July 2013 – #362

Top Ten:

BIOCIDIO–“Brutal Motivation”–EP
PARTISANS–“Police Story b/w Killing Machine”–45
EFFLUXUS/INFERNÖH–split
OAKS–"Field Beat"–LP
RED MASS/CINDY LEE–split
FRACASO–EP/OCCULT SS–EP
RAISER/VENGANZA–split
V/A–“Why Diet When You Can Riot/Carry On Rioting”–LP
CRIMSON SCARLET–45/BEATERS–45
LIFEFORM/INFEST/OWL-live

HORROS – "Iron Birds" EP


A strange egg here. HORROS are from Finland and offer a pretty burly take on the apocalyptic crust angle, paired with some of the most unapologetically cheezy speed metal leads yet dared on a punk record… the results are about as schizoid as you'd imagine. So long as the shred's buried under a layer of grim fuzz it works out alright, adding a nice dose of melancholy to the proceedings, but the repeated dual-guitar soloing the crops up had me thinking of long hairs in all the wrong ways. Aside from that, there's plenty of quality to sink one's teeth into, and the b-side "Silence" is a definite standout, starting in a more rocking vein only to grind down into an expertly crafted mournful doom outro. This is a record that will reward patient listeners, even if the journey is a bit uneven. (WB)
(Face Your Gods/K.Youtanto)




LIKE RATS – EP

Not that LIKE RATS actually have anything to do with industrial music, but I was at least hoping the self-appointed GODFLESH lineage would be apparent in terms of an dense, oppressive atmosphere...alas. Instead, we have some gritty and direct hardcore that would probably be pretty fun to windmill to (if you're into that sort of thing), and they pull of the THOU-covering-SABBATH trick well enough to add some dynamics to the proceedings. I wasn't blown away, but it seemed competent enough...and then I had to go and read the lyrics. At first glance it's your typically embarrasing hXc bro-dog musing—I know I'm not the only one who's sick to death of hearing rehashed narratives of normative masculinity—but that's just the beginning. I can't tell if the band is actively trying to court controversy or are just obscenely fucking ignorant (the DARKTHRONE knockoff logo has me leaning towards the former), but at a certain point, does it even matter when your "artist output" contains such gems as "We want to be clean, I want to be pure" and "Sons and fathers die but blood lives on"? Whoa dude, that's sooooo naughty. Wait, no, you're not edgy, you're just the kind of turd I got into punk so I wouldn't have to interact with anymore. (WB)
(A389)

MULTIPLE TRUTHS – "No One Wins" LP
This debut LP finds MULTIPLE TRUTHS distilling modern melodic crust into something emotive and monolithic, finely balanced between desperation and restraint. On the surface this is actually quite accessible for a hardcore record, with (relatively) minimal distortion and a crisp, transparent production, but there's a definite affinity for experimentation, indicated by frequent tempo shifts and the occasional introduction of piano and subtly-placed guitar effects. Mariam's corrosive vocals lend a tempestuous air to the proceedings, and the occasional singing bits should give goosebumps to anyone raised on 90s U.S. anarcho-punk. Lyrics are introspective, somber, and often theological in scope, so I of course ate it right up. MANIPULATION/HERDS/CONDENADA/CALL ME LIGHTNING/PERMANENT RUIN folks if you need more convincing, this is real deal stuff. (WB)
(Halo of Flies/Religious Plague)


RUINED FAMILIES – "Blank Language" LP
A hazy hardcore/post-punk amalgamation from Athens, Greece, RUINED FAMILIES eschew formula and convention to create a truly original take on these forms, and the results are generally stunning. There really is a lot going on here, reflecting a plethora of influences and intents from screamo to shoegaze to eurocrust, and watching them peel away like layers of an onion is a true pleasure. While there are frequent references to tremolo-happy black metal, these are repurposed in a more angular direction that fans of JUNGBLUTH and THROWERS will enjoy, along with some moments of sheer dreamy beauty—the intro to "Easy Living" would be right at home on the next WHIRR record, and when things slow down I was reminded more than once of the equally singular CRIMINAL CODE. It's definitely not for everyone, but those looking for progressive, intelligent hardcore should take note: Blank Language is more than worthy of your attention. (WB)
(Adagio 830)