Bitter End - Climate of Fear

One of those cases where the imitators surpass the originators.  Bitter End have always impressed me with honestly catchy songwriting with a strong emphasis on groove or "mosh" as the kids call it these days.  Like most Metallic Hardcore bands, the late 80's New York influence is most apparent, reminding me most of Breakdown and Judge.  Honestly though, I think this is better than anything those bands put out.  Yeah, I said it.  Older doesn't mean better.

people that know what salsa should taste like

No Zodiac - Population Control

What a nice surprise this was.  No Zodiac are purveyors of Heavily Death Metal influnced Beatdown Hardcore.  The grooves run slow and thick as tar, with enough blastbeats and thrashy moments to keep tensions high.  The considerably seismic guitar tone (I'm guessing A-tuning?) will surely devastate any yuppies or hipsters within a 50 foot radius.  The vocals are a bit run-of-the-mill and could use more neanderthal fury, but they get the job done.  This is what I wish the Xibalba full-length sounded like.  Smash all your Bane and Comeback Kid cd's.  This is the real shit.

 

rigor mortis of the ass

Inside Project - A History of Violence

What we have here is my favorite Hardcore album of the season.  This shit is tough-as-nails and packs enough surprises to keep the interest high.  There's just enough tasteful spits of blast beats and Death Metalish riffs to break up the mosh.  The production is nice too.  True, the lyrics are at times misogynistic, but I think most of you won't notice or care.  If you do care, feel free to skip it.  I mean, tough Metalcore like this is usually sketchy in some way or another.  It's good, but it ain't Posi-core.

geto boyz

Dog Days - Via Dolorosa

Another band in the seemingly endless ocean of Modern Hardcore mash-up.  I always expect myself to get bored with this style, but I never do.  I think it's because I love pretty much every sub-genre that these bands pull from.  Powerviolence, Metalcore, D-Beat, Death Metal, Sludge... All of which are great on their own, and just as good when puréed into an ultra-tough, roided, muscle pudding.  Dog Days (from jolly, old England) take a Metalcore soup base, add Post-Hardcore chunks, Euro Death Metal cream, jullienne'd Thrash, and drizzled with real guitar lead lustre.  Serve chilled and enjoy!

   

Pog Days

Fire & Ice - Not of This Earth

New York Hardcore by way of Richmond Virginia.  This reminds me a lot of fellow Richmond dudes Down to Nothing, but maybe slightly more metallic.  There's also a slight Rap influence to the vocals, very much akin to their influences Breakdown and Crown of Thornz.  But don't worry, they never end up sounding like Biohazard or anything, and the lyrics are anything but thuggish.  This is just super straight-forward Metalcore with killer riffs, near-perfect production, and some tongue-in-cheek humor thrown in too.

consider yourself "Rick Rolled"

I The Unlord

It's time for us to take a trip into the thick, cheesy depths of Münster (which is in Germany, in case you thought it was in Wisconsin or something).  What we have here is the finest example of Sludgecore that I've heard in months.  It's brutal, viscous, and plodding without ever becoming droney (a tag you'll never see on this blog).  I the Unlord  manage to be lethargic and violent simultaneously, which is a very fine line to walk.  The production works very nicely too, with the proper amount of sharpness and low-end without distorting your brain and speakers to oblivion.  If you're (like me) waiting for the new Xibalba full length, Praise the Most Dead should satiate your hunger for seismic musical catharsis.

I the Bunglord

Sexcrement - Sloppy Seconds

I honestly forgot this band still existed.  I remember Sexcrement being sort of a splinter of the band Goratory (whose album Rice on Suede might be the most underrated Death Metal album of the previous decade).  I'm actually glad their singer Adam Mason decided to keep doing Death Metal in the wake of his former bandmates forming some of the worst bands in recent memory: Despised Icon and Job for A Cowboy.  Anyway, that's beside the point.  What is the point is Sloppy seconds is a damn tasty platter of mosh-heavy Death.  They've taken the riff-driven groove parts of Goratory and Skinless and really them dominate, instead of following tradition and using sheer speed as the foundation.  Sloppy Seconds is very listenable and accessible (in a good way) without sounding  weak.

...told you it was bad

you can have this lapdance here for free

Olde Tyme Ass Whoopins

I'm serving to you three reviews that are gonna be short and sweet, instead of making you wait even longer for the paragraph-long reviews I'm known for.  Thinking up entertaining reviews is what keeps me posting so seldomly, as I rarely have time or motivation to write them.  Would you guys be more receptive to more frequent posts that have shorter reviews, or would you rather things stay the same?

Gorelust - Reign of Lunacy

Here's a rare side of Death Metal beef (two puns!) that I found while searching Metal Archives.  Gorelust tread the familiar waters of "plain Jane" Death Metal.  Not offering anything new (even in 1995), but providing sufficiently heavy sounds for effective  headbanging.  It's vaguely reminiscent of Cannibal Corpse and Suffocation with a bonus of very good drumming.

Bluuurgh... - In My Embrace

This record is far better than you would think, coming from a band named after an expulsion of gas.  In My Embrace is an overlooked gem of early Death Metal for sure.  There's plenty of great riffs and sick, retching vocals to be had here.  This could even be a classic had there been more interesting drumming and better arrangement.  But, this album must be appreciated for what it is: good, thrashy Death Metal.

Cast Aside - The Struggle

Of course, I can never go too long without posting some moshable Deathwish-style Hardcore.  Songs about Straightedge pride, being stabbed in the back, and destroying your enemies are all par for this course.  The lyrics maybe "old hat", but there's just enough variety and "freshness" to keep things entertaining and energetic.  There's a lot to like if you're into the late 80's fast crossover style, or the mid 90's mid-paced mosh.  It's hard, it's tough, and it gets you're blood flowin'.  That should be good enough for your chunky, mouse-potato ass.

Death Before Dishonor - Friends, Family, Forever

 Super Hardcore Weekend Part Deux

Time and time again I realize that bands I used to shit on years ago are actually rather good.  DBD is one such example.  Without having listened to them much, I dismissed them as "untrue" thugs because of their association with FSU (whom I consider to be a gang).  But now I'm older and have shaken loose those militant stances of my youth.  I mean, who really gives a shit about their lifestyle?  Thuggish tendencies of musicians never stopped me from listening to Rap or Black Metal back then.  As long as the lyrics aren't too ridiculously depraved, all that matters to me is that their music is good.  I think Death Before Dishonor deliver in this field.  While they may not be at Trial or Violation's level, the thick tones and burly delivery still hit my proverbial spot.  DBD (at this stage) is like an improved version of Terror or Death Threat.  Very metallic Hardcore with good speed and just the right amount of breakdowns.  You know what you're in for here.

spot me, bro

Last Witness - Mourning After

Let's get into some slow jamz for the ladies.  Seriously though, I'm taking a break from what's now my regular Thrash posts and giving you some Tae-Kwon-Do quality Metalcore.  Last Witness are sort of in between the obese, Sumo-slap of Xibalba and the more "Rocking" sound of Hope Con.  It's a nice balance for me.  The medium pace makes this record great for lifting weights, or a brisk jog.  'Cause, let's face it, exercising is probably  the number one activity people do while listening to this stuff.  Metalcore might be the C&C Music Factory or Snap! for people with stretched-ears.  Mourning After isn't without merit though.  There are plenty of cool riffs and grooves here, and the band have seemingly limitless amounts of variations of each.    My only real gripe is the singer's voice seems to be "cracking" and some of the lyrics are rather uninspired; but don't worry, you'll be too busy counting reps and looking good to notice.

just call me angel of the mourning

Violent Ends - Invisos

It's been quite a while since I posted something like this.  Violent Ends (band name of the year) play my favorite style of modern, moshy Powerviolence.  They definitely remind me of Weekend Nachos with their fat, girthy sound.  In fact, the "fat" has been taken one step further with a Swedo-Finnish "muddy buzzsaw" guitar tone (which I always love).  There's just the right balance of moderate chugging parts and fast, stiff blast-beat parts.  This  album is expectedly straightforward and very well done.  I would have preferred a more guttural vocal instead of the typical Hardcore rasp, but that's a pretty minor flaw.  All in all, Invisos hits all the right spots.

vile lent ends

Inside Out - No Spiritual Surrender

Unless you're really into Hardcore, you might not know that Zach de la Rocha used to sing for one of the best and most important "Youth Crew" bands out of California.  What also might surprise you is that Seminal band only released one amazing EP before disbanding a year later.  So far ahead of their time, this EP (with some cleaner production) could be considered Modern Hardcore even by today's standards.  The breakdowns, the pinch-harmic leads are all very Metallic, but the lyrics and vocals are pure Hardcore Punk; harkening back to the early 80's golden age.  This effort combines the two genres in the best possible way; the musicianship and bottom-heaviness of Metal with the energy and honesty of Hardcore.   I've always liked Zach's harsh screams, and here, he's even better than he would become with 'Rage.  I can't believe  I haven't posted about this earlier.   This record is sort of the Hardcore equivalent of Antichrist or Privilege of Evil; an almost untouchable scene classic.  It's that good. 

like a sturgeon

Armed for Apocalypse - Defeat

This is probably what The Acacia Strain would sound like if they were actually good.  The foundation here is build solidly on mid-paced grooves, but there's just enough fast parts to break it up.  The production works, it's pretty clean, but it could use more bottom-heaviness with the guitars and the overall mix.  Not much to say when you know what you're in for; belligerent, mosh-tastic Metalcore (without any lifestyle elitism or "thug" influence).  Interesting art too.

the demon who makes trophies of men

Presto? - Comportamento Macabro

Up now is a pretty damn good hybrid of "beatdown" style Metalcore and Grind.  They're taking the concept of Ratos de Porao and creating a modern interpretation of it.  So instead of sounding like 80's crossover thrash, it's more like 90's Metalcore with Death Metal/Grindcore influence.  A marriage of Mosh riffs and blast-beats.  To some of you it may sound like mixing oil and water, but it works for me.

pumps and a bump

Weekend Nachos - Worthless

This year, the Nacho boys have returned and given us a new (very short) LP.  Just like last time, they've made some changes, but still deliver the goods.  This recent album sounds like a compromise between their last two:  you get the speed and fury of Punish and Destroy, plus the generous helpings of mosh from Unforgiveable.  The enormous, "tree-felling" guitar tone that everyone loves is still there, and is a bit more "detailed" thanks to a slightly cleaner production job.  The only thing that's really missing are the "clenched-teeth" vocals that the singer was known for.  This time around, he's opted for a more typical, throaty scream; sounds fine, but not nearly as intimidating.  Still, a stellar release, and proof that Los Nachos remain at the top of the Powerviolence heap.

bob swerski approved

Harm's Way - Isolation

If you're like me, you often have to push really hard to motivate yourself to work out.  After a long day of work, you need all the help you can get to manage getting off the couch and exercising (more work).  This squeaky new album is just the remedy for such problem.  You can now look forward to your routine knowing you have the perfect soundtrack for muscle development.  

Harm's Way have been making waves in the hardcore/metalcore scene for a few years now; starting as a vaguely metallic Powerviolence band, and later as a typically "moshy" Metalcore band.  This most recent album continues in that path, but now, I hear a significant Godflesh influence.  There's even one song that uses a drum machine, very odd, but it doesn't suck.  Aside from that, this is pretty straight-forward slow to mid-paced heaviness.  The production here is great too; slick and punchy, reminding me of Dan Swano's work.  Overall, this is just a great album to do strength training to, or to beat people that don't meet your elitist ideology.

 yes, that's the singer, talk about tough-guy cred...

 music with broad shoulders

Violation - Devoured

Metalcore, the genre that everyone seems to love to hate.  Even people raised on the stuff usually won't admit to liking it.  For all the negative connotations it's acquired, man is it satisfying when it's done right (to my ears, anyway).  This isn't the usual "Cro-Mags meets Slayer" sound of yore, nor is it the "At the Gates meets Throwdown" sound of today.  This particular cocktail sounds like equal parts late 90's Hatebreed and early 90's Sodom.  Close attention was paid to both the fast and slow parts, as they compliment each other nicely, and neither one outshines the other.  For a small-time band, the production here is quite good.  All instruments are clear and at the perfect volume, except for the clich'e "inaudible" bass.  The vocals are a special standout, being both highly intelligible and having an authoritative, throaty sound.  Really, the only thing missing on this album is some blazing solos.  Maybe, in time...

don't fear the mosh, my friend

Xibalba - Madre Mia Gracias Por Los Dias

It's been too long since I posted some moshy shit, so I'm bringing out this bruiser.  I first saw this band opening for Final Fight's last show, and was definitely impressed.  They definitely bring the "fat" in more ways than one.  Sure, their music is sweaty and overweight, but they also tend to draw a fatter fanbase, as well as having two fat members in the band (think Crowbar).  I especially remember one guy at their show that was dancing pretty hard, despite being 350+ pounds.  What a nice break that was from being surrounded by puny, "more elitist than thou" vegans that I was used to.

Getting to the actual music, Xibalba sound like a more modern version of Disembodied:  just constant slow to mid-paced moshy Metalcore with a slight Death Metal influence.  For working out, or practicing the "helicopter" in front of your mirror at home, nothing beats this.  You might even hurt your rotator cuff by the time the album finishes.  Even if you have the demo version, you should still download this, as it's a properly mixed and mastered version.

music to gain weight to

La Miseria de tu Rostro - Savia

Sometimes, youtube can be just as good a place to find new bands as any blog out there; such is the case with me finding this Chilean specialty.  From the cover alone, you might think this is some straightforward Deathwish style muscle-flexing, but you'd be wrong.  La Miseria brings together all the offshoots that Hardcore created in the 90's: Screamo, Metalcore, Melodic Hardcore, Mathcore...  The only thing that's missing is Pop-Punk, which, you can rest assured, will never be posted here.  They also blend all these sounds very nicely; all the influeces are distinct, but not choppy.  The production is well and clean, which fortunately, is becoming more and more common with small-time bands like this.  This is just a great little album that has the hardness, the variety, and the substance.  Fans of Trial, Breach, Reversal of Man, and Loxiran should all find something to like here.

fresh roasted misery

Weekend Nachos

I've been digging this band a lot this past year. Definitely one of the top 5 powerviolence bands going right now. This is the meanest and toughest sounding hardcore you'll hear anywhere. It's hard to believe these are just normal looking dudes making this music, cause this shit sounds massively obese.  For the most part, they sound like a better-produced Infest with the heft of Crowbar.  On their newest album, Unforgiveable, they've ditched most of the speed for a thicker, more mosh-heavy and metallic sound.  But don't let the whole "metallic" thing scare you, those are some serious riffs and attitude being dished-out (not mindless palm-mutes and preachy vegan nonsense). This is what shitty fat-guy metalcore bands like 100 Demons and Full Blown Chaos wish they could sound like!

I have their whole discography here, which includes the horribly produced ep's, but the two full-lengths are where it's at.

rock over chicago!