Top Ten:
PETER GUTTERIDGE-Pure-LP
CØNDITIØN-EP / LIFE CHAIN-EP
LAKES-Blood of the Grove-LP
KOSZMAR-Jeniec Wojenny-LP
RADIOACTIVITY-EP / 440-EP
ATTACK SS/FRENZY-split / MANATEES-45
SUFFERING MIND/SIXBREWBANTHA-split
AUTONOMY-lathe+split
KOROVA-lathe / WAU Y LOS ARRRGHS-LP
LAUDANUM/LOTUS FUCKER-live
Oh bands of this world, hear my cry: no more ISIS crust. There was a time not too long ago when incorporating the post-rock dynamics of bands like KINSKY, PAIK and, yes, GODSPEED, into heavy punk seemed like a great idea, pushing back on genre conformity and expanding the palette for a new generation of bands to the explore. Montreal's LE KRAKEN are one of these bands, raised on a steady diet of CULT OF LUNA (blech) and epic crust, but like many of their peers, they simply aren't bringing much that's noteworthy to the table. For a style that's so serious and self-consciously arty, too much of this feels like an excersize in cookie-cutter songwriting, from genre-standard throaty growls to the largely predictable chug>spacey>chug>breakdown song arcs. As is often the case for bands of this ilk, I actually just wish they would play to their strengths, ditching the metallic side of their sound and going for full-on po-ro. But what do I know, I don't even listen to NEUROSIS. (WB)
(L’Oeil du tigre)
440 – "Nailed Down" EP
Did you even wonder what that NERVESKADE 7" would sound like on 78, but can't afford a new turntable? Miami's 440 are here to help. Seriously, this might have the best/worst production in recent memory, an unapoligetically filthy affair that will probably burn holes in your soul if you aren't careful. Under all that hiss, these anxiety-inducing miscreants manage to conjure up some savagely chaotic grind/power violence that's sure the sate the blast freaks, and they just might win over a raw ponk or twelve in the process. Definitely a standout. (WB)
(Regurgitated Semen)
SWORDWIELDER – "Grim Visions of Battle" CD
And the dark Lord said, "Let there be Stench!" After a couple of demos, this is the debut full-length from these Gothenburg death dealers, and they've really outdone themselves here. This might as well be titled Hails to England for it's allegiance to the model carved out by 80s stalwarts like DEVIATED INSTINCT and AMEBIX, creeping chorus-drenched riffs and all, but SWORDWIELDER does an admirable job of modernizing their inherently retrograde approach without ending up sounding like a false. The guitar work is top-notch, inventive and peppered with just the right amount of gloomy clean bits, while the vocals are spot-on throughout. This album has grown on me with every listen, easily worth rallying the hordes near you and giving it a spin. (WB)
(Cubo de Sangre)
CONSPIRACY OF DENIAL – LP
Racing, expansive d-beat/crust with lyrics in Greek and English, CONSPIRACY OF DENIAL have cranked out an impressive debut here, incorporating melodic elements and epic breakdowns without losing the driving pummel that makes for a great hardcore record. I'm admittedly a sucker for well-executed dual vocal crust, and this band knows just how to push my buttons in that regard, all the better when these are matched with articulate, introspective lyrics. Fifteen years into the 2000s, a lot of punks have understandably grown weary of melodic crust, but fans of bands like SCHIFOSI and FROM ASHES RISE would do well to hunt this out. (WB)
(Scarecrow/World's Appreciated Kitsch)
