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dogknights
Driftwood Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DriftwoodRecords

Zex - Fight For Yourself

Tracklist: 

1. Fight For Yourself

2. Wild Blood

3. We're Rebels

4. Screaming At The Wall

5. XXX

6. Wanderlust

7. World Of Trash

8. Break Free

9. On Our Own

10. Savage City

It feels like it's Friday already and it might as well be! Day off tomorrow followed by partying on Friday night is time well worth waiting for. I'm in weekend mode and tonight it punk-rock night! This time I'm taking a look at "Fight For Yourself" by Canadian punks Zex. Zex initially released their debut album on their own and it passed me by. Thankfully, Magic Bullet Records has reissued it. That cover on it's own is awesome, so I can only imagine what the record itself it gonna sound like! If you like good old heavy metal and the sort of punk that gets a buzz in Maximum Rock n Roll, read on.

Prior to this review, I head the pleasure of listening to some 80’s hair metal and glam rock. This fits perfectly alongside that. The female clean vocals and traditional heavy metal guitars are great. The title-track is a raucous, singalong punk anthem that sets the bar high for the rest of the record. I love the intro to Wild Blood. Those riffs are excellent and begs the question: why hasn’t this appeared on Guitar Hero yet?. The twin harmonies and solo are crying out for air-guitar loving! Zex channel the essence of The Ramones and even a sniff of Rancid on We’re Rebels, but they seem to hold more credence than the latter in my opinion. Things get a bit dramatic on Screaming At The Wall, when Zex abandon the noisy punk vibe in favour of something a tad more sedate and ballad like. Don’t worry though, it’s still loud and upbeat. The production and mastering on Fight For Yourself is goddamn perfect too. XXX is gloriously rich yet still sounds like it’s being performed in a basement of garage. This a catchy punk at it’s best. This album just gets better and better. You may think I’m exaggerating here but Zex seem to turn up the melody and party vibe on Wanderlust and World Of Trash. You just don’t hear enough music like this anymore. The gang shouts on Break Free add more loudness to the record and make the whole damn song more infectious. I’m buzzing, can you tell? It’s rare these days that an album can be this catchy and fun to listen too. I think I’ve been listening to too much macho hardcore for too long now. Penultimate number On Our Own carries the momentum on with a real sense of urgency. Savage City could describe any city in the world right now, but it succeeds in making you forget about all of the trouble and strife that we’re plagued with and that alone is a victory for Zex. I can’t speak highly enough of this record and hats of to Magic Bullet for bringing to ears of more people. Now, when are playing the UK?

Stream and download Fight For Yourself via Zex's bandcamp page here:-

Physical LP's and CD's can be purchased from Magic Bullet Records here - http://www.magicbulletrecords.com/mailorder.html.

Zex Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/zexzexzexofficial
Magic Bullet Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/magicbulletrecords

Harrowed/Nothing Clean/Los Muchachos (EP Release)/Spam Javelin (First Show) - July 17 - Prestatyn

On July 17th, UK blackened hardcore mob Harrowed will be playing in Prestatyn! That in itself sounds unbelievable (trust me, I used to live in Rhyl!) but the fact that they're being joined by fellow PV noisemakers Nothing Clean, local banditos Los Muchachos (releasing their EP) and newbies Spam Javelin (in their first ever gig) is even better.

It's being co-hosted by blog favourite Footloose Records and Frontline Promotions at The Cross Foxes in Prestatyn. They're planning on making it an early-ish finish for anyone travelling from across the border in Chester, Liverpool or Manchester too.

If you're around that area, don't miss this as it's pretty rare that bands like Harrowed make out to the North Wales Coast.

Find out more details on the event page here - https://www.facebook.com/events/1445263785774926/.

Underground Uncovered #2 - Skinsuit

Much like the waves of troops that descended on French beaches during the D-Day landings, there are endless waves of new bands appearing constantly. It's pretty difficult to keep up most of the time, but that's where I come in. I may not be able to bring you every new band ever, but if I can at least spread the word about some, that'd be a good start. The subject of tonight's "Underground Uncovered" is so new, that they've only got a few obscure rehearsal videos online. They may or may not be all human, but from those videos I can definitely say that UK (North East) trio Skinsuit are loud and heavy. I'm also pretty sure the interview you're about to read is an actual "exclusive!

TNIO: So, what brought you bunch of swines together?

Skinsuit: We as people have been friends for some time, and have actually played in bands with each other before. There's chemistry musically and personally between the three of us. Our drummer was looking to start a band after some time away from bashing skins. As swine, we have been together a little over 6 weeks. The first of many under this entity

TNIO: What is the significance behind the name Skinsuit?

Skinsuit: There's a couple of reasons I suggested we be called Skinsuit. Firstly, I'm a massive fan of "Silence of the Lambs". But, the bigger picture is really the brand names that we all know but cant and will never put a face to. The pen pushers that profit from a floored system. The people that cause suffering on any level be it animal or human. I wish I could say I just wanted a nasty name and an excuse to wear a mask. Skinsuit is a means in which we can be as explicit about these issues as we like, vicariously from behind a mask. We adopt a Skinsuit ourselves!

TNIO: You’ve just finished writing and are due to record your debut EP soon. What can we expect musically and will there be any pig squeals? I’m hoping for piggy guest slots kinda like the dogs in Caninus or the birds in Hatebeak!

Skinsuit: We have concluded the writing process for Skinsuit 1 yes. But, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, there will be no pig squeals, or guest slots I'm afraid. I'm sure those bands mentioned are really cool at what they do, but it's not something i feel is relevant to serve a song (yet) maybe?

TNIO: You’re hooking up with Sell Your Soul Records for the EP release. How did that come about and can you reveal any details about it?

Skinsuit: You are 100% accurate. Andreas is a stand up guy and I personally hold him in high regard with the stuff he's released prior to us. He seems to have a keen ear and palate when it comes to aggressive music. It felt like the right decision and not a stereotypical move for a band playing the style of music we do. The release itself will have 6 tracks on it, mostly spanning no longer than 2 minutes each. Except one which is a slower number. The art is being handled by Razoreater, who has blown us all away with the work he's previewed for us so far. I will say, in relation to question 3, there may be a pig sample on there, but not to the extent they're used in Hatebeak. 

TNIO: Will you be sacrificing pigs onstage or are you secretly vegans?

Skinsuit: Who knows?! That could be messy

TNIO: Enough pig talk from me. Do you have any live plans once the EP has been recorded? What kind of show do you intend putting on?

Skinsuit: We're currently in talks with a domestic label about releasing some other music for us. So there's a lot of things slowly falling into place. We will be playing live in support of these releases too. Nothing pretty or flashy about us. Play violent songs, fast. A lot of people have suggested we exist under the grindcore umbrella. But there's more to it for us. Don't blink.

TNIO: Aside from the obvious, which other masked bands do you look up to or draw influence from?

Skinsuit: The masks are strictly relevant to Skinsuit and the metaphor it represents. That is the only influence behind wearing masks.

TNIO: You’ve released a couple of teaser videos via you’re Facebook page and I’m liking what I’m hearing. What are the chances of a split release with Cattle Decapitation in the future?

Skinsuit: Thanks! We don't really post too much from the page, so I make every post about something I feel is of importance. We have no music online yet, so what better way to hint than to post some snippets of material. As much as I'd love to do a split release with Cattle Decap, the chances are slim. Never say never though.  

So, keep an eye out on Skinsuit's Facebook page for updates regarding the release of their debut EP. To prepare yourselves in the meantime, watch those videos I mentioned here - https://www.facebook.com/skinsuitpv.

Old Skin - Like Crows Tape

Tracklist:

1. Like Crows

2. Hideous Heart

3. By The Wayside

When Esoteric Youth called it a day, it felt like there was going to be a big gulf in the Northern metallic hardcore/noise scene. Thankfully though, that gulf is being filled by fellow Mancunian's Old Skin. After the release of their very limited CD :Consume: last May, Like Crows was released via CoF Records (UK) and Smithsfoodgroup DIY (NLD) in December. Limited to 100 copies, this tape typifies all that is good about DIY tapes, featuring a cracking printed card sleeve, matching on-body tape print and mini art card inserts. 

Old Skin have always been able to build atmosphere on previous releases and the intro to Like Crows is not different. Acoustic guitar, low clean singing and noise that builds but not fully, shows a different side to the band but one that keeps expectation running high for anybody familiar with them. Talking of familiarity, Hideous Heart heads in a more comforting direction for those expecting metallic hardcore. It’s not entirely straightforward though, as Old Skin take time to hit full voice. When they do though, its worth the wait. They go out in full grinding fashion on closing track By The Wayside, which feature overflowing urgency and groove. Old Skin has always been solid musically and this tape hints at a more varied approach from the band. Hopefully there’s more to come from them this year or next, as it would be a pity to lose them too.

The tape version of Like Crows is long since sold out from the band but it's available as a free download via bandcamp below:-

You can still pick copies up from Smithsfoodgroup DIY below:-

Smithsfoodgroup DIY - http://smithsfoodgroup.storenvy.com/collections

Old Skin Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wehaveoldskin
CoF Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hatecof
Smithsfoodgroup DIY Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Smithsfoodgroup

Kurokuma - Demo

Tracklist:

1. 18.2 Tons

2. Ursus Thibetanus

It seems as though the tradition of releasing demos on tape or cdr is dying out, now we're in the digital age. Thankfully though, digital is fine when you're writing a review and I've spoken out in the past on social media about hobbyist journalists expecting (and asking for!) physical copies of releases to review and the cost involved with that expectation. Sheffield's Kurokuma are a bit of a rarity, as they play a style of heavy music that stands out amidst Sheff's more hardcore leaning. This two-track demo was released in November 2014 and has already helped them to secure slots alongside Fvnerals, Skeletonwitch and Conan to name a few! They're also in the progress of writing a new EP, so this review may be well timed.

The tags on their bandcamp page read “metal, art rock, dark doom, psych, sludge, stoner”, so that should give you a clue as to their musical direction. Much like the myriad of Leeds’ bands currently shaking West Yorkshire (Bong Cauldron, Irk, etc), Kurokuma prove that there is more to Sheff than hardcore/punk. 18.2 Tons is as heavy as the title suggests with plenty of humongous riffs and off-kilter rhythms. The vocals are roared and the music is mesmerising. On second song Ursus Thibetanus, Kurokuma pull out their stoner influences during the intro in the form of some wicked bluesy riffs. They continue through the song, just about audible through the intense screams. The percussion led instrumental section mid-way through sounds like aliens abducted Kurokuma and replaced them with a Samba band, before being swallowed up by extended guitar noise. Kurokuma are happy getting lost in their creations and they’ll drag you along too. The band is looking for a label or labels to help them get their music out physically and on this showing, somebody should heed their call. Really good stoner/doom with enough inventiveness to standout.

Stream and download Kurokuma's demo (pay-what-you want) below:-

Check their Facebook page for news on the EP and future shows if you're around the Sheffield area  - https://www.facebook.com/kurokumauk.

Underground Uncovered #1 - Okazaki Fragments

Welcome to the first instalment of a new series of features I'm going to be running, gathering together bands that might be below your radars. I'll be writing about and interviewing bands from far and wide, in the hope that people will check them out and give them more attention. I'm starting here with  Canadian death metal band Okazaki Fragments. 

Okazaki Fragments only formed last year and self-released their debut album, Abandoned in May. Much like many new bands, they're building up and promoting Abandoned and they've just played Calgary Metalfest, alongside a host of local metal acts. They've also been garnering a lot of attention recently, with a solid endorsement from NY's Pyrrhon already to their name. I conducted an e-mail interview with the band recently about their formation and what drives them as musicians:-

TNIO: Can you provide an introduction into Okazaki Fragments and who the band members are? How did you form?

OF: Okazaki Fragments formed from the remnants of two other longstanding Calgary death metal acts. All the members have played many shows together in the past and have been friends for many years. Okazaki Fragments is made up of Brian on drums, Viktor and Rory on guitar, and Sean handling vocals.

TNIO: You guys released “Abandoned” earlier this year. How was the recording process and what has the reception been like?

OF: We recorded Abandoned with a fellow Calgary metal musician Casey Rogers of Exit Strategy. The whole process was completed over the course of a week. Casey is great to work with and pushed us to ensure we captured our best possible performance. Initial reactions to the album have been unexpectedly positive.

TNIO: You’ve been compared to bands like Gorguts due to the technicality of your music. Why is Canada so prolific when it comes to technical death metal bands?

OF: Long cold winters. Canadian death metal bands tend to push themselves beyond the standard "Technical" Death Metal sound and place more emphasis on interesting song dynamics rather than an abundance of notes. This unique approach to technicality within death metal leads to the creation of some great bands. 

TNIO: One of the main purposes of these interviews is to find out first-hand how emerging bands find the transition from forming, to releasing music and touring. How have you guys found it and what experience have you gained from it?

OF: Okazaki Fragments is still a band in it's infancy, through our experiences in other bands we have all learnt that patience is incredibly important. Things do not happen overnight and you need to ensure you are properly prepared before approaching recording, touring, or any other big step as a band. 

TNIO: Following on from the above question, what advice would you give to new bands who’re maybe writing/recording an album and looking for shows?

OF: Practice and document your progress. Having a reference to visit and see where the song was headed has been very beneficial for us. We have documented all of our material in Guitar Pro and through video recordings. Being able to go back and review what has been done and where we can improve as a band has been a huge help when writing our music. When it comes to booking shows, being active in your local scene is key. Relationships with fans, bands, and other members of your local music scene are your primary resources for getting a gig.

TNIO: Has it been easy to get opportunities to play shows on a national level? Is there a strong DIY ethic amongst bands and promoters in Canada?

OF: As such a young band we haven't had the opportunity to play at the national level yet. Metal in Canada is such an underground scene that the DIY approach is still the way most shit gets done.

TNIO: What drew you all into metal in the first place? What influences you when writing?

OF: All of us grew up with an interest in heavier music. As we've grown older we have all found ourselves searching for something faster, louder, heavier, and more disgusting. Influence from way outside the realm of death metal plays a huge part in our writing process. We all share an appreciation for the innovative and experimental aspects of many styles of music.

TNIO: Have any of you played in bands before or is Okazaki Fragments your first?

OF: All the members of Okazaki Fragments have been in bands previous to this project. Rory and Brian played together in Calgary metal act Akakor, while Sean and Viktor spent time together in Mark Of Cain. These two acts shared the stage on many occasions . Both bands broke up around the same time which provided the opportunity for us to come together as Okazaki Fragments. During a brief shining moment in time Sean, Rory, and Brian also played together in a Minor Threat cover band.

TNIO: What are your future plans as a band?

OF: We are looking forward to writing our next release, pushing ourselves to find new ways to create noises.

Here's a review of their debut album, Abandoned:-

Tracklist:-

1. Abandoned

2. First Contact

3. Vermin

4. The Earth Aflame

5. Abominations

6. Huddled Masses

7. Descension

8. As The Planet Falls

In the interview with Okazaki Fragments, we touched upon the technical death metal scene in Canada and why it’s so consistent. OF bring their own style and sound to the sub-genre, with constantly shifting time-signatures, bruising kick-drums during the verses and really powerfully screamed vocals on the album’s opening title-track. This is a formula that they carry through Abandoned, While some people may profess to have heard death metal with more experimentation and technicality before, OF have a sense of approachability about them because they don’t go completely off grid. The jazzy moments during First Contact could easily be the soundtrack to  weird 60’s alien movie (you know the one’s I mean). Vermin features a lot of stop/start blast and rhythms, along with some deep gutturals that really shake your speakers. The high-pitched lead work at the beginning of The Earth Aflame brings early Dillinger Escape Plan to mind. Grind and death metal work in harmony in the song and throughout the record to make it both brutal and technical without losing the listener, which is a great skill to have. OF is made of skilled musicians though and it shows. Their song-writing and indeed the song lengths on Abandoned are meant to keep you hooked, not switch you off. Abominations contains a huge chuck of urgency and power and while OF aren’t racing to get to the end of the song, it’s still exhilarating to hear. That urgency flows through the rest of the record, with only a brief pause between Huddled Masses and Descension to give you time to breath. The latter contains some of the wildest guitar work I’ve heard for ages. I’m not sure what the musical term for it is, but you’ll know it when you hear it. It all comes to and end with As The Planet Falls and with it, any sense of normality and comfort. You know that feeling you get when you eat something really hot where you body says stop but your brain says keep going. That is listening to Abandoned is like. More please!

You can stream Abandoned here:-

As of yesterday, Okazaki Fragments have Abandoned available on CD to purchase. You can grab one via their bandcamp page above alongside the pay-what-you-want download version.

Okazaki Fragments Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/OkazakiFragmentsband

Great Reversals/Sunlight Ascending - Split 7"

Tracklist:

1. Great Reversals - Renaissance

2. Sunlight Ascending - Momentum Wheel

Summer has finally broken through the thick clouds here and how have I celebrated it?, by having a stupidly hot chili. In turn, I've promised myself a night taking care of a couple of posts I've been meaning to do for a little while. You may remember me featuring Detroit, Michigan's Great Reversals and their 7" Natural Burial a while back. I felt like re-visiting their back catalogue and wanted to check out this split with fellow countrymen Sunlight Ascending, which was released at the beginning of 2014. I don't know too much about Sunlight Ascending, so hope this is a good introduction. 

Natural Burial was a great intro to Great Reversals and working backwards with them seems a bit odd, but here I am. Their contribution to this split, Renaissance is just as big as the songs on that 7”. I like the contrast between the coarse hardcore vocals and the post-hardcore melody and atmosphere that creeps into the song from time to time. They’ve made proper use of their side of the split and it’s good to hear. Sunlight Ascending appear more laid-back during Momentum Wheel’s opening. They are a wholly instrumental band, that features post-hardcore instrumentation. Melodic guitars and subtle ambient sounds temper the aggression from GR’s side but there’s still a decent crunch at times. One thing’s for sure though, they are very proficient musicians. In fact, this whole split it a great listen. It’s great to hear two bands doing different things with a similar template. Awesome!


You can stream and download it from Great Reversals here:-

Physical 7"s can be purchased via Great Reversals here - http://www.greatrev.bigcartel.com.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a digital store for Sunlight Ascending and I know that some were given away as part of a Kickstarter they were doing, but look them up as they may have some copies left.

Great Reversals Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Great-Reversals
Sunlight Ascending Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sunlightascending

Throat - Manhole LP

Tracklist:

1. Gift Gas

2. Asbestos

3. Katoye

4. Holey

5. Soft White Walls

6. New Pest

7. Perfect Teeth

8. Euthanasia Coaster

9. Bad Heat

Is it really only Wednesday! After 21 hours of staring at a PC screen in my day job to spending yesterday and evening and part of this evening sorting out future blog interviews, I'm in dire need of something to clear my head. Thankfully, I have some perfect music to help me through and tonight I'm turning to Finland's Throat for comfort. This four-piece from Turku have been playing "party music for lobotomy patients" (their words!) since 2009. They released their first full-length, Manhole,  in 2013 via a collaboration of four international labels. I'm late to the party here, but it's okay because Mashable and Noisey said so!

Throat inhabit that strange space between noise-rock and metal, where experimentation and madcap tendencies are welcomed with open arms. There’s sound is mixture of rock, punk, sludge and general noise with both clean and harsh vox. The fits and starts of album opener Gift Gas mix melody with off-kilter sound clashes and just a hint of hardcore-punk. Manhole is definitely an album for the introverts., yet it contains enough swagger to make them feel like lotharios. Asbestos is as toxic a slice of rock n roll as it’s material based namesake (but it the most bad-ass way possible). The song-structures on Manhole and particularly songs like Katoye are in keeping with each other but still possess a glimpse of unhinged chaos at every turn. That chaos hasn’t quite spilled over yet, but there’s still a long way to go. They crawl into Holey without any notice at all and it’s here that you get a glimpse of the sludge they create. The song is a slow-burner in comparison to Manhole’s opening trio but it’s heavy edge is super pleasing. The semi-clean vocals don’t kick in until the mid point, so there’s ample time to lose yourself. Soft White Walls could well be the aural accompaniment to being confined to a padded cell and if it doesn’t get you moving, you’re probably already dead! The production, sound and general musicianship on Manhole is brilliant as well. Things are just noisy enough to stop it from sounding polished. New Pest sounds like it’s being played the bastard love-child of Electric Six and Clutch! That seems like a weird comparison and it sounded better in my head, but it makes sense when you listen to their slowed-down bizarre rock. The pace picks up on Perfect Teeth, but the distilled nature of Throat’s music is such that they don’t go bounding off into the distance without dragging you along with them. Euthanasia Coaster (great name) starts like a strange children’s song and turns into an even strange adult-only song. It’s actually the heaviest song on Manhole in my opinion, though I don’t think Throat intended it to be that way so interpret it as you will. Closing song Bad Heat is only 4.40secs on record but digitally it’s over 20 minutes long. The other fifteen minutes of the song is made up of silence followed by a short blast of noise. I’m listening to the digital song! The rest of Bad Heat did feature white-noise like silence and brief high pitched feedback. Manhole has complimented the mood I’ve been in this evening. It’s definitely one for this moments when angry hardcore or crushing extreme metal just won’t do. Throat is excellent and I should listen to them more.

Stream Manhole and download it digitally here:-

You can buy the LP version directly from Throat and depending where you are in the world, from these labels:-

Kaos Kontrol (Finland) - http://www.kaos-kontrol.org/
At War With False Noise (UK) - http://www.atwarwithfalsenoise.com
Rejuvination Records (France) - http://www.rejuvenationrecords.com

Throat Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ihatethroat
Kaos Kontrol Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kaoskontrolfinland
Rejuvination Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RejuvenationRecords

Last Orders - Witch Hunter Records

Firstly please excuse me for flagrantly stealing Mage's album title for the heading to this feature, but it's very apt. UK DIY label Witch Hunter Records is calling time on all music releasing activities and replacing it with the normality of family life and finances. Witch Hunter Records was started by Chris in 2010, going onto release music by bands that burned out bright like Bumsnogger, End Reign and Knifecrimes to bands that are still burning bright like Old Wounds, Iron Witch and Opium Lord. This feature focuses on the labels last four releases from Mage, Iron Witch, Siege Mentality and Iced Out respectively and is my way of paying tribute to the work that Chris has put over the years, in order to bring forward bands that he loves and to actively promote music that we've all loved.

Mage - Last Orders

Tracklist:

1. Dark Matter

2. The Fallen

3. Old Bones

4. Lux Mentis

5. Beyond

6. Violent Skies

7. One For The Road

It's only right to start with the band that influenced this feature's title. I last featured Midlands doom band Mage back in October 2013 when I reviewed their first full-length Black Sands. Coming about two-years on from the release of that album, they returned with second full-length Last Orders. This year has already been kind to the band, having shared the stage with the recently reformed Raging Speedhorn and a slot at Breaking Bands Festival. 

Mage have always been decidedly British in their approach, taking all the best bits from heavy metal, stoner, doom and speed metal and moulding them all into a cohesively loud unit. Dark Matter opens Last Orders with a crunchingly-fast intro and clean vocals that bring together old-school Metallica/Black Sabbath vibes. As the song-title suggests there’s a cosmic slant to the song but there’s no time to get caught up in lyrical content, as Mage up the pace and let rip towards the end of it. The thing that has always struck me most about Mage is that they know how to write. They don’t write songs that outstay their welcome and always strike the right balance between heaviness and melody. The Fallen contains some great instrumentation and vocals that show they mean business. They’re not showy, just true to themselves. The bass and overall pace of Old Bones has an air of Motorhead about it. Mage turn up the heat here and write a damn good rock song. Mid-way through it drops several stories and turns into a slow-burning sludge song that can’t help but bring a smile to your face. The most infectious song on Last Orders is Lux Mentis, for the sheer weight of it’s riffs alone. It’s majority is instrumental but for that reason it seems to sound even bigger! Beyond is Mage’s biggest slab of doom and the unmistakable whiff of stoner groove makes it hard to ignore. They scale things back slightly on Violent Skies but you’d never tell. Their brilliant musicianship keeps Last Orders on the rails. Loud is the best way to describe One For The Road and if it doesn’t make you grab a cold can to toast the album out, nothing will. 

Stream and purchase Last Orders digitally here:-

Iron Witch - The First Four Beers

Tracklist:

1. A .45 To Pay The Rent

2. Single Malt

3. Booze Blues

4. Jailhouse

5. The Cruelty Of Mankind

6. Gun Shot Residue

7. Exceed The Dose

8. Post Vegas Blues

9. The Last Of Nothing

10. Hangover Suicide

11. Death Was The Colour

12. Her Cheating Heart

13. Unhealthy Hard-On

The perfectly titled compilation gathers together the first four years if Liverpool sludge/doom band Iron Witch. It includes the songs from their "Witch Hunter Records" released debut EP Single Malt, their Post Vegas Blues (TDON Recs) and Hangover Suicide (Endtyme Records) 7"s and their side of the split 7" with The Atrocity Exhibit (Witch Hunter Records/Dead Chemists Records), plus an unreleased track. This a great release considering it's pretty hard to get their debut EP anywhere now and because their 7"s are in short supply, or even out-of-print themselves.

All of the tracks on The First Four Beers are in chronological order starting with the entire Single Malt EP. This EP was where Iron Witch’s EHG worshipping sound caught people’s ears. As such, they’re raw slabs of sludge/doom with a murky edge. I don’t recall ever properly listening to this EP, so it’s good to hear it here. The feedback-ridden and bass-heavy groove that has become a characteristic part of their sound is evident right from the off. I’m torn between going into a bit more detail about these songs and not, because I’m sure people are at least familiar with them if they’re reading this anyway. For me though, they transport right back to the times when I’ve seen them live at ‘Kin Hell Fest and the like. Their sheer power is best summed up on EP closer The Cruelty Of Mankind, which features utterly crazed screams and instrumentation that switches from uptempo crust-punk to squalid doom-breakdowns in no time. When I first started collecting vinyl, I picked up a number of records through TDON’s vinyl subscriptions and IW’s first 7” Post Vegas Blues, was one of them. That’s what comes next here. It’s immediately obvious that IW progressed in both song-writing and playing terms here. Gun Shot Residue contains one of the best riffs this side of New Orleans and still makes me smile now. I still struggle to understand how they even managed to fit songs as big as Exceed The Dose and Post Vegas Blues onto a 7” piece of wax, but they did and that’s all that matters. The Hangover Suicide 7” followed a mere six months after Post Vegas Blues and it was the first IW release that I reviewed I think. The Last Of Nothing continued IW’s expansive sound from that previous EP, while being a study in how to keep a listener fixated through the use of NOLA blues firepower.The angular and off-kilter signatures on the EP’s title-track seemed unexpected when played alongside it’s more straightforward predecessor, until the Southern-drawl was wrestled back and is carried through to Death Was The Colour. The compilation closes with Her Cheating Heart, which is almost certainly IW’s heaviest song to date and Unhealthy Hard-On, which appeared as a hidden track on original Single Malt Demo (according to Metal Archives). Unhealthy Hard-On ends The First Four Beers on a classic stoner-note and draws a line under the first four years of Iron Witch. Here’s to another four (or more!).

Stream it and download it for free or name-your-price here:-

Siege Mentality - Arrest Days EP

Tracklist:

1. Intro

2. Episode 2

3. Dying Right

4. See It There

5. Serious Threat Display

6. Mind Kicked Open

7. That Taste Again

8. Keep The Bracelets

Of course it's not just gnarly slow stuff that Witch Hunter has put out in the past. Chris has also released fast bands and Siege Mentality is keeping it in the family, as the band features members of Iron Witch. Arrest Days was released late last year and was recorded live at Bradford's infamous 1in12 club/studio. The band has gone onto play alongside Raging Speedhorn and Weedeater since the EP's release.

Siege Mentality play old-school raging hardcore in view of Negative Approach and the like, but still with a hint of the Witch thrown in. After the riffy Intro, Episode 2 is filled with screeching feedback, superbly heavy bass and snarling screams. Very few of their songs pass the two-minute mark, but that doesn’t mean they’re sloppy. Siege Mentality is made up of experienced musicians and it shows. the slow/fast dynamic of Dying Right, with it’s grooving uptempo riffs is perfect for a drunken mosh. See It There is more of a blasting beast, full of lurching and lumbering crust. They demonstrate subtle crossover on Serious Threat Display and Mind Kicked Open, but thankfully with no sign of the rap-like vocals that were notorious with that sub-genre! They’re true to their punk roots on That Taste Again, which starts with a killer drumbeat. Final slab Keep The Bracelets is their longest song and pulls together all that is good about Siege Mentality. The production on Arrest Days is warm and as it was recorded live, it’s the way that Siege Mentality should be heard.

Stream Arrest Days and grab it as a name-your-price download here:-

Iced Out - Man's Ruin EP

Tracklist:

1. For The Coven

2. Man's Ruin

3. Space Mountain

This final review has special poignancy, as Iced Out's latest EP Man's Ruin has the honour of being Witch Hunter's last release. Iced Out themselves have been quiet for a bit, but hopefully this means they're winding their way up to something bigger (a full-length hopefully). They're known for their no nonsense approach to abrasive, hardcore noise and I'm eager to here this.

That thing I said in the opening paragraph of this review about Iced Out being a no nonsense, abrasive hardcore band is all true. From furious screams to stomping rhythm percussion and even riffs chock full of Southern swagger, Iced Out mean business. For The Coven shows them at a more focused point in their song-writing and delivery and compared to their demo and previous 7”s, they’ve found a maturity without losing any of their anger. The EP title-track takes this sound a step further with added vocal reverb and general noise. The pace and make-up of the music always threatens to crescendo and break out into a massive wall of terrifying noise (at least that’s what I was waiting for), but Iced Out keep things controlled. They up the pace on Space Mountain, which is definitely not dedicated to the fun and frolics of the Disneyland ride! It’s heavier and darker, but without detracting from the momentum of the EP. The evolution in Iced Out’s sound is an interesting one and while they don’t seem as visceral as they have previously, a clearer and more focused approach is no band thing. Where they go from here is anyone’s guess, but keep an eye out because we’ll hearing a lot more from them as time goes by.

Stream Man's Ruin here:-

All of Witch Hunter's releases can be streamed and purchased as pay-what-you-want downloads from their bandcamp page - https://witchhunterrecords.bandcamp.com/music.

You can pick up physical copies from the page too (but be warned, there isn't much left!).

Witch Hunter Records has been a constant in the UK DIY heavy music scene for as long as I've been writing this blog and I'm just glad that the label was brought to my attention. I hope Chris returns someday (hoping).

Witch Hunter Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/WitchHunterRecords
Mage Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Mageband
Iron Witch Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ironwitch1977
Siege Mentality Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/siegementalityuk
Iced Out Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Icedoutriffs