April 2012 – #347

AGE OF COLLAPSE – “Burden of Beast” LP

Sprawling, dark hardcore from San Diego. AGE OF COLLAPSE touch on a wide range of influences here: although rooted in modern, epic crust, the pleading vocals and haunting, melodic guitars owe as much to screamo as they do to FROM ASHES RISE or FALL OF EFRAFA. Slow, hypnotic breakdowns give way to faster punk parts that remind me of Spanish heroes MADAME GERMEN, a comparison made all the easier when I occasionally mistook the reverb-drenched guitars for bowed string instruments. This recording sounds absolutely huge, and in all the right ways; it’s easy for this kind of music get bogged down under the weight of ambition, but AGE OF COLLAPSE wisely avoid the trap of monotony with a seemingly endless flow of masterfully-placed riffs. Serious without feeling self-indulgent, these songs convey a sense of loss and exasperation that is echoed in muted artwork and bleak, narrative lyrics. (WB)

(Aborted Society)

ANCIENT FILTH – “Too Young (Fuck Adults)” EP

Indignant political punk from Massachusetts. Everything here centers around a classic, mid-tempo approach, but ANCIENT FILTH set themselves apart with heady samples and breakdowns that border on the epic without detracting from the overall sense of immediacy. Vocals are solid throughout, if a bit monotonous, and the lyrics and accompanying explanations are quite brilliant, touching on classic anarcho-punk themes without feeling ever like a rehash. The packaging takes everything to the next level, the vaguely Giger-esque cover art unfolding to reveal an awesomely detailed two-sided poster along with a mysterious drawing of a spiral galaxy that is never quite given proper context. (WB)

(Shock To The System)

APPALACHIAN TERROR UNIT – “Black Sands” EP

Genre music for genre people, APPALACHIAN TERROR UNIT certainly aren’t doing any favors to those of us wanting to defend the continuing vitality of the contemporary crust scene against its many, many critics. D-beats, chugging breakdowns and well-worn thrash guitar leads abound throughout, while “The End of Complacency” adds female/male vocal trade-offs to the “incensed dude half-screaming trite lyrics over a slow, forgettable riff” formula that always made me think of BEHIND ENEMY LINES as one of the most over-hyped bands of the new millennium. Definitely the best-sounding release I’ve heard from them so far, but this EP is mostly noteworthy for having some of the ugliest, tackiest art in recent memory. (WB)

(Profane Existence)

IN RUINS – “Lifeless” LP

Unapologetically grim and apocalyptic, IN RUINS show you don’t need to reinvent the wheel to put out a worthy punk record in the year 2012 (ok, this came out in 2011, but you get the point). I know I roll my eyes every time I see a lazy reviewer comparing a crust band to TRAGEDY, so you’ll just have to trust me when I say that the galloping, melodic dual guitars make that actually merited in this case. This record doesn’t have the most memorable hooks, but when they get ripping IN RUINS is right up there with WOLFBRIGADE and other obvious forbearers. It certainly doesn’t hurt that these guys are shredders and clearly had a lot of fun writing these interwoven guitar leads, though I will say the palm-muted chugs that pop up every once in a while reminded me way too much of metalcore. Vocals are gritty and perfect, and the drumming is supremely solid throughout with enough tricks thrown in to keep things interesting. Definitely worth picking up, I’m expecting even bigger things from this band in the future. (WB)

(Anti-Corporate)

WARCOLLAPSE – “Defy!” LP

A reissue of the most recent full-length from one of the powerhouses of Swedish metalpunk, WARCOLLAPSE have been putting out some of the world’s heaviest käng for over two decades and this album is no exception. Fans of DISFEAR, MARTYRDÖD, and the rest of the Scandi-pantheon will eat this right up, and the band remains faithful to the guttural vocals, plodding riffs and meaty d-beats that have defined their sound since the mid-’90s. Shit gets downright psychedelic for the YOB-worthy sludge of the title track, and a liberal use of effects throughout the LP adds a whole other dimension to an already-winning formula – I love how the vocals occasionally integrate delay in a subtle, understated way to add an extra air of atmosphere. This record was apparently recorded over the course of three years, and it shows, with incredible musicianship and a total absence of filler. If this record doesn’t have you involuntarily pumping your fists within minutes of putting it on, you obviously do not lead a crust as fuck existence. (WB)

(Profane Existence)