CultureXShok HC

Exemption: 'Separation From Self'

14.07.18

If you are on the hunt for a new artist to listen to then you need to look no further because Exemption have got you covered. If you are unfamiliar then get familiar! They are a heavy hitting metallic hardcore band from Huddersfield and are making a name for themselves in the UK hardcore scene. I am a fan of their previous 2017 EP release Fall of Inquisition and was really pleased to hear of their new single Separation From Self. After giving this a listen I have to admit, I’m very impressed and feel Exemption are definitely stepping up their game and will definitely be going places with their newer material.

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For a single track, the length is fairly long at just over 4 minutes. If you ask me though, 4 minutes was simply not long enough as this track really gripped me and left me wanting more. The sound and production levels are on point with this track on both an instrumental and vocal level giving it a professional edge. Catchy guitar melodies kick this track off which escalates into some chugging beatdown styled hardcore riffs and sets the tone. This takes a heavy direction when a massive down tuned breakdown comes in with almighty crashes and thunderous drum smashes. The pace is pretty unpredictable which I like and swiftly transitions between steady 2 step parts with added drum fills, rapid  sections with metallic riffs accompanied by some technical leads/harmonics and of course some slower parts allowing them earthshaking breakdowns to filter through.

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There is no messing around with the vocals either. Alex does a great job holding his bold raspy shouts through the duration of track and without it becoming too repetitive. These vocals work perfectly with their style of music and are very fitting within the dark and sinister themes. All in all it’s a very fluid track and is an engaging listen complete with some fantastic song writing that contain some carefully chosen influences. I’m looking forward to hearing more from Exemption in the near future and this is definitely a track that should hopefully please all hardcore fans. This has just been released so make sure you check it out and support the band.

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Relevant credits for this review have been included below:

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Recorded/Mixed/Mastered by: Myroslav Borys - Jigsaw Audio https://www.facebook.com/thejigsawaudio/

Artwork designed by: Daniel Owen - Nemesis Design https://www.facebook.com/NMSISDSIGN/

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DCA: 'Forge'

22.06.18

In many conversations about music DCA are a band that does not come up frequently and I do feel they are slightly underrated but the latest record Forge contains 11 brand new tracks of hard as nails music that puts them in a high position as far is it comes to the beatdown hardcore scene. DCA have been a band since 2007 which is remarkable as I only got into them a few years (it’s a shame it was not sooner) but since becoming a listener of them, I do think that Forge is by far their best release.

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There is nothing completely re-inventing with the sound but god damn this is as aggressive, ruthless and as heavy as records come. One thing is clearly different though, the style is a little more charismatic, lyrical content and themes have been carefully chosen and there is clearly a clever framework to their song writing and album structure which is something that can be often dismissed on beatdown records. I was a huge fan of their previous releases Upsurge, Coal and the 4 way split just to name a few, but they did not grip me as much as this release. Forge gives a satisfying listen for when you are in the mood for something just that little bit heavier and shows a solid direction that the band is heading in.

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Cargo puts the record straight into sixth gear and it’s evident how heavy this record is going to be with only 10 seconds being into it. It’s very enjoying listening to them delicious sounding guitar chugs and hard hitting drums and there is subtle homage to bands such as Unit 731, Circle of Death and Line of Scrimmage. Deep bellowing vocals overlap the relentless drum smashes and halfway through we hear a switch to rap style vocals to keep us on our toes and not long before this transitions into a massive spin kick worthy breakdown. Dead Before I Hit the Ground is up next and starts with some funky sounding drum fillers. I found this part very catchy for an intro and the guitars then kick in afterwards with some steady, heavy riffs and more of them ferocious vocals. Some of the instrumental parts are very memorable and throughout the record introduces a few 2 step parts. It nicely quickens the pace to keep the record entertaining as the majority of the music is relatively steady.

The next few tracks Thread X Needle, Years Alone and Red on Blue are all well-structured and contain good quality instrumental work and the sound also has great production. Despite each track being as heavy as the next and containing multiple pummelling beatdowns, to me, it doesn’t get boring. Seul adds a nice gap between the first and second half of the record which is more of an eerie sounding interval with lots of instrumental feedback, sludgy atmospheric sounds and a voice clip embedded into this. This really sets the scene for second half and leads into Zar which is a very dark and more sludgy sounding track.

Each song does have it’s own style and theme on this record and although there are not really any risks being taken with their style but if you look beyond this you will appreciate the ear busting riffs, the slow down tuned tempo and the blistering screams of fury. It’s heavy hardcore at it’s best. Blood Ceremony and Blazing Base take us towards the end part of the record and I feel Blazing Base even takes the heaviness up another notch which I thought to be impossible. Spitfire is the finale and starts off with a hard house style sound which I found to be very similar to the old Fear Factory remixes and certainly gives this track a more nostalgic industrial feel. There are some memorable parts in this track and if you leave the track running to around 6 minutes a cool rap, grime part comes in to top it off. Love it!

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As I mentioned earlier DCA are not reinventing with this style of music but the sound they have is absolutely spot on and I would not have them change the way they write music. If you want something that is heavy 

hardcore with a solid beatdown influence, contains interesting lyrics and mental mosh parts then this is the record for you. Pick it up from BDHW.

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World of Pain: 'No Utopia'

27.05.18

San Diego's World of Pain are back it again and the beatdown group pull no punches with their latest release No Utopia. This is a record that gives a realistic insight into the corruption, criminality and terrorism that is currently ongoing in the current age. This is as pissed off as music can be and provides a violent soundtrack to the grim world we live in.

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Crank up the volume on this one as Knee Deep (in the dead) turns up the heat, beginning with a sound clip which  transitions quickly into blistering drum beats and fast paced rhythms finishing off with that typical WOP sound of down tuned chugs and a hellish breakdown. Internal Warfare follows on from this and is an absolute belter of a track. Bulky guitar riffs riproar between rapid pummeling drums, not long before sharp harmonics ring out giving way to relentless down tuned chugs that give your eardrums a battering. The drum work in this record is fantastic and Paul does a fine job of keeping the tempos between rapid rhythms, booming double bass and almighty crashes adding to the aggressive sound.

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Virtue Thirst spins the record into a faster gear with thrashy, metal riffs and breakneck speed drumming. Halfway through this track you really see the true aggression come through when a quick break of silence happens and Noah lets out a blood curdling low scream that lasts around 10 seconds. It's truly menacing and very intimidating. Losing Sight also shows a very vicious side vocally with earsplitting roars that echo throughout the track. Instrumentally this track is great with both guitarists coinciding between riffs, quick breaks and pinch harmonics. The drum work fits perfectly with this pausing and then snapping back into snares and double bass. Then in comes the low base just to top of them awesome breakdowns! There is also use of quick gang vocal parts on this track and a mosh call with absolutely no remorse. 

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More hammering drums, ten tonne breakdowns and epic chugs take us through the last part of the record on the tracks, Apocalypse Now, Leech and Burden. This may not be everyone's cup of tea but if you get amped up on massive riffage, earth shaking breakdowns and bitter heaviness then this is going to be the best record for you. As far as beatdown style records go No Utopia definitely ticks all the boxes and goes above and beyond. Jam packed with content and opinions on our dwindling times, this record is nothing but ruthless, bitter and full of hate and will certainly leave an everlasting effect on its' listeners.

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This vinyl is has just been released on 25.05.18, make sure you pick this up from BDHW. Links below.

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Thronetorcher: 'Eden's Poison'

19.05.18

2018 has already had some phenomenal releases. There have been so many heavy bands emerge as of recent and one that does stand out for me is Thronetorcher, who have just broken through with their debut release Eden's Poison. This will be out for release through Beatdown Hardwear and I honestly could not think of a better record label to put this out as they are truly an unstoppable force.

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This record packs one hell of a punch and upon the first listen is much heavier than I was anticipating. There is simply no messing about through any of this record and combines the perfect proportion of annihilating guitar riffs, pummelling drums and calamitous down tuned breakdowns! Thronetorcher features ex members of the bands Broken Humanity, Felony and Intense so this already gives a good indication to how vicious sounding this band is going to be. The self titled introduction track kicks of with some heavy guitar chuggs that are left to ring out which builds up the hype and this leads on to that classic beatdown style. Gang style callouts give a massive fuck you before throwing in a breakdown that comes at you like a headbutt to the face. 

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Thronetorcher have achieved a perfect combination of both metallic hardcore and heavy beatdown sounding hardcore which results in quite a unique sound. Both Animal Mind and Depths of Despair contain more heavy hitting breakdowns but before it gets too certain, steady guitar rhythms and thrashy riffs are thrown in to break these tracks up and keeping it entertaining. Amongst the chaos and heaviness, Chris's vocals bring a raw edge to each track with waves of dreariness and negativity. The lyrical content is intellectual, covering themes of mental health and broken societies amongst many others and the bellowing shouts are very strong and forthright which is perfect for their style. 

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The tracks Eden's Poison and Lord of Disease also contain steady chugs and rhythmic drum work and are both very catchy. The whole record is in fact powerful listen and is filled with tonnes of passion and aggression. Thronetorcher's debut record is an absolute powerhouse. For fans of metal, hardcore and beatdown this is definitely not one to be neglected. 

This record is released on 25.05.18, make sure you pick this up from BDHW. Links below.

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Words of Concrete: 'Negative Vibes'

08.05.18

The beatdown hardcore scene is still going strong and what better way to keep it alive than with Words of Concrete’s upcoming release Negative Vibes. If you are a veteran listener of Word of Concrete and enjoyed East German Cold and Between Home and Hell then you are absolutely going to love this! Gritty, dark and bleak are only some of the best ways to describe this record and shows a combination of pain, struggle and misery included in the themes and this is influenced from each individual in the band.

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Take a deep breath before putting this record on as it’s a heavy listen and certainly not one for the fragile hearted. Ghettobeat 2.0 kicks off the record with a dark trap style beat which builds the anticipation and shortly after, the classic earth shattering breakdown parts set it off which is what they do best. Catchy riffs, agile and rapid drum work, along with massive breakdowns carries this over to The Thirst, The Hunger and really takes this early part of the record into full swing. The structure, instrumental parts and the snap mosh parts are carefully placed, instantaneously showing a whole new mature structure to their song writing.

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Touched by Hell, Cold Nothing and Negative Vibes are all very heavy tracks and reinforce themes of family, friends and loss. There are a couple of guest vocal spots on both Cold Nothing and Negative Vibes with Alex from Malevolence and Toni from the BDHW label which mixes things up a bit and along with Rob everyone gives a raw and aggressive vocal performance. Perfect for this style of music and speaking of which, enhances the listening experience combining harsh raspy shouts with lower powerful growls taking the sound to another level. Rob is giving his whole heart and soul into each song.

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The second half of the record flows well and maintains a steady pace with catchy down tuned guitar riffs, brilliant drum work and the bass on the breakdowns just emphasises the heaviness! The record is carefully split up by including some trap beats throughout and some slower parts with melodic guitar patterns, which I think works well. The Trip sees another guest performance of Luke from Xile who also adds more rawness alongside Rob and this takes us through to the last track Still Struggling which tops the record off and eventually fades out to static noise.

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If you are feeling down, depressed or angry then give Negative Vibes a listen as this may be the perfect record for you. You can follow the dark journey of each member of Words of Concrete throughout the record. A powerful and a convincing good quality beatdown hardcore record with a fantastic production to match. All of their heart and passion has clearly gone into this and is definitely a record you will need in this day and age.

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This record is released on 15.06.18, make sure you pick this up from BDHW. Links below.

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Prowler: 'The Curse'

09.10.17

Prowler released their first music on a split record with TRC back in 2003 and it’s hard to think that 14 years have already passed. They've not let anything get in their way and have simply got better and better over the years whilst still releasing absolute belters! They have acquired a huge following in the UK hardcore scene and always put on fantastic live performances, always complete with chaos and spin kicks. In 2010 they released their first full length Strictly 3.5 which was 7 years in the making and another 7 years later and we now have the release of The Curse.

This record contains 12 brand new tracks of relentless, beatdown metal sounding London hardcore. Since their previous release I didn’t think that it could be possible for Prowler to get any heavier but from the first listen of The Curse they have proved me wrong! Their sound has progressed greatly, incorporating blasting drums, technical metal solos, thunderous down tuned beatdowns and a bellow of raw vocals . This is something a little bit darker, something more refined and is an absolute monster of a release. There is consistency with regards to the gritty and dark themes that Prowler have gone for and this works perfectly with the instrumental approach they have taken too.

The Curse is well structured throughout and each track has a very confident approach and a chiselled finish to them. The introduction starts with a very eerie sound clip which soon gives way to some pummelling drums and then that noticeable London beatdown sound which seems to be the groundwork to Prowler's style. Shortly this opens into Devilman which was the first heard track prior to The Curse  release and starts with a traditional build-up approach and long  opener which gives way to grooving, down tuned chuggs that are ridiculously catchy. Tracks like The Curse and Mind  have a more metal vibe to them with intricate solos and thrashing guitar riffs, whereas other songs like Can’t Represent Me, From Early and No Egos contain smashing drums and a punishing beatdown sound. It’s the perfect mix! I thought it was a nice touch using the sound clip from The Killing Joke at the beginnning and end of Mind.

My favourite track is Infection. I love the time sequences in this song, especially towards the end section with the thundering breakdowns that are broken up with quick pauses and crashing symbols, it's very memorable. Nathan’s vocals are on point through every track with intense low pitch growls and raw shouts that highlight themes of life, troubled times and general day to day behaviour.  Although this record was a long time coming, you can sense the hard work and passion that has gone into the creation of this album and have completely outdone themselves. What’s not to like about this! Pick up a copy from Rucktion Records.

Ecostrike: 'Time is Now'

29.12.16

I didn’t think 2016 could get any better with the releases that have come out this year but I now stand corrected as Florida’s Vegan Straight Edge outfit Ecostrike have just brought out their latest record Time is Now. I am a huge fan of their demo which was released earlier in2016 but their new EP literally blew me away! There are clear influences from bands like Strife, Morning Again and also Earth Crisis so if you are into this style of music Ecostrike will give you everything for your 90’s sounding metalcore needs!

This is some of the heaviest and bitter sounding music I’ve heard in a while and it’s like they’ve jumped straight out of the 90’s era especially with the covered themes in their tracks. I’ve been rinsing this record constantly since its release and I’m hooked on it but I warn you, it’s not for the faint of heart! The sound quality and recordings are spot on and have shown great improvement since the Demo, every instrumental is also played on point. It’s raw, relentless and as heavy as they come, from the moment Time is Now kicks off until the last drum clap of Amongst the Few.

Time is Now starts off with nice, slow and steady drums which build up with guitar melodies and then shortly after the crushing coarse vocals kick in which is simply perfect. The scene is set in just this small amount of time and is maintained throughout the record. This track contains some catchy bass riffs, excellent technical guitar work and keeps you entertained with chugging breakdown parts. Seeds of Separation follows on from this with flourishing heavy chugs and pounding drum rhythms. I love the deeper, aggressive style of vocal work towards the second half of this song and I could really sense the passion and fury coming from within.

Act of Militance keeps the rage flowing and unleashes a crushing force of down tuned chugs and floor shaking drums! There is a catchy 2 step part towards the end part of this track that leads into a ten tonne sounding breakdown! This is alsosplit up with yet more awesome drum fills and memorable bass lines. The final two tracks Immortal Weapon and Amongst the Few keep it heavy and are slightly faster than the previous 3 tracks. I really enjoy the transition of vocals from the coarse shouts to spoken parts and even incorporating a little of the gang style vocals too! I know this release may not be for everyone, however if you are into this style of hardcore/metalcore then this record is an absolute must for you to listen to. Check it out and purchase at Carry the Weight Records.

Sinkholes: 'Chronoception EP'

25.11.16

There have been many fantastic releases this year from many amazing bands and I think the Chronoception EP  from Sinkholes  definitely deserves  a commendable mention and has been a very enjoyable listen. If you are unfamiliar with this band, they are from Florida (US) and play blends of fast punk and hardcore mixed with thrash. Florida has always been home to great hardcore bands like Powerhouse, Culture and Strongarm to name a few, and to this day I do not think that this has changed! Sinkholes are a great example of this and show a tremendous amount of rawness, aggression and passion within their sound. Although this EP is short do not underestimate it as it rip-roars through 5 relentless tracks and packs one hell of a punch!

I myself have only recently heard of this band as they kindly sent me their EP to check out. Beforehand, I listened to their first release from the previous year and I have to say although I did enjoy it, I do think the Chronoception EP is on a higher level. It only takes 4-5 seconds of the opening track Cop Out to cut to the chase, with break neck speed guitar riffs and pummelling drum blasts. My first impression is that it has an early Trash Talk feel around it but you can sense the thrash influences straight away! Aswell as this record being destructive and angry, it’s also fun with lots of headbanging chugs, plenty of distortion and catchy moshing parts.

The lyrical content is very dark, angry and everything that you can expect from this style 0f music. The tracks Cracks and Less Tongue are both very gritty and I particularly like the tuning of the guitars and melodies used, it gives an interesting sound. It’s great to see a band taking on a different approach and I think Sinkholes have found something that works perfectly for them. My favourite track is H.F.I.C. starting off with a slow build up which then breaks out into a destructive punk sound and to me is a little reminiscent of bands like Circle Jerks and Black Flag. Again the guitar work is great alongside the funky bass lines and is all contained until an explosion of rage towards the end of the track.

Although i’m loving the resurgence of metalcore and heavier hardcore at the moment I think it’s also great to see bands like Sinkholes playing a different style of hardcore and writing material that shows a bit of a throwback to skate/thrash style punk . I found this record very energising and urge you to listen to it. I look forward to what this band have to offer in the future.

Dead Man's Chest: 'Violent Days'

08.10.16

I was so happy to hear that Dead Man’s Chest were writing new material a while back and now the wait is finally over with Violent Days dropping this week. If you are unfamiliar with this band then let me enlighten you a little. Dead Man’s chest are based in London UK and combine the perfect mix of hardcore and metal. They released their first EP The First and the Fallen back in 2008 which was a banger and since then have released an LP Hateline and a second EP Negative Mental Attitude. It has been around 2 years since their last release. Violent Days boasts 10 brand new tracks and this is some of DMC's finest song writing.

The record is fast paced, harder than nails and maintains Dead Man’s Chest’s negative music style and attitude. Not only do you get DMC on this record but they also come equipped with an array of featured acts that should very well be a hardcore/metal super group. So to add even more anger and variety to each track there are guest vocals from Scott (Terror), Heath (Stampin’ Ground), Anthony (Integrity), Jorge (Merauder), Carl (First Blood) and Rick (100 Demons), all of which are fantastic bands. This adds a superb feel to this record and reinforces their key influences, especially that of bands such as All Out War, Integrity and Merauder to name a few and also not forgetting to mention the 80’s metal style combined within these.

The record kicks off with Disavowed A.D. which contains a somber style sound clip which is quickly disrupted by a frenzy of smashing drums and a crazy guitar solo blending into some catchy metallic riffs. Each riff and breakdown have a Full Blown Chaos and Hatebreed feel to them and Dead Man’s Chest do what they do best and incorporate their brutal instrumentals with negative and hateful lyrics. Heading into the next few tracks there are plenty of break neck speed riffs, earth shaking double bass, dark and gloomy chugs and ghastly deep shouts. Beneath the Bones of the World is one of my favourites and is definitely one of the heavier metallic tracks. There is a sound clip at the beginning which makes way for more infuriated vocals and fierce head banging guitar parts. Just to top it off there is a technical Slayer style solo too!

This record is nicely split in half with a sort of intermission track A Long Way Gone which contains a pleasant, yet heartfelt instrumental part over some rainfall which is a nice touch. I loved how this is so heartfelt compared to the annihilating and angry hardcore that is to follow in tracks like Embracing the Unknown and Our Most Violent Days. Despite the majority of songs being above the 4 minute mark, I felt this record flew by when listening to it and its catchiness had me banging my head throughout it all. Both the atmosphere and the themes covered within are very bleak and dark but you couldn’t expect any less from Dead Man’s Chest. I loved this record and hope you do to! You can pick up Violent Days on BDHW Records.

Norma Jean: 'Polar Similar'

04.09.16

This is a little different to the material that I have reviewed in the past but I have always been into Norma Jean since I first listened to them in the mid-2000’s.They have an impressive back catalogue and I especially enjoyed listening to the records Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child and O God the Aftermath. I was not aware that they were bringing out a new record this year so it was quite a nice surprise. I will admit that I am still in favour of their ealier material, mainly for nostalgic reasons but nonetheless Polar Similar is still a quality record.

Norma Jean have definitely broadened their style and sound over the last few years and have incorporated new aspects of song writing and structure into their records which I think works particularly well. Upon the first listen I can safely say that I really enjoyed every track from start to finish and its flow throughout which results in a very powerful and entertaining release. The majority of the tracks show some of the classic Norma Jean elements combining a bit of post-hardcore, metallic hardcore and rock among others with hints of influences from bands like Converge and Botch.

The first track I. The Planet kicks off with Norma Jean’s traditional post-hardcore sound with a build-up of guitar melodies and slower drum rhythms and soon after Corey cuts in with his bellowing screams setting off some super heavy guitar parts and headbang worthy smashing drums. I quite enjoy the eerie, echoey clean vocal parts on this track too which gives a sort of early 2000’s nu-metal feel to it. New themes have been explored and delved into this time round and I think the title of the record gives an insight into this and gives a broader take on the whole polar opposites subject. Each song has been carefully placed in its own unique order and to me this record does tell a story. There are some memorable moments and I particularly enjoyed 1,000,000 Watts, Death is a Living Partner and The Close and Discontent. There are some incredible catchy guitar riffs that differentiate from metal sounding chugs, to melodic technical parts and even hard rock style chords.

There is something very refreshing and energising with this new material and as I have mentioned there are elements from their previous material but with added extras that really is a breath of fresh air. A new guitarist has been added to the line-up and his amazing talent really comes to light on III. The Nebula with some fantastic blues guitar work. Other tracks like Forever Hurtling Towards Andromed and Synthetic Sun also boasts some screeching atmospheric guitar melodies, breakdown parts and some brilliant vocal work. This release definitely surprised me and I look forward to what this will bring in the future from Norma Jean. For a band that has been on the scene since the late 90’s they are still creating incredible material!

King Ly Chee: 'Be Water'

22.06.16

I have been listening to King Ly Chee for a long time now and there is just something so admirable and catchy about their music.  Hailing from Hong Kong China they have been active since 1999 and released numerous records and a split which I have to admit are all fantastic and they have created a strong following over the years. Their new EP Be Water has recently been released and the underlying message of this record has been inspired by the legend Bruce Lee and his philosophy of being like water which is clearly where the EP name came from.

My favourite release from King Ly Chee has to be Stand Strong as this is the first record I listened to from them and it had me instantly hooked plus they were one of the main bands I listened to in the mid-2000’s era. Many years down the line and they are still releasing fantastic tracks and although it is only an introduction followed by 2 tracks it certainly has made a positive impression on me. Their sound is not limited and they incorporate a mix of styles including old school hardcore, punk rock, metal among others. The intro definitely sets the theme and topics for this EP as mentioned earlier and there are some inspirational quotations from Bruce Lee over a cool sounding beat.

The song Be Water is my favourite and I love the melodic sounding opening which leads up to some faster guitar riffs and steady drum beats. There is definitely an old school sound to this, especially when the gang style vocals cut in. The lyrics for this track are also very gripping and are all about going with the flow and seeing what happens without overthinking things.  The next track Embrace it All has a very punk rock style and is all about embracing everything in life. This track is extremely catchy and contains a very positive vibe with more melodic guitar melodies, steady chords and memorable drum rhythms.

King Ly Chee are a fundamental band in hardcore which more people need to get into and I really hope they continue to deliver more great tracks in the near future. Check out the links below and show your support.

Judiciary: 'The Axis of Equality'

17.01.16

Judiciary are one of my favourite bands to recently come out of Texas (US). Their brand new EP The Axis of Equality is an explosion of fast tempo metallic stomping hardcore bringing in some of them classic Metallica style thrashy riffs, mixed with some heavy 90’s metalcore instrumentals and topped off with modernish sound, slightly similar to that of Soul Search and Suburban Scum. Despite name dropping a few bands, I think their influences are pretty clear when you give this a listen but nonetheless Judiciary hold it down with this 4 track headbanging masterpiece.

The whole EP is nailed down with strong metallic guitar riffs and fantastic drum rhythms that just makes you want to bang your head and go crazy. It’s so heavy and so damn catchy and I’m sure when they play this material live it sure as hell brings out the mosh in everyone! The introduction track The Axis of Equality starts with a slow stomping riff that simply makes you want to stamp a hole in the floor and this quickly progresses into a fast paced 2 step rhythm which after a couple of listens I could not get out of my head. When the vocals kick in with aggressive, powerful shouts it gives a valuable substance to the track which is just on point with the style.

March of the Abuser then kicks in with a frenzy of guitar chords, quickly followed by a sharp solo which is awesome. The Axis of Equality is a very energetic and entertaining release and every track is as good as the next. Justice Decays is my favourite song, it just sounds that tiny bit angrier than the rest. It has a bit of everything, there is a cool ‘side to side’ part, a breakdown part which is perfect for moshing, brief gang vocals and even more shredding riffs and deep growls. What more could you want!

Check out the links below and support Judiciary, they have a cool tape pre-order on their website too!

Choke: 'Left With Nothing'

10.01.16

I have recently started listening to Choke, who are a fantastic hardcore band from New South Wales (Australia). They have recently released their first LP titled Left With Nothing which is now available through Resist Records. I have really been enjoying their previous EP War on the Suburbs and 2013 demo but Choke’s latest release is a huge step up with new material that just blew me away. They take influence from early boston hardcore punk and 90’s powerviolence but add a good ol' Australian hardcore twist to it. If you are a fan of this style of sound, then this will definitely be the record for you.

Despite the wreckless and chaotic sound of Choke, I have to say the production quality is pretty decent on this record and sound recording is awesome! The majority of the tracks are very short and sweet but still showing raw power. The instrumentals are an almighty force and as heavy as they come! There is so much going on at once for the listener, and the pace is very frantic and energetic but plenty of aggression is present to keep the blood pumping. 80 percent of the record I’d say keeps the rapid tempo going but there are also some cool moments where the pace slows a little with some chugging guitar riffs and hard hitting drum beats that gives some variation.

Tracks Lurking, Disposed and Coward contains some stomping hardcore riffs which sounds very metallic in contrast to tracks like 2 A.M, Scarred and Rot which instead are straight up rip roaring powerviolence. I love it! The vocals alongside the shredding riffs are also fantastic showing true fury and rage. Choke are a seriously pissed off band and are easily going to be one of my favourites going into this year. I can’t believe I have only recently come across them!

If hardcore and powerviolence is your thing then this record is going to be the one for you. Check out the links below and help support Choke.

Harm Done: 'Abuse / Abused'

07.01.16

2016 has only just begun and I am back with my first review in a very long time but what better way to kick the year off, than with this gem of a record. I know this is a bold statement but I think this could already be one of the best hardcore records of 2016. Abuse / Abused is the brand new LP from Harm Done who originate from France. If you were lucky enough to listen to their S/T EP and Hammer Tape then you are absolutely going to love this record. These 17 tracks blew me away and are by far the best recordings from the band to date.

Taking all the best elements from metallic hardcore and powerviolence they perfectly blend these together to form a sound so destructive and violent, creating music that decimates your eardrums... amazing! Vocally it is very aggressive as one can expect, showing a destructive screech of lyrics showing a strong sense of gloom and wretchedness. From my opinion I do feel that Harm Done have stepped up on the aggression for this release even though their previous releases were full of anguish and despair too.

The guitar riffs are down tuned and heavy as they come, and from the first track Perpetual all the way through to the last Blunder shows tremendous aggression and pure hatred on every level. All tracks apart from one is under 1 minute 17 seconds so tracks like Drifting Away, Big Mouth, and Empire of Dust pack a short but powerful frenzy of guitar rhythms and frantic drum beats. To me this record is absolutely fantastic and is certainly not one for the faint of heart.

You can stream tracks from this on the links below but make sure you do yourself a favour and purchase this awesome record, complete with some sinister artwork for the cover. They have some sick merch designs up on Straight and Alert too. Happy new year!!!

Lost Souls: 'Demo'

02.01.15

Lost Souls are brand new on the block from Richmond, Virginia (US) and have just released a demo which is no doubt a banger! Hitting hard on every track, Lost Souls play a crushing sound of hardcore with mosh worthy breaks and chugging riffs giving it a sick heavy sound. I have to admit that the style of hardcore chosen, will probably not set the world on fire, but they do leave an impressionable sound on the ears. Every track delivers a lot of fast paced rhythms and angry as hell vocals, and only leaves you wanting to hear more.

The opening track Find Your Fate kicks in with some weighty guitar riffs and smashing drum beats that make you want to kick a hole through anything nearby. Obviously the sound quality on the recording is slightly rougher than some people would like, but for a first demo they did a bloody good job and I have to say, it feels this band have been together a lot longer than they actually have. Continuing onto the second track Plague,the record seems to get a whole lot heavier and is easily up there with the likes of modern bands, Soul Search, Expire and many more. I love the steady two stepping beat around 30 seconds in to this track and how it builds up to the heavy stomping chugs towards the end. 

Price I Pay is probably my favourite track on this demo and I say 'probably' because I think this demo will be listened to frequently and other tracks may grow on me more. The delivery on this track is equally as fierce and heavy, but the tempo is faster to start with but then drops back into a relentless wrecking ball of a mosh part with angry, raspy screams from the vocalist. I can feel his anger and emotion on every track. Taste the Truth is the finale of the demo, containing an immense solo between yet again more guitar chords and chugging rhythms. 

As an overall, a solid record that contains some compelling and energetic hardcore, that is executed very well. High fives all around, this demo is sick and I can only look forward to further releases from Lost Souls. Check out the link below and help support.

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Circle Back: 'Promise to Pay'

29.11.14

Circle Back are a fairly recent metallic sounding hardcore band from the States creating grim and dark sounding music that follows in the footsteps of bands such as Ringwormand Integrity. Stretching the metal sound as far as possible and still maintaining the hardcore edge to their music, Circle Back bring something a little different to the table in Promise to Pay. It has everything you want to hear in a debut release, it’s heavy and compelling and has some bone crushing riffs and some pummelling drum rhythms. Obviously with this style of music comes the remorseful themes and despairing lyrical content in which the vocals fit perfectly with. There are a lot of structured chord sequences and chugging break parts to keep everyone happy and takes a page out of the 90’s style.

The introduction track Intro/Circle Back kicks off the record with a short charming instrumental piece which of course you know is not going to remain charming, and soon stomps in with a proper head banger and brings the energy, building up to the next track. Promise to Pay is catchy with some metal sounding riffs and is as raw as songs can come. The vocals sound raspy and evil, belting out their relentless, angry lyrics. There is a nice breakdown part with some gang vocals that makes you want to mosh. The Path is very down tuned and follows a very slow and steady song pattern but continues the mosh as one would say. It’s a really gritty and dirty sounding record that may not necessarily appeal to everyone but if this style is your thing then it will keep you glued to the speakers until the end.

This record maintains the metallic sound throughout and this is especially met on the track Suffer or Survive where there are various harmonics appearing throughout the trudging riffs and the coarse vocals are also backed up with gang style chanting to enhance the sound. Although the production and quality of sound is not always present, these are a bunch of honest dudes releasing a quality record and playing music that they want to play. If you are down with that, then you should definitely take the time to check out this release. This is for fans of hardcore, metalcore and metal of all sounds. I personally didn’t take to it at first but after a few listens it did grab me and I feel they did a solid job!

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Choke X Chain: 'Demo X 2014'

16.11.14

Choke X Chain are a new Straight Edge hardcore band from Florida (USA) that are absolutely smashing it right now! They have just released their 2014 demo which takes a substantial influence from the youth crew mid-80’s sound but with a modern twist. This demo contains 5 tracks and is a fairly short listen but still manages to cover everything you need to hear in a debut release. There are a variety of instrumental styles going on with some incredible guitar riffs, fast paced rhythms and some mad heavy down tuned sections for all your moshing needs. Audrey’s vocals destroy it too which are harsh, aggressive and have a solid impact, not to mention that they tie in perfectly with this style of hardcore.

I was pleasantly surprised at how heavy some of the parts in the tracks are and is perfect moshing material. The record starts off with the track Hell is Other People which is a short heavy instrumental  building up to the opening track Ouroboros which cuts to a frenzy of guitar riffs and shouty vocals. This track is very catchy and entertaining with no pissing around. Choke X Chain keep it real with their straight edge messages and coverage of real life topics and challenges. Some parts of the recording sound a tad rough, but that’s more than expected from a debut demo and to be fair, I really like this sort of sound with this style of hardcore. As well as the fast tempo in every track they also like to slow things down now and again especially in Innocence Defence and Parasite with some down tuned breakdowns and metalcore sounding chugs.

Brother’s Keeper is another decent track and displays the bands instrumental qualities with catchy bass lines and classic punk, hardcore style riffs that have a youth crew sound to it. This is soon quick to change halfway through to a 90’s metalcore sound with more harmonics and a much heavier tone. It’s a pretty smooth mix up and has a positive impact. This continues into Innocence Defense which is my favourite track of the release and the metallic breakdown towards the end is just class. The lyrics on this record are very influential and gives each track a lot of power behind it. If you’re looking for a new band to check out then check out Choke X Chain, I promise you won’t be disappointed. Check em' out on the links below.

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King Me: 'Checkered Past'

31.10.14

Midwest band King Me have recently released their debut 6 track EP Checkered Past on the record label Foxclaw Records. This record has a solid metallic edge to it and takes all kinds of influences from bands such as Cro-Mags, No Warning and a hell of a lot more. Every track on this release has a gritty, fast and heavy sound with old school sounding grooves and chugging guitar riffs with raw screaming vocals to go alongside this. King Me are a breath of fresh air in the Midwest hardcore scene and basically ‘cut the crap’ if so to speak. There is a lot of influence from other bands in their songs and their style is not clear cut which I enjoy but nonetheless keep the rawness flowing with raspy vocals, gritty lyrics and harsh sounding instrumentals.

The first track Restless Night starts with a flurry of fast, melodic instrumentals with strong lead guitar chords which adds a bit of variation for an introduction track. Closed Casketfollows this and brings back the more traditional hardcore sound and style with some heavy guitar riffs and cutting bass parts. The vocals from Richie are rasp and as angry as they come. The themes present in all tracks are very bleak and include growing up, tragedies of death, regrets, the nonstop struggle of life and adulthood. The amount of passion, aggression and soul that comes out of these songs is just incredible. No Gods, No Handouts sounds very Blood for Blood style and the beauty of this EP is that every song has a different feel to it.

Alive in Death is another fantastic track and contains ferocious strumming and smashing drums and is a short but sweet 14 seconds long and soon drops into the next track Bloodsucker which seems a bit heavier. The vocals are shouted in a deeper tone on this track and it sounds a lot more aggressive than the other tracks. There is an exceptional catchy bassline towards the end that soon transitions back into a metallic hardcore sound. This EP is definitely worth investing in and it’s cool that each song has a different influence in it, this record contains a lot of sub-genres and various elements of hardcore. So if you like hardcore, metal or anything heavy then this is for you. Make sure you give it a listen!

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Expire: 'Pretty Low'

22.06.14

I’ve been waiting for this for a quite a while now and I have to admit it was more than worth the wait to listen to it! Yet again Expire have smashed it and created another fantastic, powerful record. Pretty Low features 11 brand new tracks which are a little longer on track lengths than their usual material which is a bonus. I’d love to end the review here and just state that you need to listen to this now, however that would be a little silly of me as I need to describe how great this record is. Easily one of the strongest releases of the year. Each track is equally as heavy as the next and Expire keep to their trend of dark, gloomy and bleak lyrics.

I can’t fault a single track and the vocals are equally as raw and shredding as their previous releases (possibly even more so), Josh has some serious throaty screams which complements the heaviness of the instrumentals. The introduction track Pretty Low sets the tone for the record, the down tuned guitars kick in with meaty riffs and the drums crashing alongside this. This is definitely a record to play loud, Just Don’t and Fiction keep the rapid tempo going throughout. One listen and I’m hooked. I particularly like the part in Just Don’t where it slows and you can hear the chunky bass line, so catchy!

Gravity is one of the most mosh-worthy songs on the record and has a heavy breakdown going on towards the end. Nobody starts soon after this and has a frenzy of smashing drum rhythms and more chugging riffs that kick you in the face. There’s some really entertaining and energetic 2 step style riffs towards the mid-end of this track and is also evident in Old Habits. From here onwards, through tracks like Forgetting, Rejection and Second Face they really show the true rawness and darkness of Expire. I think the second half of the record will capture the listeners more as it just seems to take all the anger from the first half and multiply it by a million. The vocals are fantastic and really show off the dark side of this band and makes you want to lose your mind.

Pretty Low is the birth of a monster and takes all the best bits of hardcore that people want to hear, combining it with metallic elements but not to the point of it becoming a metal record. Expire have progressed a hell of an amount since their demo released in 2009. I didn’t think they could get any angrier and heavier than Pendulum Swings but they have exceeded that expectation and have produced a record of full of viciousness, anger and rawness. Order it now because I think you’re gonna love it!

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Don't Well All: 'Demo'

18.06.14

The debut demo/EP from France’s Don’t We All certainly does not disappoint. Featuring members of Upstart and First Try (who are also awesome) Don’t We All take on more of a melodic approach that is similar to bands like Capsize, Landscapes and MidnightSouls. If you enjoy melodic hardcore then you will most likely enjoy this 4 track release. The vocals are however a bit more variable than some of the more popular melodic bands that can be seen of today but seem to add a lot more emotion and become almost borderline traditional metalcore. To be honest it probably won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but I think it works really well.

There are some excellent melodies and technical guitar playing on this and you can see a big influence of earlier style metalcore/hardcore mixed with a recent Verse/Bane type sound. I don’t know how to describe it to be honest, it’s just a good quality sound!! As well as the instrumental qualities that this release holds, I do think the high pitched, screaming vocals fit perfectly within this sound and this really shows off the emotion and passion present throughout the demo.

To start with there is a sound clip used for the introduction track which sets the theme and tone for what to expect in the song writing, especially lyrically. This quickly cuts into the track Against the Tide and the fast paced drum beats kick in straight away with a melodic instrumental build up. Despite this being their first release the quality is quite crisp and they keep everything tied down. The gang style vocals on the slower parts are also effective that can be heard above the lead guitar and add some variation.

The second half of the demo including tracks Misled Youth and Get Back in Touch also show quality musicianship and a huge amount of devotion and passion towards the hardcore scene. This has been a good year for French hardcore and a lot of bands seem to be popping up around this area. Don’t We All are a good example of this and you should be sure to check them out on the link provided below.

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Mean Little Blanket: 'Blast Off!'

29.04.14

Earlier this month my friends in Ashes Forever sent me a recommendation which is their friends band Mean Little Blanket who have just released their debut record titled Blast Off! Formed in 2009 by Corey Dozier and Jason Prushko based in New York, this 3 piece are re-inventing the sound of hard rock. This record contains 10 tracks of mathcore and jazz enfused hard rock that leaves you thinking, ‘what did I just listen to?’ Taking influence from bands like The Fall of Troy, Incubus and Between the Buried and Me , I think if you mixed all three of these bands plus others you would end up with a perfect description of Mean Little Blanket

The record starts off with Don’t be Scared It’s Only a Crescendo which in an instant, shows off these two people’s talents and sets the tone for the whole album. The time signatures are all over the place which I love. Everybody’s Good shows a perfect blend of guitar sequences with steady drums and some nice varied vocal patterns. No song on this record is alike and contain completely different styles of song making. I feel a lot of time, effort and passion have gone into creating this musical masterpiece and every song has been carefully pieced together like a jigsaw. This record is far from repetitive and leaves me wanting to listen to it more. It’s entertaining, interesting and pleasant to the ears.

I really like the track Bermuda which includes some blues sounding guitar rhythms mixed with some rocky riffs and also has some cool effects throughout. This record seems to have a bit of something for everyone and I am sure this will appeal to all sorts of music fans as they have incorporated so many genres into their sound. Your Monster, My Ancestor goes back into a more progressive rock sound and the clean vocals work really well throughout. Power Wash is another one of my favourites on this record especially with the instrumental attributes and technical skill present. This track is broken down into a hundred different parts and my ears don’t get too accustomed to one part as there is an impeccable mix of slow tempo beats with melodies and soft vocals but soon cuts back in with some jazzy, experimental parts.

Although the songs are all quite long (some ranging from 7-12 minutes) they are a perfect time for the listener to absorb all of the musicianship present. You really don’t want to miss out on this release. Mean Little Blanket provide a fresh sound, not just for people who like rock music but for almost everyone. I really do not see what there is not to like about Blast Off! I believe this band will go far in the future but I do wonder how they will manager to top this release. Do not miss out on this and check it out on the link below.

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Manners: 'Pale Blue Light'

29.03.14

If you are unaware of Manners, they are a fairly recent melodic hardcore band from Connecticut US who seem a bit more favourable in this genre. With melodic hardcore I think you know what to expect but Manners take this style to a new level creating the most miserable, disheartening sound you can think of. Their lyrics are also incredibly sad and depressing and sets the tone for the whole record. I thought the previous EP Apparitions was very emotional and filled with despair but the latest release Pale Blue Light tops this by far.

I feel that is record is heavily influenced from 90’s style lyric-wise but they have taken away the metalcore sound and replaced it with melodies and structured guitar sequences. This album is heavier than their previous release which has only enhanced Manners sound. This material with the mixture of emotion and instrumental heaviness would be fantastic to see live and i'm sure will get a positive reaction from the audience. There is a perfect balance between the melodies of the talented guitar playing from Ian and Jay and emotional piercing screams from Chris. Some bands use the vocals to their advantage and others sometimes use instrumentals to theirs but Manners do an awesome job of using both to create a sound that is satisfying to the ears. 

On the tracks Family Portrait, Binge and Equinox there are parts that are very post-hardcore sounding showing huge potential and variation. This band set out to go above and beyond with their differential song structures and the pure passion and raw emotion portrayed through the vocals. I can’t even put a finger on my favourite track as they are all as impressive and powerful as the next. Boiling point, Nothing to Fear and The Sun Won’t Rise are all fantastic tracks and show amazing musicianship with crisp guitar melodies and pummelling drum beats but I particularly enjoyed the harmonies in the final track Living Will.

Manners provide a refreshing sound and capture the perfect elements of this style to create this successful melodic hardcore record . The amount of passion, anger, rawness and grittiness of this band will go far, as this release is spot on and I really hope they keep doing what they do to develop even more in the future. Check it out on the below links.

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Surveyor: 'No Life, No Future'

07.01.14

I think beatdown hardcore seems to be developing a greater following in this current time and over the past few years has seen a massive increase in the number of beatdown, down-tempo style bands. The definition of 'heavy' though is changing throughout this scene and it feels that each band is trying to outdo another with heavier and heavier breakdowns (nothing like a bit of friendly competition I guess). In this instance Surveyor are new on the block from California US and oh boy, their first release No Life No Futureleft me feeling like I’ve had all of my teeth kicked out!

Although beatdown style hardcore isn’t the most technical or adventurous approach, it still packs one hell of a punch. From listening to this EP for the first time I felt the idea of Surveyor is to slam crowds with chugging down tempo riffs and ninja kick worthy breakdowns that make you wanna punch a hole through the wall. This is straight up gritty beatdown hardcore played with 500% pure negative attitude. The first track No Life kicks off with catchy double bass and a drawn out intro section which soon snaps to a slamming tough guy breakdown and throaty aggressive vocals. To me it sounds a little reminiscent of bands like Drowning and World of Pain and the heaviness should raise an eyebrow or two.

Surveyor havn’t set out to be groundbreaking and bring nothing new to the table but tracks like Vida Dura and Lost Sleep definitely show an onslaught of bulky guitar two step rhythms and lots of strung out build ups to yet more fat breakdowns. The deep throaty vocals fit perfectly for this style of hardcore with lyrics to match especially in the track No Future.

All in all this is a mosh fest of a record and I think it’s pretty clear they have achieved their main mission of releasing a heavy and angry record that all fans of this genre should enjoy. I have to say if you do like beatdown hardcore, this ain’t half bad, check it out and buy it below.  

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War Hound: 'Freedom'

04.01.14

War Hound are back and are better than ever with a brand new EP release titledFreedom. With a new and improved line-up this is an EP not to be missed out on. If you are not too familiar with this band then here is a little background information for you. Based in Chicago (US) they started in 2009 and their first releases Call of the Hounds andReturn of the Hardstyle gained them appreciation in the hardcore scene and last year they released a full length Colder Than Ever which was awesome and in the vein of bands like Biohazard and Fury of Five.

I have been looking forward to this EP for a while now and it is nowhere near disappointing. This smashed all my expectations and they have completely redefined their sound and have developed incredibly as a band. I can’t quite put a genre to it but imagine a mix up of Biohazard, Korn, hip-hop, intense screaming, dark metallic hardcore, beatdown style and BOOM you've got War Hound. The new song structures and lyrics are also a big step up from the last release.

Opening with the track Anger this is an instant favourite for me, this is a solid 3 minutes of pure aggression and heaviness. Constant chugging guitar riffs and crushing drum beats dominate this and towards the end part of the song there is an earth shaking breakdown which repeats a few times and really gets stuck in your head. Stress follows this and really shows off Ronnie Vinal’s vocal power of raw screams and pure anger. Towards the end of this track there is a very strange harmonic guitar melody that is very Korn-esque which I love.

This then continues into the second half of the EP on the track Jealousy but soon breaks out into some slow, down tuned guitar ring outs. The pace starts to slow down throughout this track and into Fear but it never gets boring. They throw in some technical guitar solos alongside the droning chugs and heavy hitting drums and yet again there is a frenzy of crazy raw screams and gang shout outs which shows a great contrast between the paces and pitches.

Freedom stands out to me as a fantastic release and shows some very strong beliefs and attitudes that the hardcore scene should have! War Hound have created a monster of a record so do not sleep on this! They are on a tour later this month in the US with Lionheart and Havenside which I am jealous I can’t attend as am based in the UK. Hopefully War Hound will try and play here again in the near future. I’d love to see how the new material goes down live!

Freedom is currently available for downloads at the below links:

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Ashes Forever: 'All You Love Will Put You'

31.07.13

Ashes Forever are a New York based two piece that have developed a genre of their own. They released a 1 track EP last year titled Love, Leave, Forget, Repeat which I reviewed here. Since then it seems they have been busy recording new material and what better time to announce it than now. All You Love Will Put You is an exceptional piece of song writing and is definitely a breath of fresh air in the scene. There’s no set genres, no set style, they write music on their own terms. This record is released on August 2nd so do not hesitate to jump on this.

What I love about Ashes Forever is that every song is completely different and just when you thought you've caught on to a genre specific part, it throws you off again into something different. This time round the recordings are all about musicianship and are instrumental showing off their remarkable musical talent. The sound is raw and elegantly transcends from track to track. Ashes Forever delivers a decent melodic, progressive start to the EP in On the Ledge at Gunpoint, splitting between steady hardcore rhythm and powerviolence drum beats.

The next track You are the Storm kicks in with some furious, breakneck speed drums, symbol crashes and more progressive guitar melodies. I don’t want to say they have any specific influences but I can hear a little tinge of  Between the Buried and Me and it came to no surprise learning that this EP was mastered by Jamie King. The best moments on this record are the irregular tempo changes, diverse styles and their methodical approach to song structure. From Your Lips to Gods Ears takes a more technical and metallic approach to the music throwing in high pitched guitar chords and pounding drums.

The final track Influencing the Influences adds the cherry on top of what is a faultless record. This down-tuned slower track builds up to another explosion of technical sounds. Matt and James are a duo with amazing skills and put them on display perfectly. Each track is more vibrant and powerful than the last. To me this album is carried out with flawless execution and is one not to missed out on. 

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First Try - Upstart 'Through the Hardships' (Split)

27.06.13

This split record has been out since February and I cannot believe that I have only just had the chance to listen to this. Both First Try and Upstart have pieced together a bombardment of aggressive hardcore tracks which compiles Through the Hardshipswhich is a split definitely worth checking out.

First Try kicks the record off with 5 brand new tracks, if you are already familiar with their style from listening to Ill-Gotten Life then you will know what to expect as they have kept their trademark sound. These tracks are an assault of fast paced hardcore music with 110% aggression. The introduction of the tracks start off quite melodic but don’t be fooled the screeching vocals and heavy riffs kick in just after this. This City Belongs to Uscontains a perfect mix of fast paced, heavy slow breakdown parts and progressive guitar parts to create a fierce and ferocious monster of a band. The next track Back in Businessstarts off with a slow side to side mosh part which really gets you in the mood to move around. There’s a nice mix of ear piercing screams and deeper rough screams which I found entertaining mixes things up a bit. In this track and Ethic Fail there are some spoken words too which leads to more heavy riffage and rapid drum beats.

All I can say is that I really enjoyed the first 5 tracks and they deliver a nice aggressive style through their varied sounds and this is far from boring. A very energetic band that keeps you entertained throughout. Check out their older tracks too if you dig these.

Upstart is up next with their 5 tracks brand new to the Lyon hardcore scene and sound in the vein of Terror, Blacklisted and Sick of it All. From these influences you couldn't expect anything less than a straight up in your face sound. The track My Pride kicks off the second side of the split with fast paced drums and heavy guitar riffs. Alongside the pummelling instruments, the vocals are very strong and angry resulting in a sound that is very Terror like. Although we've heard this style come across in a lot of modern hardcore bands I just can’t hate it. They produce some very hard-hitting tracks and To an End and Walk Out prove this is a band who I am sure is here to stay. The recordings are of great quality and Upstart have got the transitions between tracks perfectly running smoothly through the record.

As a whole, although this is nothing ground breaking, both bands smashed it on this split and have produced some good quality heavy hardcore. If you haven’t heard this split yet or these two bands check them out here below.

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Work for It: 'No Escape'

08.05.13

Poland’s Work for It brings the hardcore sound back to basics with heavy riffs, hard-hitting mosh parts and tough sounding vocals. In 2011 they released a demo, which I quite liked despite the sound quality, and their latest EP No Escape released in December is a great progression and most definitely a record to check out. There is a perfect mix of older and modern style hardcore sounds in this EP, with definite influences from bands like Next Step Up and Madball evident in their music, but with a modern twist, similar to bands like Soul Search and Backtrack.

Poland seems to have a thriving hardcore scene at this present time taking influences from heavier styles. Work for It are no exception - playing a very angry and stomping sound - I found No Escape to be very pleasing to my ears. The record opens with the track Defenceless starting with a nice grooving sound and soon going into some heavy guitar riffs and angry raw vocals. This sets the whole tone of the record, as each track gets more relentless than the next. The actual structure of each track is very simplistic but who cares, it works so well! The next track keeps up the fast tempo and contains some nice mosh-worthy riffs that make you want to smash your room up.

Already Dead kicks into gear on the second half of the record and made my hairs stand on end with the smashing breakdown at the beginning and end of the track. You can really sense the aggression from both the sound and lyrics, which is just awesome. Condemned is my favourite track though and wraps this record up. The lyrics and sound is very straightforward and down to earth and the crashing drums really added to the impact.

No Escape was available to pick up from The Essence (Founded by Inherit’s vocalist Adam Malik) however I believe that they have all sold out so lucky people who got hold of this. If you dig hardcore music then you will love this record hopefully.

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I Stared Into the Forest: 'Unframed Pictures of Our Epilogue'

07.03.13

I stared into the Forest are a four piece mathcore band from Romania. Last year they released their debut EP ‘Society Discontinued,’ and have just released their new record, Unframed Pictures of Our Epilogue. What inspires me about this band are their DIY ethics and attitude towards everyday topics, the main one being discrimination. Another factor I really like about I Stared into the Forest is the style of music they play. There aren’t too many bands from Romania that incorporate hardcore, mathcore and screamo into every song (well not that I have heard of anyway.) I’ve read reviews on this record already and they haven’t necessarily been positive but I think this band have a lot to offer and should be given more of a chance.

The whole Mathcore sound may not be new but this band seem to be progressing at a fast pace and they are one of the least generic bands I have heard in a while. The heavy churning guitar riffs and high pitched screaming kick off the EP in the track No Longer Here. The technical parts from the lead are tangled in a frenzy of toned down breakdowns and sounds awesome. I like the recording quality of this EP as it adds to their whole DIY sounding style, although it sounds quite clear and mastered there is still a low budget sound to it, which to me, adds appeal. There are definite influences from more mainstream mathcore bands such as The Bled and Converge that can be heard especially through the second track Failing Lungs. The time sequences are perfect on every chord and fits well in each track; I love the energy coming through from this record.

The tracks Their Crooked Teeth and To Hang by a Thread show a lot of passion and I love the chaotic structure of these tracks. Although I really enjoy the tracks on this EP there aren’t any songs that particularly stick in my head as each one contains a particularly different song structure and it is hard to pay attention to certain sequences but nonetheless it’s definitely a record worth checking out. You can download both of their EPs here. I believe that the 7 inch will be available in the near future to purchase on Fading Halo Records.

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Losin' It: 'No Apology'

18.02.13

Losin’ It have recently burst upon Florida’s hardcore scene and seem to be making a pretty big impact. Their last release Danger Zone got decent feedback from people and I really enjoyed it. This month they have just dropped their new full length No Apology which sounds damn good to me.

The sound of this record is nothing original but who cares - it does exactly what it was set out to do. After listening to this, I wasn’t blown away by it but I did find it incredibly catchy and wanted to listen to it again and again. You can definitely hear the influences coming through from bands like Floorpunch, Side by Side and Ten Yard Fight bringing back the lively youth crew sounds. That’s one of the big points of why I really enjoy listening to Losin’ It. Instead of taking elements of traditional hardcore sounds and putting a modern twist they keep it fun, catchy and DIY sounding, which sounds spot on.

The tone is set from the first track of the record Bitter Taste which starts in a frantic guitar solo leading into a fast paced punk hardcore sound with fast and pissed off vocals to go alongside it. The next track Brainwashed Youth kicks in with some rapid thrashy (not in a metal way) guitar sounds and fast tempo drum beats which goes into one of the catchiest basslines that breaks the track up into a slower part. Of course, this doesn’t last long as it breaks out into more crazy riffs. The pace of this album never changes, each tracks is as fast as the next.

Glass Palace is one of the more memorable tracks off the record with a quality sounding side to side part with guest vocals and a breakdown(ish) part at the end. Out also has a moshy heavier sounding riff in the middle of the track adding a bit of variety. There is also an instrumental track Class Dismissed that includes a crazy solo leading onto the finishing track Popularity Contest which is one of my favourites. Yet again loving the catchy bassline on this and brings the album to a nice close.

This is a very short album clocking in at around 25 minutes with 10 tracks but it’s an entertaining listen.

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Fire & Ice: 'Not of This Earth'

09.01.13

There are so many records that I wanted to review from 2012 but didn’t get the chance to. Fire and Ice latest record Not of This Earth was most definitely one of them so I we’re in 2013 now, but it’s definitely worth a big mention.
 

I first listened to this band a couple of years back when they first released their demo and I thought it was pretty cool but, if I’m honest, nothing special. Soon after this they released Gods and Devils which showed a more promising sound and now a couple of years down the line and they release this corker of a record. As I say in a lot of my reviews ‘this style of hardcore won’t be for everyone’ and stand by that as there have been many mixed feelings over Not of This Earth. I stand on the side of the people who did appreciate this album as the themes were slightly different than your average hardcore band belting out lyrics about conspiracy theories and alien life forms in the universe. The metallic sound is not to miss, taking key elements of bands such as Cro-Mags and Leeway. I really enjoyed this record and thought it was one of the catchiest ones of 2012.

I think Fire and Ice have made a mark in the hardcore scene with this record and are bringing back the grooving metallic hardcore style from the late 80s but with a slight modern twist. The opening track also titled Not of This Earth kicks this full length off and sets the pace with a groove sound. The tracks History Repeats and Helpless throws some more dirty grooving metallic riffs to the listener which I thought were very catchy. The Devil’s Side is a decent track opening with a heavy down-tuned progressive guitar part leading into a very energetic part and the vocals sound simply awesome.  About Face is another memorable track with a head banging opening and an intense solo half way through, very satisfying.

I have to admit it took a while for this band to grow on me but if it’s your first listen I do recommend that you give it a few listens before finally judging it. The sound that Fire and Ice have chosen to go with is a good choice as they pull it off well. If you haven’t got around to getting this yet then make sure that you do.

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My Turn: 'Athens'

23.09.12

I’ve been into My Turn for quite a while now since Apostles (founder of WAK) sent me the link to his band. Their debut release Noble Intentions was a fantastic record which was reviewed last year and since listening to this, it got me really interested in their music and also the themes and topics they cover from day to day life. They have recently just dropped their first full length Athens which is also an awesome record and shows great progression in their music and song writing. What I really enjoy about My Turn is the positivity and themes they put across and the nice melodic approach within the music, it’s something fresh and original from the hardcore scene in Greece. This is a record not to be missed!

After a quick vocal introduction on the opening track Photos on the Wall the guitar riffs kick in with a nice fast, punk hardcore sound. The recording quality of Athens is far more refined than that of Noble Intentions and is noticeable from the instance you start the record. The next track Broken pumps out a really powerful melodic hardcore sound which to me has taken elements from bands such as Verse and Anchor. It has definitely got the compelling lead guitar melodies and emotional edge to it but on this record the song structures are far from generic and My Turn have pulled off a decent original hardcore sound. There are some really catchy tunes that come out on the tracks Let’s Laugh to Death and Bitter Smile especially with the fast drum rhythms and inventive guitar riffs. I really like the old school punk feel in these two tracks that really show the routes of hardcore coming through.

My Turn play this style of hardcore how it should be played. The track lengths are just the right time too, the songs are not dragged out in length or are too short which keeps the listener entertained. The shouting vocals may not be for everyone but I personally think they fit perfectly with this style of hardcore and I wouldn’t want it any other way. The track Do You Care slows things down a little but is a nice break from the previous track, do not get too comfortable though as this soon breaks out into heavier guitar riffs and rapid drum beats. My favourite tracks are towards the end of the record, If and Precious, are just so catchy and makes me want to be at their shows stage diving and shouting into the microphone. It’s a nice change to listen to a record that is filled with positivity and hope. 

My Turn has come a long way and I feel they need more recognition. Overall this is a good quality album and is a record you should not sleep on. Drop whatever you are listening to at this time and check out My Turn. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. 

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Swamps: 'Seven Sides'

21.08.12

In 2011 Swamps, a hardcore band from Western Massachusetts released an EP titled Corroding Kings which to me was one of the top records of last year. I was very excited to hear they were releasing another record this year and finally they have just released Seven Sides. Just like their previous release the new record is just as fantastic and hard-hitting. Swamps just seem to have a sound of their own, mixing loads of different hardcore genres together to create a heavy powerhouse of a record. The structure of each track is unique and the vocal style of Andy is something that stands out to me, I have not heard a voice like his before and it shows good originality. The style of Swamps jumps between an old school punk sound, to a harder hitting style and you can sense a tinge of a New York hardcore influence too. I knew this record was going to be awesome and they have delivered a good quality record that brings something a little different to the hardcore scene.  

Seven Sides kicks off with the introduction track Bed of Thornes which has been released as a single. From the moment when the first guitar kicks in on this track you can tell this is going to be a heavier sounding record than their previous material and with the heavier sound  an angrier attitude has developed. I didn’t think these guys could get any angrier or crazier but this record proved me wrong.  The following track Drowning Dryseems to be the most popular favourite track from the audience and I have to agree with this.  There is such a catchy riff on the intro of this track and makes me want to just move around. The heavy down tuned guitar riffs and fast paced drums set the tempo for this track and towards the end it breaks out into a slower part with an incredibly angry vocal part which I absolutely love and this is followed by yet another catchy stomping riff. Even just listening to a couple of tracks, I was pretty set that this was going to be one of my favourite records of 2012.

The Other Side keeps the momentum going and the pace never slows from here on. There are a lot of two stepping type of riffs especially in the track Done Digging Holes but not too much that it gets repetitive. Every track on this record is alive with fire and passion and each song is as good as the next. There is good consistency within the song structures and the aggression is always there from Bed of Thorns until the final track Serpent which both have short sound clips. I particularly liked in this record as it sets the mood. This is a ruthless record and I wouldn’t have Swamps change anything on it as it is fantastic. Vocally and musically this album is very hard-hitting and vicious but remains original.

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True Valiance: 'Expect Resistance'

30.07.12

Respect Resistance is the brand new full length from Bristol’s most hardworking and hard hitting hardcore band True Valiance. This album is fast paced and fresh with eleven tracks that will get you moving all day long, with heavy pounding drum beats, thrashing, chugging guitar riffs and passionate fiery vocals. This full length takes all topics from themes including revenge, resistance and bringing justice in this corrupt world. There aren’t as many breakdowns as Hooked on Revenge but the slight change in sound compliments their style resulting in a fantastic album. There is a nice old school mid-90s sound to some of the songs and a much more metallic edge with thrashier riffs but True Valiance’s ethics still remain the same. From the first listen I take my hat off to one of Rucktion Record’s finest releases.

Pushing play on this record unleashes a fury of ‘in your face’ thrashing guitar riffs which sounds very Slayer-esque and shows a more metallic style and edge to True Valiance’s music. When the vocals kick in with the shrill, screaming sound all of the attitude and anger is present and is perfect for their heavy sound. Bloodlust is such a catchy track creating an unmistakeable sound and leaves you banging your head through the whole track. There is just something fresh and different about True Valiance and I really enjoy the energy and passion that has been put into their tunes. The following track Blindfoldbrings to mind a very UK hardcore sound with some dark down tuned guitar rhythms and heavy pounding drum beats. There is also a down-tempo breakdown part towards the end of this song which is so heavy and fits with the present themes. Although tracks such as Burn and No Mercy have a very aggressive sound both vocally and instrumentally, there is an underlying positivity which is shown through an inspirational attitude. 

The ferocity of the tracks Arkansas and To an End gives me a slight late 80s early 90s trash feel to it mixed up with elements of Terror and some typical hard hitting Rucktion style hardcore. Towards the middle of Arkansas there is a breakdown part which is thunderously heavy with stomping riffs and blasting drums. To an End contains a really shrieking, technical solo which is unsuspected but sounds amazing. This is all structured together perfectly with the emotional lyrics who’s voice jumps between screaming and shouting parts and into a deeper growling sound. There are also smaller parts which contain spoken words very similar to mid-90’s metalcore such as in the track Expect Resistance. 

This record is packed full of everything you need in a heavy hardcore album including tight instrumental parts, breakneck speed riffs, moshing parts, quality song structures and is full of emotion and passion. This is a fantastic record which I had been waiting to listen to for so long now and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is another great release for the UKHC scene and I hope everyone gets into this as much as I have.

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Verse: 'Bitter Clarity, Uncommon Grace'

23.06.12

There has been a lot of hype since Verse have reformed, mostly positive but some negative and at the time I didn’t really know what to think, but after listening to Bitter Clarity, Uncommon Grace I am really glad that they decided to get back together. There is nothing special to the sound that Verse produce with their modern, melodic style of hardcore but the way they get their messages of emotion and anxiety across just really does it for me more than some other melodic bands do. From the screaming vocals of Sean Murphy to the instrumental guitar melodies and drum rhythms made by the band, from heavy to melodic, I think Verse have accomplished a sound of their own. This is definitely an essential record to have as Verse are an asset to the hardcore scene once again and this full length makes you want to detonate your emotions.

In my opinion, Bitter Clarity, Uncommon Grace isn’t as powerful as Rebuild and From Anger and Rage however, I listened these albums to death when they were released so they take a lot of beating. I was pleasantly surprised to still hear the anger and passion come out through their music instantaneously from the first track The Selfish of the Earth. There are a couple of tracks (The Silver Spoon and the Empty Plate and Oceanic Tendencies) which are shorter than Verse’s average song times, where time keeping it short and sweet but still managing to maintain their straight-to-the-point lyrical content and sounds. This isn’t the case for every track though, as Verse have still gone above and beyond to produce some intense guitar melodies; this is especially apparent in The Relevance of our Disconnect and with the technical solo in The Selfless of the Earth. This is not an album to be ignored as it provides the listener with outrivaled melodies, occasionally broken up with relaxing interludes throughout constructing a quality atmosphere.

Bitter Clarity, Uncommon Grace isn’t the most perfect record and I am pretty sure it is not to everyone’s taste, but who cares - the energy and motivation is still consistent throughout the record. It’s great to see individuals in the hardcore scene stay passionate and enthusiastic to cover topics such as politics, emotions and aggression. Some of the guitar sequences sound cluttered, evident clearly on The Selfless of the Earth and at times there is a lot of spoken words rather than shouting which could put off some listeners but, for me, this shows variety and a signature to Verse’s sound. The same emotion and energy can be detected from their previous material and personally I think you should do yourself a favour and pick this record up as it will definitely grow on you. 

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Expire: 'Pendulum Swings'

08.06.12

Pendulum Swings is the brand new full length from Expire released on Bridge Nine Records. This is already one of my favourite albums of 2012 and contains some of the best quality hardcore I have heard in a while. With 12 new tracks, Expire are setting the standards high with the introduction track Just Fine kicking off this album which is full of power and energy and you can really feel the intensity as screaming vocals kick in. The consistency shows throughout the record with a merciless sound on every track. The songs are all under 2 minutes and are enraged leaving you feel a little dishearten but nonetheless is a powerhouse of a record.

Pendulum Swings sounds a little heavier than their previous material and which I think serves as a fresh sound for them. Don’t get me wrong Suffer the Cycle, Grim Rhythmand their Demo were all fantastic but this full length really breaks through with its hard hitting sound. I really like the tracks Spit it Out, Anxiety and Pills and a Promise which had me with my fists tight wanting to mosh around the room and gave me goose bumps on first listen. Expire have progressed well within each release that they have put out. There are a few more breakdown parts than usual that come out of nowhere, lots of two step parts and the album has a good flow to it from the instrumental parts from start to finish. 

The song structures are very similar track by track which is evident in Dig Deep, Abyssand Focus and shows a similar approach to their song writing. This can be a little repetitive but the aggressiveness and power in each song easily makes up for this. There is just something about their heavy crushing guitar riffs and hard hitting drum beats that leaves me wanting to hear more. The vocals are very angry and screamy which adds to the impact of this record and it just seems to take hold of me every time. Although the songs are short, this isn’t a negative aspect as it makes you want to repeat the record over and over.

This album has had a lot of praise since its release and to be honest, I can’t fault it. Pendulum Swings appeals to everyone in the hardcore scene, from older tastes to more modern tastes and if you’re into the more ‘tougher’ hardcore sound then this is the record for you. This album is very heavy; fast paced and is best left on repeat. Don’t knock this until you've listened to it.

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Zombie Fight: 'Alive and Well'

08.05.12

Zombie Fight are a New York hardcore band formed in November 2010. They have recently release d a new EP titled Alive and Well which they played a release show withAshes Forever and Torch Bearer (wish I could have been there). First impressions are that this band is out to make a statement with their ‘in-your-face’ style of hardcore. They incorporate themes of negativity that surround the world, and after listening to this record there is a balance between the music and the lyrics, relating to real life situations. It is evident that these guys are from New York and can hear the influences coming through in the vein of bands like Sick of it All and Judge.

This is one of the catchiest records that I have heard in a while and pack a punch with their heavy straight up hardcore sound. Fiery guitar riffs are present throughout each track alongside the exploding drum beats and rhythms. Some the instrumental parts of the tracks do remind me of some of the older Bane songs, only Aaron Bedard’s vocals have been replaced with an aggressive attitude with booming and deafening shouts. Of course there are many influences present in Zombie Fight’s music but what I really like about Alive and Well is that they combine a variety of hardcore sub-genres to create a driving force of a record. There are many references to a failed society but even through the aggression there are many lyrics in relation to positivity and hope guiding us through a day to day life. 

Tracks Celebrities Think They Are the Best Role Models and The Decision contain some uplifting guitar riffs and faster paced drum rhythms and fits perfectly with the rough shouting vocals. There is a strong mix between the steady rhythms and breakdown moshing parts. In Reconnect the continuing riffs soon breaks out into some mad technical guitar patterns adding variety yet again. This record is well structured and contains some appealing music. The track Sick Of takes yet a different sound combining more old-school hardcore punk instrumentals which makes you want to dive around and circle pit. This is good quality aggressive music at its best.

My only gripe is the recording quality but the content within the music easily makes up for this. I don’t really have anything negative to say about this band and am enjoying Zombie Fights music. If you’re into aggressive tough style hardcore and enjoy confrontational subjects dealing with friendship, society and drastic change then this is a record you’ll enjoy. I guarantee it will have you moshing all day long! Check them out on the links below.

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Lay it on the Line: 'Midnight in the Bellagio'

21.04.12

Lay it on the Line is a fairly new band, forming towards the end of 2011. In January they released a debut EP Midnight in the Bellagio, featuring 10 tracks of raw, melodic hardcore. For those of you unfamiliar with Lay it on the Line, a couple of the members were part of Phinius Gage and Not Katies. These may have not been the most successful bands at the time however the sound that they have come up with for this new band is very effective and I hope others get into it like I have. This EP contains 10 tracks, clocking in at around 13 minutes, so there is a good amount of material. Hailing from South London area hopefully to make their mark in the UKHC scene.
 

My first impression of Midnight in the Ballagio is you can hear the determination and effort put into the record. Although there is a lot of melodic guitar parts, which might not be to everyones taste, there is also substantial heavy sounding riffs, adding a nice touch between the lighter melodies creating two moods. I feel that the sound quality and production of this EP is slightly let down though, and takes away the impact of the heavier sounding instrumental parts. The opening track This is the Deal contains catchy chugging style guitar riffs and steady drum rhythms. There are some background ‘gang’ style vocals which spans out to most songs of the EP partly from guest appearances from Joe and Robin from Random Hand.
 

Lay it on the Line have created their own sound to hardcore and this strays away from the typical moshing macho sound and style often present in the scene today. Instead, concentrating on steady rhythms and melodic guitar work with raspy growling vocals that work surprisingly well. They have taken upon many genre influences, which include hardcore, punk, rock, and even a little ska; the song Oreo Speedwagon contains a part towards the end of ska-style guitar chords. Spread Thin has a breakdown, quickly jumping to the next track Easy Street, a metalcore style guitar instrumentals. It seems there is a bit of everything for everyone.
 

I think Lay it on the Line have a lot of potential with songs such as A Score A Drink, Easy Street and Midnight in the Bellagio, and with some development I feel this band can really be something. I am sure there is much more to come from Lay it on the Line and this debut EP is just the beginning. Keep your eyes peeled for future releases of this band and check out their music from the links below.

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I Want You Dead: 'ΑΩ'

14.02.12

There have been a lot of decent hardcore bands coming out of Greece, like My Turn & Eternal Hated, but this is one of the heaviest and fierce records I’ve heard in a while from this country.  A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by a band called I Want You Dead asking me to listen to their brand new EP entitled ΑΩ, being their second release and a follow up to We Are the Legions of Scums from 2010. They certainly live up to what they wanted to achieve, delivering some of the most negative and hateful music to their audience.

ΑΩ contains 4 tracks of pure remorseless and bloodthirsty dark hardcore with some of the most pummelling sludgy style guitar riffs. If you’re into negative hardcore then you need to check this band out as they are on a whole different level. There are a lot of themes covered in their music including disgust on the world, vengeance, hatred and making a stand against authoritative figures. Every track is a terrifying flurry of heavy sludgy guitars with smashing drum parts and the vocalist belting out raw, throaty screams of evil and dirty lyrics. The sound quality of this record is awesome too, considering how down-tuned and heavy their sound is.

From track one, All Colours Pitch Black, you can already sense the increase of the sludge sound compared to previous material. I am not complaining though, as I feel they have progressed into something stronger and have a greater impact. This fresh feel combines some elongated down-tuned guitar riffs but splits this up with some quick hardcore punk sounding outbursts and faster drums, most prominent during Cvits. In my opinion the track Black Sails stands out to me and is my favourite song on the EP; the song structure is perfect and doesn’t hold back on attitude or weight. Even though there are a vast amount of sludge elements to this record the sound quality and production is crisp and is a great listen.

Easily one of my favourite records from 2012 already, and it’s only February. ΑΩ is a superb release, with some of the heaviest and aggressive music going. A very well put together EP, which I highly recommend. I’m also a fan of the art work!

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The Hardest Season: 'Dawn'

01.02.12

Recently I received an email from Dale Robinson who is the founder of the record label Enjoyment Records. He sent me a link to a band called The Hardest Season who are from Italy and asked if I would review their full length Dawn. After the first listen all I could think of was ‘Wow, why haven’t I heard this band before’; their music is pretty impressive. Taking more of a push from the sounds and influences of bands such as American Nightmare and The Hope Conspiracy, this record combines everything great from this style of hardcore but also adds further heavier elements in the vein of Rise and Fall. Personally I feel that this record could be aimed at all areas of the scene as there seems to be a bit of everything for everyone.

Dawn is the follow up to their self released Demo and EP (which I am still to get hold of) but I am pretty sure it cannot be as refined as this album. This is a record you need to listen to at maximum volume to obtain the best satisfaction for your ear drums. The quality of the instrumental parts is fantastic, not a single chord out of place and everything is tightly held together. From the introduction track Confessions there are constant frantic guitar riffs and intense drum beats combined with furious screaming vocals. The next track Dead Romantic quickly turns the tables of sounds into something darker and heavier cutting to a catchy moshing sound. There is a perfect balance between the well-structured instrumental melodies and the vicious sludgy breaks, particularly apparent in Sleepless and The Storm. This music is fast and keeps you on your toes with raw, screaming vocals containing so much passion and emotion.

It’s not all about the quick drums and fast paced riffs that are enticing about this album though; The Forward combines some pleasant sounding guitar melodies, adding contrast between the Tear Valley Sickness Blues and The Storm, breaking them apart in an effective change of pace. Twentyeight to Ten is another catchy track that contains more energetic heavy riffs and towards the end there are some toned down gang style vocals bringing an accomplished feel to the end of the record, finishing with Last Fuckin’ Scarred Lines.

I really got into this record and it’s fresh sound from Italian hardcore. The sound is very emotional but effective with the perfect amount of heaviness and melodies creating an all round compelling full length.

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Ashes Forever: 'Love, Leave, Forget, Repeat'

28.01.12

A while ago I reviewed and interviewed a band called Don’t Give a Fuck. Recently they have changed their name to Ashes Forever and have released a new 1 track EP titled Love, Leave, Forget, Repeat. I was quite surprised that they had changed their name so quick, but do not worry as it still contains the same two members; I loved the EP A Girl Burning and Dying their new material is very unique and the slight changes in their sound have worked in their favour. They have still kept the perfect mix of melodic style hardcore and emotional screaming vocals but this time they have incorporated some really deep growling vocals and sludgy riffs which I think works really well. Ashes Forever still combine a nice melody of guitar instrumentals with various drum rhythms but seem to have made them slightly heavier. The vocals still consist of elongated screams and throaty parts but taking on newer styles; there are also some very lower growling vocals which seem to generate even more anger and emotion for this duo. 

The track titled Her Repressed Memories has, from what I can tell 3 different major sounding parts to it. The first part is a very heavy, sludgy and emotional rollercoaster which gets the listener instantly hyped up with the despair and anger from the vocals. This is closely followed by the second part and middle of the song, which is mainly focused on instrumental parts, forming signature guitar melodies and fast, smashing drum beats and double bass. The final part wraps everything up nicely by a perfect transition from the chaotic time signatures of the instruments into a heavy breakdown part with multiple vocals. I really like the use of both types of vocals towards the end part of the song as I feel it makes the music seem much more passionate if both members are screaming their lungs out. This then fades out with  dark, down tuned guitar and slow drum beats, completing the EP.    

Ashes Forever seem to have had a lot of positive feedback so far and I’m not surprised. I really like the new EP and the name change, and I am really digging the heavier style and varied vocals. If you haven’t heard this then you’re missing out. This is for fans of straight to the point, sincere and emotional music.

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Dead End Path: 'Blind Faith'

08.01.12

2011 was a great year for hardcore releases and Blind Faith by Dead End Path is by far no exception. Released on Triple B records, this is their finest material yet and follows up from their 2010 EP Death Walks Beside Us and their 2009 Demo. Dead End Path are taking the metallic hardcore style to the next level with their crushing metal riffs and dominating vocals. You can definitely hear the old school New York style hardcore sounds coming through which must have been a big influence in their music and some parts remind me a lot of bands like Buried Alive, Merauder and All Out War only with a more modern twist. This is a very well put together album and everything fits into its place perfectly and I thought this album stood out as one of the top from last year.

Dead End Path incorporate every item you need of hardcore into their album making you want to mosh and bang your head instantly. The guitar riffs are extremely heavy and metallic but not too metally (if you know what I mean) which makes the perfect breakdowns in their songs and adds groove elements. The vocals are very bold which sites nicely alongside their aggressive lyrics. When you hear the lyrics combined with the hard hitting music it’s like they are painting a picture with words only it’s full of gloom and wretchedness. Wilkes Barre has given birth to another great band.

There are so many great songs included on this album, naming a few of my favourites are Never Had Heaven Ever, End on End, and Death and Birth of a Ghost. In fact every song on this album is great! The transitions between each track is consistent and each track is different from the next adding some good variation. After the introduction trackBlind Faith it cuts straight in with some captivating tunes leading into catchy 2-step parts, and from here on the album flows smoothly. Tracks like Requiem and Skeleton Key to the Cemetery contain some really good solid riffs and slow tempo drum beats working perfectly with the hammering vocals.

All of the tracks flow really well and nothing can disappoint with Blind Faith. The intensity of this album is amazing like a hardcore version of a ten ton hammer crashing down to the earth. To round this up it is a solid record and should not be missed out on! 

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Maths: 'Ascent'

05.01.12

Maths latest EP Ascent is the follow up to their 2009 full length Descentwhich was a fantastic album I must say. Maths has always been top of the list when it comes to Screamo bands from the UK and you will see why after listening to this. Containing a very raw sound and loose song structure sounding like a clutter of instruments and vocals, resulting in perfect chaos. The disorganisation of guitar melodies and smashing drum parts are really compelling and quickly change from extremely fast tunes with blast beats to relaxing guitar harmonies. Although it sounds all over the place, you can also realise how carefully Ascent has been constructed to conclude in an emotional and effective gem of a record.

Formed in 2006, Maths have progressed so much over the past 5 years and have released some fantastic records and have a split with Throats, which I enjoyed. Ascent is sadly only 4 tracks, but what is delivered in these 4 tracks is made up in quality. In terms of sound, this EP has many traits that are also evident in Descent, however I did find that the full length sounded crazier and they have ever so slightly toned down their fast sound. I was looking forward to another ear blistering release but this one is ever-so-slightly more gentle on the ears. It is a nice change to hear more relaxing tones coming from their latest tracks, especially The Wind Swept Away which left me thinking how articulate and precise these songs are.

I feel this record deserves to be up at the top of this genre just as their previous material was. There are some quick frenzies of furious guitar riffs especially in Consecrated Earth and Unending Bloom and frantic drum beats through each song that are just fantastic. The raw, screaming vocals fit perfectly with the heavier instrumental parts, and even with the more melodic parts showing a great contrast between the two sounds. After listening to the EP many times I still think that the best track from this The Wind Swept Away, which seems to be a lot of people’s favourite. This tracks clocks in at 5:48 which is a little longer than the majority of their songs. They have incorporated so many sounds into this one track and it constantly rises with the faster paced parts and falls again with the emotional, melodic parts – unbeatable. There are so many frantic screaming vocals and lively instrumentals which I found really impressive.

This is a definite must have to your collection and the contrast between styles is just ‘music to my ears’, and the vocal parts still remain as bloodthirsty and ferocious as ever. I didn’t think it could be possible but the instrumental parts have greatly been improved and I think are the best from Maths so far. All in all, a very artistic and accomplished record which you should definitely check out.  

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Minority Unit: 'C.M.F.'

27.12.11

Minority Unit are a band from Los Angeles, made up of members fromRotting Out, Sleepwalkers and Soul Search. There are eleven members in total (I think anyway, I have completely lost count). C.M.F. (Clear Minded Fury) is the brand new 6 track EP which is the follow up from their 2010 Demo. Just like their previous release, Minority Unit play rapid, aggressive straight edge hardcore which could not sound any better! By having so many vocalists, the delivery of the lyrics is amazing and sounds like a total explosion of emotion and energy. After listening to this EP a few times I guarantee you’ll be shouting along too!

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C.M.F. is an essential modern hardcore EP to own and will have a dominating effect on you after listening to it. The songs still remain short, but this works to their advantage as I feel their bold statements come across more effectively. From the first track So be it to the last trackShattered Youth the fast paced guitar riffs do not stop, along with the catchy drum parts – this is a definite memorable record. On the trackUnsure you can hear just about all of the vocalists getting involved and there is a short vocal part towards the end of the song sounding very ‘old punk’ style, which I thought fitted in well. This is closely followed by the track The Few which clocks in at an amazing 39 seconds and contains just as much aggression as any other track does.

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My favourite track has to be MYB (Mind Your Business) which packs a huge punch of aggression, emotion and passion. Fast paced guitar riffs and rapid drum beats kick this track off which eventually results in a small break with loud and bold vocals. An overall entertaining and enjoyable record, just like their older Demo. Minority Unit deliver exactly what you expect from them and produce a flawless EP.

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If you like fast, catchy hardcore then this is exactly the band you should be listening to. This is just what I was expecting this band to produce and it’s just as awesome as I thought it was going to be! I can’t wait for Minority Unit to come over to Europe so that I can see them as their sets look so fun and energetic.

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Unfold: 'Cosmogon'

10.12.11

Recently I was contacted by Domino Media Agency marketing and communication company for metal/hardcore bands. I was pleased to find out that they had sent me the new Unfold record Cosmogon and have now returned after a seven year hiatus. This album was released a few weeks ago on Division Records. Unfold are a six piece Metal/Hardcore band from Switzerland and formed in 1996, and after releasing a new album are still going strong after their absence.

After listening to both of their previous releases, Pure and Aeon-Aony, both containing a fierce mix of sludge, metal and hardcore, I didn't think these albums could be topped, however Cosmogon proved me wrong, and it’s as prime as their previous efforts. This record contains 6 brand new tracks of heavy style sludge/hardcore which are not to go unmissed. Throughout the whole album there is a great anger that is evident through the tremoring vocals. This band has put out all the stops resulting in their best and heaviest release yet.

If you’re into bands such as Cult of Luna, Callisto and Amenra then you’re definitely going to like Cosmogon without a doubt. They mix a promising amount of hardcore with just enough metal to pull of their a strong sound. Listening to the first track Erebe you gain an instant feel to their style which pans out the image for the rest of the album. What I really like about this band is that they have enigmatic lyrics that stretch your imagination and leave you to make your own decisions on the complete meaning of each song. There is a consistent array of colossal drum beats combined with bulky, sludgy sounding guitar riffs which can especially be heard in the songs Hystrion and Eschaton.

This record is a more diverse approach to their sound including using some pleasant piano tunes in the introduction track, shorter and harder hitting songs and also the use of cleaner vocals. They combine all these newer elements with their older individual sound to pull out an excellent sounding album. This is an album that will get stuck in your head and will have you listening to it over and over. I am glad that they have returned with such a brilliant album which you should check out for yourselves.

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Coins as Portraits: 'Form and structure. Storm and fracture.'

06.12.11

The second band released on Romania’s Fading Halo Records, Coins as Portraits play an exciting experimental mix of mathcore music. Although mathcore isn’t as exclusive as it once was, I still find that listening to new bands who the sound quite appealing. Coins as Portraits debut recordForm and Structure, Storm and Fracture is far from regimented as the title suggests and is one to be listened to.

Playing a crazy mix of extreme guitar riffs and bursts of drum beats, left, right and centre, this will make your head want to explode! The EP kicks off straight into some intense guitar musicianship with heavy sounding chugging riffs, mixed with steady rhythm parts and technical melodic lead tunes. The first track Great Numbers pulls no punches and jumps straight in with a frenzy of instrumentals flying around everywhere, combined with some deep throaty growls and high pitched screaming. The idea of song structures goes completely out the window and everything is executed perfectly. The Curator’s Bush and The Plot also contain a substantial amount of fiddly lead guitar parts and blasting drum beats which definitely suits their style of music. There is a steady amount of stop/start riffs which leaves a split half a second gap to realise what’s coming next!

It takes very talented musicians to create this style of music which is has a notable flow and rhythm, plus with strong lyrical content. The themes that Coins as Portraits have incorporated are the philosophy and knowledge of people’s roles in life, giving references to their personal impact on society. This band certainly aims to play provocative music, and the vocalist screams his lungs out on every track over the scrambled instrumentals bellowing every statement they want to get across.

One concern I have is that the record is hard to navigate through as each track seems to jump straight into another, and after listening to the record a few times it leaves you somewhat disorientated, often felt with the mathcore genre as a whole. A lot of attention has to be paid when trying to piece together favourite parts from each song, as it will fly past without you even realising. This is definitely a record for mathcore fans out there, plus people with perhaps short attention spans, as this record never slows down and maintains the rapid speed throughout. A captivating record, which I would recommend for you to check out.

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I Stared Into the Forest: 'Form and structure. Storm and fracture.'

12.11.11

Recently I was contacted by a DIY record label in Romania called Fading Halo Records. They asked me to promote and review a couple of their first releases. The first is a band called I Stared into the Forest, who play a pummelling style of metal, hardcore and experimental music that I thought was most definitely worth writing about. Society Discontinuedcontains around 15 minutes of thrashy guitar riffs, high pitched raw screaming vocals and drilling drum beats. This is definitely an EP that you need to crank the volume up on.

The lengths of the songs seem perfect for their musical style and the song structures work really well throughout. The song that stood out for me was the first track Watching the World Collapse, which contains some heavy instrumental parts that blast away through the whole track. There is a decent mix of different pitched vocals, the majority of which are raw screaming giving an instant impression as to what the band are all about. The track Sloth Machine starts with a blast of heavy guitar riffs complemented with steady smashing drum beats. There are some calmer lead parts in this song and towards the end there are some light group vocals, which I thought was a nice touch. This record goes from harsh and shrill tunes in Clean up the Snow, aggressive throaty screams in Sore Monday, to peaceful, calmer melodies in Locked In (Part 1 and 2).

I have to admit, this record did really grow on me after a couple of listens and is for an acquired taste. You either like this style of musicianship or don’t, there is no middle ground. There is a lot of passion in the music and this comes out through the constant push of vocals throughout each song. You can feel the emotion portrayed through the lyrics that come straight from the heart. Alongside this, the music has been carefully written and I Stared into the Forest hold this style down well. Overall, a really good listen and I am hoping other people will say the same. I am sure they will do well in the future and progress from these early days. 

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Anchor: 'Recovery'

28.10.11

Anchor is a straight edge hardcore band from Sweden and to me is definitely up at the top of the list for European hardcore. They have played a tremendous amount of shows and have been on an endless number of tours and I finally got the pleasure of seeing them play with Trial in London a couple of weeks ago. Recovery is definitely one of their most powerful records, which has recently been released through Let it Burn Records and is a great follow up to their previous releasesRelations of Violence, The Quiet Dance and Captivity Songs.

This album contains 11 tracks of good quality hardcore music which takes all the solid parts from old school hardcore and incorporates it into a newer catchy, melodic sound with a much more modern feel. Straight away after putting this record on, you can sense the passion and devotion that each of the band members have put into this, and soon enough you will find yourself screaming along to the lyrics. The sound and style of this album is not as original as I hoped, however the messages and points of view put across in the songs is incredible and compelling.

This is most definitely a record that you will want to listen to over and over again. The strong guitar chords combined with the pounding drum rhythms produce an overall heavy feeling which is a little different from their previous material. The vocals are much deeper too which adds a raw edge to this album. The instrumental sounds are very skilful and enjoyable to the ear and the crisp passionate vocals alongside this fits perfectly with song structures. I love the heavy moshing sound that is present in the track Hemingway and on Recovering which also contains some gang vocals. The songs Lake Elsinore, Sleeping World andEchoes contain some melodic guitar work, which is more traditional of Anchor, and a constant array of metallic riffs just keep popping up and drilling into your head.

Overall, this album is intense. The more metallic sound gives Recovery a meaner and aggressive sound, which I think complements the lyrics and themes. I think this album shows Anchor at their true form, creating great songs that come honest and straight from the heart. One of Sweden’s finest!

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Set Apart: '2011 EP'

11.10.11

Set Apart, from Hertfordshire, UK, are a hardcore hand that have been together since 2009. I saw Set Apart play an all dayer in March this year, at one of their early shows. I was impressed with what I heard and saw considering how new they were at the time and there was a positive reaction from the crowd too, which was promising. I listened to their old demo (a rough recording), and recently Kyle from Set Apart sent me a copy of their new EP released this year. The new mixes of songs are much better quality, this band have improved and come far in a short space of time. They have dropped some of their melodic sound and adapted a hardcore sound very prevalent in the UK scene currently.

First impressions of the newest recordings are that the sound is a lot heavier than their older material. Although there are a lot bands that have taken this heavy hardcore style in their stride, for example Breaking Point and Broken Teeth, I am sure that Set Apart will do well in the future and will stand out with their powerfully written tracks. Set Apart deliver moshing hardcore with a slight melodic twist, which works really well together. I love the energy and hard riffs alongside the steady rhythmic drum beats, even if it is at times a little predictable. Although they do not separate themselves from the current UK hardcore sound at the moment, they still play heavy, enjoyable and entertaining music.

The EP kicks off with groovy, catchy instrumental that makes you want to bang your head.  Instant  heavy guitar riffs and drum beats merge with overlapping  sharp guitar sounds and followed out nicely with a low melody. I particularly like the track Breaking Free, reminiscent of Dirty Money, with the memorable tunes and shrill vocals. There’s a nicely placed build up incorporating harsh gruff vocals, blasting into a small breakdown. Another track that I like is Hopeless which includes fast paced guitaring and a medley of varied vocal parts, eventually breaking out into a stomping section.

Overall, it’s a pretty decent EP and if you’re into the current UK hardcore sound, in the vein of Bays and Deal With It, then this band will be for you. Set Apart has worked hard at this and definitely deserves as much support as they can get. UK hardcore is still on the up rise so make sure you buy this EP here and catch them at a show soon if you can!

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Expire: 'Suffer the Cycle'

05.10.11

I am a huge fan of Expire’s Demo and their EP Grim Rhythm but the new record Suffer the Cycle is the best material from this band so far. Containing 4 new tracks this EP contains incredibly audacious instrumentals and furious vocals. This is exactly what I was expecting from Expire, I love the sound and the energy that the music gives off, this resulting in being one of the best records this year so far.

Their overall sound is not necessarily original but this has not stopped them from gaining a massive fan base in the hardcore scene. The record contains traditional style hardcore sounds mixed with modern pounding, stomping parts that has a certain metallic edge. Compared to the previous recordings Suffer the Cycle has a much cleaner sound that has especially rubbed off on the vocals. Grim Rhythm, which was released last year, consisted of rougher, raspier sounding vocals. This has slightly changed on the latest release as they are now higher pitched on the screaming. Do not worry though, this does not mean that they have lost their aggressive edge.

Just like the rest of their material the tracks are kept to an average of a minute and a half long which I was disappointed when noticed there were only 4 songs. I wanted more and I still do. I am much looking forward to more material from Expire, hopefully up for release in the not too distant future. Each track is solid, mixing heavy riffs, powerful drum rhythms and punchy bass lines. Although tracks come to abrupt endings, the next in turn kicks in with more punchy tunes leaving the listener far from bored.

Sleep Lost and Grip were my favourites but I am sure some of you will disagree. There were a lot of mixed feelings on this release but mine are all positive. At first I was unsure about it but after a few listens this new EP really grew on me. I recommend listening to it a few times before judging and I am sure if they keep this up the future material will be simply awesome!

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Wolf Down: 'Demo'

12.09.11

Recently I received an email from Sven, a member of a new German band Wolf Down, asking if I would like to review their new demo. After giving it a thorough listen I feel it is most definitely worth mentioning and I hope everybody gets into it straight away just like I have.

This EP starts off with some good solid hardcore riffs. It may sound slightly predictable but boy does it sound hard. This immediately brings to mind some mid-90’s sounding hardcore/metalcore only with a distinct modern twist. There is a perfect mix of hard hitting riffs, fast tempo drum beats, breakdowns and decent instrumental time sequences, all mixed with some raw and angry vocals. It’s not only about the music that makes this EP what it is but the underlying messages within each song. Taking some of the main fundamentals of hardcore of which being veganism, straight edge and the corruptness of the world, Wolf Down certainly pack a punch with this 4 track EP. 

Wolf Down know how to play quality hardcore and also keep it interesting through all 4 tracks. From start to finish the instrumental parts are great. The songs are well pieced together and the screaming vocals do the justice and make the point about each song. There is a fantastic amount of energy and a great drive to the EP that makes you want to stand up and shout along with it! The song structures are mainly filled with fast catchy parts however there is a skilful balance which has space for the slower break parts which I’m sure in a live performance will have people moshing side to side.

Tracks Hide and Seek and Rot both start off with some fast paced riffs which instantly gets the listener intrigued on what’s next to come. There is a lot of variation in each song and towards the end of Rot there is a heavy breakdown. Lyric wise, the concepts aren’t anything original and is most definitely something that hardcore fans are used to but dealing with these topics Wolf Down get straight to the point with what they believe in. There is a lot of impact in what they say regarding being sick of the world and the human race being responsible for destroying mother earth and standing against corporate 9-5 jobs. Faithless and Rat Race  are equally as catchy and pleasing and towards the final part of both songs there are awesome breaks leading into steady rhythms which made me want to move around.

This is a record I can really relate to and I cannot wait to hear more material from this band. If you’re into solid sounding sounds that deliver in your face hardcore then get this as soon as you can!

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Brutality Will Prevail: 'Sleep Paralysis'

12.09.11

UK hardcore is still running strong and we have now seen the release of another record from Brutality Will Prevail. Containing some extremely down-tempo, sludgy sounding hardcore Sleep Paralysis is a 3 track EP of dark heavy hardcore that’s not to be missed. Yet again this EP is so very different to the old Beatdown style genre that this band had and is still continuing with their dark sound which is also evident in The Root of All Evil and Forgotten Soul. This style of hardcore isn’t necessarily my favourite and can get slightly repetitive after a while but Sleep Paralysismakes an exception in this category.

From listening to this EP there is no doubt this is a record from Brutality Will Prevail. Over the past few years they have changed their sound to a more atmospheric and sludgy one and the instruments have been down tuned leaving a much more chugging down-tempo sound, which is now part of this bands image. Combined with the dark instrumentals there are the gruff, throaty vocals providing a very recognisable sound. Between the chugging riffs and harsh drum beats there are some very long melodic interlude parts which adds light to the dark. Each track has well structured songs and I feel BWP have accomplished a very well put together sound, from every heavy guitar riffs, chugging bass lines and constantly tempo changing drum beats this EP fits like a puzzle. These songs are tight and although the darker style hardcore may not have always suited these boys but they have still maintained their aggression which is a positive note for their fanbase.

Out of their newest material, I think this is by far some of the best music they have written. I love the way the melodic guitars bring a more pleasant sound to the music which is shown in Heavy Eyes but still maintaining the down-tuned sound. Although the lyrics and vocals add importance to the EP, I do feel these 3 tracks are more musically appealing than anything else. Perhaps they could have shortened the songs or broke these up into others as 5 minutes and 8 minutes are a long time to listen to one track for. I am not a huge fan of long songs as I personally feel they can drag.

You should definitely get a hold of this record if you can as it’s not to be missed out on. If you like the darkest of dark hardcore then this EP will rock your world, even though it’s only 3 tracks it makes up for this with some fantastic musicianship.

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Don't Give a Fuck: 'A Girl Burning and Dying'

29.07.11

It’s great to see that there are a lot of new hardcore bands who keep popping up and keeping the hardcore scene going. I recently had Matt Dillon send me the debut EP of his new band called Don’t Give a Fuck titled A Girl Burning and Dying. I was quite hesitant at first about listening to this band as there are only two members. Sometimes the quality and style of two member bands can be a little dodgy but Don’t Give a Fuck have pulled this off very well. Hailing from New York the band consists of James Adam Gaskill who plays guitar and does half of the vocals, and Matt Dillon who also does vocals and plays drums. They play a nice mix of emotional and melodic style hardcore and the two different vocal sounds work great together. As can be said for a lot of music, this probably won’t be for everyone, but I really enjoyed the record.

Don’t Give a Fuck know how to combine the mix of melodic instrumental parts with faster paced drum beats, which then lead into a medley of various riffs and chaos. Some of the vocals included sound a little more screamer than what would be expected of a normal melodic band, which is what I liked. The lyrics (of what I can make out) are very emotive and contain some very underlining messages throughout each song. The different time sequences in the guitar riffs and drum beats in all 5 songs created a frantic sound and feel to the record, which made a positive impact on me. The songs The Disease That is You, Farewell Mistake and Ashes Forever have a great mix of some harsh throaty screams with a perfect mix of cleaner screams. Having two vocalists in a band can be temperamental at times but in this situation it suits the music perfectly. The vocals are very strong and almost sound as they echo on the recording. The guitar work sounds very clean however on the first couple of songs the quality of the sound recording decreases slightly in areas but of course, that cannot be helped.

Don’t Give a Fuck appear to be doing quite well for themselves and have already shared the stage with bands such as Outbreak and Hour of the Wolf. They also have some upcoming shows so go see them if you can. This band has a lot of potential and I’m looking forward to hearing more from them in the future. With a sound that goes perfectly with their name, they certainly are a band not to be missed.

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Kingdom: 'Threads'

12.07.11

There are a vast amount of hardcore bands that are floating around at the moment portraying a ‘boys club’ attitude. I’m not really into all these aspects of hardcore instead enjoy music that delivers positive messages and stands for something worth promoting. One band that I have a lot of respect and time for is Kingdom who definitely fights for what they believe in. I feel this band is generally underrated here in the United Kingdom which is a shame as they are such a quality band. Hailing from Philadelphia USA Kingdom is a Vegan Straight Edge hardcore band who plays a variety of heavy styled hardcore with some bold and important messages. Threads is their new mind-blowing 4 track EP that is sticking to the attitude that has previously been explored in the Self Titled, 9 Lives and The Rage That Guides however incorporates new controversial concepts including the impact of rape and issues regarding the law.

The album kicks off with a song called Harbringer that starts the EP off with a nice slow heavy feel to it and then wastes no time picking up the pace into a steady moshing riff with some beefy guitar work. Although bands always have the well known mosh parts that people are expecting, Kingdom manage to fit them in perfectly with their song structures and at the best times which makes the songs more energetic and entertaining. This first song is a sinister story relating to the controversial topic of rape and bringing justice to people who carry this act out. This song is very strong and compelling and is a theme that needs to be brought to people’s attention.

Following on from this is the song Regenerate which kicks in straight away with another intense flurry of instrumental rage. This song is very fast paced and contains some rapid tempo drum beats and steady guitar riffs mixed in with some slower heavy parts which work perfectly together. This song covers animal exploitation and the personal choice to be against these acts which is also covered in the previous releases. Wax and Wayne contains some raw powered vocals which you can really sense the amount of emotion and energy put into this. Although this song is short it is memorable and towards the middle of the track it has a catchy old school feel to it, giving it a nice classic touch. Slight of Badge is the last song on the EP combining yet even more fresh heavy hardcore. This is the song about the misuse of power in the law and takes in the classic All Cops Are Bastards attitude which is fantastic. I wish this EP contained more than 4 songs!

Kingdom has been one of my favourite bands for ages now and I think they cover a vast amount of important positive choices and lifestyle choices which I participate in so I can really relate to this band. They have a unique sound and I think they deserve as much support as possible. As with their other releases  Threads is definitely up there with the best.

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War Hungry: 'Self Titled'

08.07.11

War Hungry have been one of my favourite bands for ages now and I was so excited to see them releasing a full length. I have to admit though you have to have an acquired taste for this band as they do have an original sound and the lyrics take a while to get used to. Combining some pretty heavy hardcore mixed with a sludgy metal sound with plenty of groove. As expected their self titled full length contains all of these elements which I can say they pull off perfectly. I think vocally this could possibly be their best release but there are a few elements that seem to have changed but only slightly and for the best!

This 8 track monster of an album kicks off instantly with the track The Bottom which to me has a very old school metallic sound to it. The guitar riffs execute a very heavy metal testosterone fuelled which breaks into a chugging, grooving tune which will make you bang your head. War Hungry have kept the same sort of song structures which complements their style of music and I don’t think they should do it any other way. Broken on the Wheel starts immediately after the first track has finished. There are not really any pauses between songs so boredom is off the list. I love the classic late 80’s early 90’s metal sound to the guitars and drums mixed with the slow paced dragged out vocals. This band has a bit of everything for everyone. You have the varied tempos of each song rapidly changing from the slower sludgy riffs to the fast paced thrashing metallic sequences, some intense technical solos which bust out of nowhere, memorable basslines and addictive grooving riffs which will leave you moshing all day long.

I’m quite fussy with the metallic edge style of hardcore but War Hungry are an exception. Their music is interesting and they have such a diverse sound that almost sections off from the usual hardcore sound. Songs Empire of Idols, Sleeping Dogs Lie, Been Without Being and Pulse all contain memorable rhythms and they mix up the instrumental patterns frequently which is entertaining. There is a lot of chugging grooves in this album but they know how to integrate it well into their timing sequences so fits nicely in among the vocals that almost sound as if they are echoing on each song.

As an overview, this full length completely sums up War Hungry as one of the most solid bands from the USA. They have an original sound that no band can compete with, which breaks the normal boundaries hardcore song writing. I hope you all enjoy listening to this record as much as I do!

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Harm's Way: 'Isolation'

06.07.11

If you are into Harm’s Way, then you know exactly what to expect from their music. Isolation is no different; and contains 8 tracks of pure crushing hardcore. There is a slight change of style compared to the previous releases ‘Imprisoned,’ ‘No God’s No Masters’ and ‘Reality Approaches.’ They have dropped the early demo sounding powerviolence and developed a much heavier, chugging sound. For some of you this means a positive thing as this record has the potential to change your views on this band but for those who were more into their earlier powerviolence sound it varies from their previous efforts. I think Harm’s Way have come very far and have made a lot of progression in their song writing. Despite changing to a more conventional style of hardcore that suits the modern audiences, this is a captivating record that combines some heavy hardcore elements to pull off a great sounding record.

The vocals on this record play a massive part in creating this overpowering music. ‘Judge Hammers’ as he is known, pulls out all the stops with some slow raw growling mixing it up with some faster paced vocals. Although the vocal style to ‘Isolation’ is not the most original sound I just can’t be negative about it. You can sense the huge amount of anger and hatred which gives the record a classic negative feel to it. Although I don’t really agree to some of their lyrics and attitude I found this record very catchy.

Songs such as Scrambled, Isolation and New Beginning’s contain some varied chugging guitar riffs which I can already see people moshing around to and the song structures would not be complete without the pummelling drum patterns and the final track Pretender shows some blast-beats in a frenzy of power. Everything about this album including song structures, timing, instruments patterns and vocals sound tight which shows this band can work well together. There is a variety of musical elements and Harm’s Way have managed to incorporate both a slow paced darker, heavy hardcore style with brisk and rapid instrumental parts which works well together.

I think ‘Isolation’ is going to be a big release for Harm’s Way and to be honest they are a very hard working band which have progressed greatly over the last few years. Buy it here and help support this band. Also the artwork is pretty sweet too!

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Immolate: 'Demo'

23.06.11

Immolate are a fairly new metallic hardcore band situated in Milford Uxbridge, Massachusetts (USA). A couple of days ago Rob from Immolate got in touch with me and sent me a link to their demo and for an upcoming band I am impressed. I can’t really fault it, as usual it’s probably not aimed everyone’s style but I really like it.

This demo starts with a solid fast paced metallic style introduction. There is an instant similarity in the sound an approach of Immolate which has similar aspects to bands like No Warning and Violation. This intro gives the demo a very catchy start (I have to admit it does remind me of the first 10 seconds of the introduction of Soul Search’s demo) and it sets the tone for the next song ‘No Other Way’ perfectly. I like how this demo keeps the modern day feel to the hardcore sound however still manages to incorporate the classic crossover metal sound on the instrumental parts. I’m pretty sure this band will do well in the future and will have the hardcore fan base jumping up the walls.

Immolate play some very memorable riffs and hard hitting drum beats. At times the sound quality is a bit crusty however that’s expected from a first release and I’m sure they’re future releases will only progress in sound and quality. The songs are well structured and the vocals fit perfectly with their style. Expect a vast amount of fast paced rhythms combined with some slower, heavy metallic riffs which often contain mini- breaks which is very effective. This band has a lot of energy and their songs contain angry lyrics which can never be a negative thing.

If you’re looking to get into a band that is coming on strong then this is the band for you. This isn’t the most original thing you’ll have ever heard but they deliver well.

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Agitator: 'Walls Closing In'

09.06.11

Agitator is a straight edge hardcore band from Pennsylvania USA and have returned with a follow up to 2010’s ‘Enter Vice Lords’ with a 5 track EP titled ‘Walls Closing In.’ This is set for release on Six Feet Under Records so check it out. This band has made quite a following for themselves after releasing their first demo in 2009. There are also a large majority in the scene that are not really into this band but if you check out this new EP it may change your mind as it is pretty hard hitting.

This record is not long but the material contained in these 5 tracks is solid. I love the sound of this EP and it is probably one of my favourite releases of this year. Although I was a huge fan of the previous releases, ‘Walls Closing In’ is a major improvement for Agitator. Previously the lyrics may have come across as being very naive, but this has completely changed as the lyrics have much more meaning which I can only say will boost this bands following. As a whole, the guitar riffs, song structures, drum work and vocal/lyrical content are more satisfying to listen to.

Agitator have most definitely escalated in every manner speaking and I personally think that they are putting out what they stand for and pack more of  punch compared to their older material. There is more delivery and they have captured a sound that is more inclusive of the hardcore fundamentals. All I can say is that I hope that they maintain this attitude and passion towards song writing as they can only go forward from this.

The final point on this release is that Agitator have taken all of the anger that they have of the world we live in and turned it into a fantastic record filled with passion. If you were not into these before then perhaps check ‘Walls Closing In’ and give them another chance.

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Ampere: 'Like Shadows'

05.06.11

I have loved this band since I first heard their music; there is so much passion and anger placed into their songs which is just fantastic. Ampere’s new record ‘Like Shadows’ is a fast paced, chaotic record which is a perfect example of emo violence. This sort of sound can go different ways, one being a slower screamo/experimental style of music, or the complete opposite being a medley of frantic, rip roaring riffs and raw screaming vocals. This album is most definitely a frenzy of unsettled noise which is filled with so much passion combining a few slower parts but not enough to lose the energy.

I am really impressed with this new album as Ampere’s sound is simply mind-blowing. This record contains 15 brand new songs and clocks in at just over 13 amazing minutes. This style of music can also be compared to such bands as Orchid and Daitro with this boisterous sound. If you like emo violence and screamo music then this album is most definitely for you. Songs like ‘Centuries Fled,’ ‘Chasing Ghosts’ and ‘Dead Weight’ pack a punch and show a very disordered song structure which I love. There are fast paced transitions from chaotic parts, leading into calm, slow parts which can lead anywhere. It’s exciting music leaving you unaware of when the current track has finished and the next track has started. The riffs are just crazy and there are no time sequences for any of Ampere’s music but at the same time the instrumental factors of this record are truly impressive.      

They do a great job of managing to make this album flow even though after listening to this, it could very well be a one 13 minute song on its own. The mixture of different instrumental patterns, time sequences and screamy vocals work incredibly well making a far from boring sound. Even though riffs and sounds come from every angle on this record it is in a way very memorable and this particular sound is what makes Ampere such a great band.

Like a lot of this genre of music, it may not be to everybody’s taste but if you’re into chaotic, passionate, angry and technical music then this record will be an essential for you. One problem that I do have (for this genre of music as well) is that it would be wonderful if we could have more than 13 minutes of new material. This album is streaming now for free however do buy this first rate record.   

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Famine: 'Shadows of the Past'

19.05.11

There has been a great amount of decent records out this year and after listening to this for the first time, is no exception. I am a big fan of Famine’s earlier release ‘Every Road Leads Back Here’ as it had quite an original sound to it but can their new album deliver the same response. Well, to answer that of course it does. Although losing some of their older traits, Ireland’s Famine have produced another solid record which is definitely worth a listen.

Although this style of hardcore may not be everyone’s cup of tea ‘Shadows of the Past’ has a more modern sound to it which I did not like as much. I am not complaining about this though, as the introduction track kicks in with a slow instrumental piece which is quite a nice listen. Don’t get too accustomed to this though as ‘Mission Statement’ blasts in with a strong heavier hardcore style which is instantly a great start. Every song on this album contains good quality bellowing vocals erupting with a sheer amount of passion which really drives this record.

This album is interesting as there is a mixture of sounds incorporated into each song so it doesn’t get boring or sound repetitive. There is a steady structure of instrumental talent which adds a pleasant mixture of different tempo drum beats and guitar chords all thrown together with some heavier moshing sounding riffs. This is a well put together album and sounds like it has been a work in progress for quite some time now!

Combining the perfect mix of slow heavy style hardcore and fast paced riffs Famine have created an album that stands out from some of the usual duplicated bands providing the listener with such satisfaction. If you get chance, do check this band out and support them by buying their record. 

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Stab: 'Demo'

17.05.11

Stab is a fairly recent Straight Edge Hardcore Punk band from London. With some awesome material showing some resemblance to such bands as Lärm, Discharge and Ripcord. This band is already gaining a following from the UK and I’m not surprised with members from the almighty Never Again, Hello Bastards and Aboltion. Prepare yourself for some extremely fast, angry and powerful music of how hardcore should sound!

If you want something to deliver frustration and a sheer amount of anger then this is the record for you. With tracks ‘Blinded by Force,’ ‘Fascism Brings Death’ and ‘Mental Regulation’ this demo brings song after song of rabid hardcore that will leave your eardrums sore. If you’re into early 80’s style hardcore in the vein of Ripcord and Sore Throat then this should be your next investment. I love the raw sounding recordings and if you want to check this sound out for real you can check them out at a show near you.

Help support this band by buying their demo (it’s just what the doctor ordered).

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Foundation: 'At Your Mercy'

15.04.11

Atlanta’s Foundation have released a 3 track EP which features three brand new songs that includes a Path of Resistance cover of the song ‘Counter.’ The song ‘At Your Mercy’ will be on their forthcoming full length ‘When the Smoke Clears’ which is due to be released in May. This style of hardcore sound has a massive influence from the 90s, which is why I think this band is amazing. 90s style hardcore is probably my favourite and after hearing these 3 new songs I am really excited for their new full length, which is less than a month now!

The first song ‘A Thousand Ways’ sets the whole tone of this EP with a heavy metallic hardcore sound in the vein of Trial and Turmoil. It’s an incredibly catchy start to this EP and will leave you feeling fulfilled. It’s not just the riffs and musical sound that makes this EP happen, but also the in depth lyrical content that Foundation have worked so hard to develop. Taking the foremost topics of everyday life, the lyrics dive deep into a more individual’s perspective of day to day affairs that we have to put up with in this world. I am one hundred percent sure that the impact of this EP and their new album will be colossal and will surely go down well in the current hardcore scene.

I was also really impressed with the cover of Path of Resistance’s song ‘Counter’ as I am a big fan of this band as well. I am always a bit hesitant of covers, but this song works well and I liked the slight change of sound to it. Also, the general sound of this band have got a little more heavier than their previous releases ‘Hang Your Head’, their self-titled and the split they produced with Meantime, but do not let this put you off, as this EP has a fantastic sound to it. Prepare for the grooves and the breaks as this is not to fall upon deaf ears.

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I have been a big fan of this band since they started and from their first EP they have always managed to produce unbeatable songs and have managed to progress greatly. These new songs are great and I am sure the follow up to these with the new album will be phenomenal. Get into this or you’ll regret it.

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Landlocked and Bays: 'Splitnificant Other'

26.03.11

This new split from Manchester (UK) band Bays and Missouri (USA) band Landlocked is awesome. There are always new bands popping up everywhere, some are not as good as others but ‘Splitnificant Other’ has two decent bands playing quality hardcore. I have not listened to a split record in a while so I was pleasantly surprised when I gave this a listen, it’s definitely a winner and as they are offering the link to these tracks for free it’s a bonus. These are two recent bands and have recorded two songs each for this release so make sure you check it out. 

First two tracks kick off with Landlocked showing an angry and aggressive sound that everyone loves to hear. The song ‘Simple Requests’ sets the pace of the record and has a harsh sound to it. The crushing guitar sounds capture an energetic but sort of D-Beat sound, which I think is a very promising sound. This band deserves a lot of support as everything they have recorded and released has been completely funded from their own pockets. They have a great dedication to the music they play and this is shown through the songs. Also be sure to check out their EP ‘From a New Perspective’ and their 2009 Demo.

Bays two songs add a more metal/hardcore sound to the split and are definitely worth the listen. The UK scene is still going fairly strong and this Manchester based band will certainly not disappoint. There are only two songs but you can tell they are played from the heart and straight to the point. Although the sound of the instruments and riffs are very generic it does work in favour for Bays. ‘Reality of Death’ and ‘Foundations Hollow’ contains a much crisper sound, opposed to their earlier demo and brings a more mature sound for this band. If you enjoy these songs then you should check out their Demo and their EP ‘Immovable.’ 

My only proper complaint is that there are only two songs by each band (I was hoping for a little more.) Nice Limp Bizkit rip off of the artwork and release name as well. These are both promising bands so don’t you dare sleep on this.

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Handguns: 'Don't Bite Your Tongue'

22.03.11

‘Don’t Bite Your Tongue’ is the second EP release from Handguns, a Pop Punk band from Pennsylvania. This record takes a slightly different approach to the usual positive outlooks but instead reflects on the basis that we shouldn’t bother to stand up for ourselves as it is simply a waste of time. These 7 tracks might not be to your taste but I found myself enjoying them.

I still cannot decide if it has topped their last release ‘Anywhere but Home’ but it is still within the Handguns sound. With fast paced and fun songs, this is everything that you can expect from a good quality Pop Punk band. Forget all the breakdowns, screams and other hardcore influences for a second and just remember what it should sound like. This record is simply what a band consists of, vocals, guitar chords, a bass and some catchy drums, nothing special but it works perfectly. The sound from this EP reminds me of when I was in my early teens and will have you jumping for joy at every listen.

Their previous release was made completely independently and reflected upon their ‘living for the moment’ attitude and a couple of years down the line and they have come quite far as this is released through Pure Noise Entertainment. Most of the topics covered are typical for this genre, talking about the past youth times, looking for better times and of course love. These topics have been written to death but to be honest who cares, to me it makes a successful pop punk record.

I’m pretty sure this will be a successful release and will please the ever hungry pop punk fans. The audience this record attracts are already used to this sort of sound and will definitely be influential to new listeners. All in all a quality EP.

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The Memory: 'Call it a Comeback'

19.03.11

The Memory is a fairly recent Italian melodic hardcore band. They started out back in 2009 and have just released their debut EP titled ‘Call it a Comeback’ which contains 6 tracks of powerful, angry music. I had never heard of this band until a few days ago and after giving their EP a listen I think they could be the next big thing. I’m quite fussy with melodic style hardcore but this is something I don’t think I could get bored with.

There is a strong emphasis on the vocals throughout this release and is comfortably added to some extremely fast paced and complex guitar melodies and fast paced drum beats. There is a certain similar style that can be heard from the Florida based band Casey Jones and also slight resemblance to parts of the band Anchors Away but still managing to maintain an original sound for themselves. If you’re into those two bands then no doubt you’ll be into these. If anything The Memory are enhancing the sound of the modern day style of melodic hardcore into something more exciting.

This record could very well pave the way for the next generation of hardcore bands and will definitely be a huge influence (I’d like to hope so anyway). Containing all of the essential areas of what melodic hardcore should sound like The Memory combines a fantastic amount of heavy(ish) but sensibly toned down guitar work leaving quite a less aggressive sound to the music. This is when the screamy/emotional vocals kick in at the right time to provide the traditional yet still angry twist.

This EP is a 6 track gem which focuses more on the melodic sound but still managing to maintain the amount of emotion and aggression that should be evident in a modern day release.

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Line of Scrimmage: 'Denounced'

19.03.11

Line of Scrimmage from New York have been around for quite a while now and have released a demo, a split with Enemy Mind and an album ‘Cinderblock Solution’ but ‘Denounced’ is definitely a winner for this band. This band has come a very long way and this release proves it! If you haven’t heard of this band then now is your time to get into it.

This album is a monster and explodes into a fury from track one all the way until the end. There are a lot of bands that sound very similar to this style of hardcore however Line of Scrimmage seem to straying away from this slightly but still producing equally angry and aggressive music. Track one ‘Penance’ instantly kicks off with some fast paced riffs and with an extremely heavy sound, no sound clips, no introductions that keep us waiting for the album to start, just straight up brutality. Other great songs that stand out include ‘Nothing Out of Reach’ and ‘This Time Around’ which will leave you with an image you just cannot compete with.

The raw, throat ripping vocals mixed with the down tune guitars and bass are a perfect combination. Also the catchy, fast tempo drum beats and fat chunky breaks really makes this album a beast of a release. A certain degree of the bands personalities definitely come out through their powerful music and after listening to this I am pretty sure you will be on the same sort of wavelength. From listening to their 2006 demo and their previous releases you can hear how they have progressed into something much more. ‘Denounced’ is a top notch heavy record and with guest vocals from members of Suburban Scum you just cannot go wrong.

Do not pass the opportunity to listen to this record. If you think you’ve heard all the Beatdown hardcore that you can handle then you’re wrong as ‘Denounced’ offers you something new and improved. Do yourselves and the band a favour and buy this record.

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Black Haven: 'Harmbringer'

07.03.11

I listened to this record with great anticipation as it is Black Haven’s first ever full length. I feel that this band is underrated however recently they seem to be attracting a lot of attention. In this album they explore an even heavier, darker sound which is utterly mind-blowing. If you decide to give this album a chance then prepare yourself for some extremely fast paced and aggressive music.

Containing a huge mixture of genres including hardcore, metal, punk and some other bits and bobs it gives a great raw sound which will make you want to cause mayhem! If you’re into bands like Rise and Fall, Integrity and Ringworm then this will probably be the cup of tea for you. Some parts are a little slower and little more metallic than I would prefer but taking this into account I cannot really complain as the rest of the 90% of the album makes up for this. It’s a great listen and nobody can deny the fact that they must have Rise and Fall as one of their influences due to certain song elements but can you blame them both being from Belgium and having a similar sound. Could very well be a coincidence.

Definitely one of the more promising bands from Europe at the moment and the modern day sounds of hardcore are most definitely getting darker.

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Full Blown Chaos: 'Self Titled'

14.02.11

Full Blown Chaos have played a tremendous amount of shows and been on a countless number of tours shattering everything with their heavy metallic hardcore sound. With their distinct New York Hardcore sound they add other elements which almost borderline extreme metal with many solid breakdowns. There are also a hundred other bands that sound very similar to this style but for some unknown reason Full Blown Chaos seem to pull it off well.

The majority of FBC tracks do sound very similar with almost exact song structures and the generic breakdown mosh sound but this album is an album that you should definitely tune into. Although this sound has been overproduced over the time there is no doubt it has affected the passion and aggressive sound that this band have always carried with them. While their attitude being very ‘mature’ with such monumental live speeches such as ‘everybody punch someone in the face’ and ‘let’s see some bloodshed’ it leaves you with the impression that this band are over-grown men with too much testosterone trying to punch the crap out of anything that moves, they still manage to produce catchy music. Honestly though, don’t be put off by this ridiculous image as the music really isn’t that bad.

This could quite frankly be the perfect combination of metal and hardcore, however don’t get your hopes up too much as this doesn’t even compare to their early records such as ‘Prophet of Hostility’ and ‘Wake the Demons.’ The main difference in their sound can be heard on the track ‘Silence is Golden’ but apart from that, it has the repetitive feel of ‘Heavy Lies the Crown’ with the chugging riffs, portraying the same messages that they started their band image with.

This record is definitely worth checking out, however I am not sure if it is worth the amount of money you will pay for it. I do think that some webstores have some pretty rad deals on at the moment where if you buy the new release you can then have another of their releases for free. Probably best to get on it while you can.

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Skarhead: 'Kickin' It Oldschool'

08.02.11

Skarhead have recently released ‘Kickin’ it OldSchool’ which is a re-release of their EP titled ‘Drugs, Money and Sex’ including various remastered demo tracks and studio, live tracks. This re-mastered record pulls out all of the best parts of old school hardcore and blasts it all back with their straight-to-your-face sound.

After hearing Skarhead would release this record I was excited to listen to the remastered songs and I had good reason to be. The first few minutes in, this sounds fantastic. After not listening to Skarhead for quite some time, I forgot how aggressive, angry and fast paced their sound is. Definitely some of the best New York hardcore to listen to. This record contains some solid, furious classics such as ‘City of Sleaze’ and ‘Hardcore’ which I can guarantee, will keep you listening for days on end.

There is one problem with this record, and I don’t want to sound like a killjoy when I say this, but there are too many Skarhead songs that are repetitive. It’s best to stick to a couple of their records, which provides you with the good quality sound that Skarhead is known for. As for the rest of the songs, they sound pretty typical of this genre, so nothing special but there are a few tracks on this new record that stand out more than others. I’m sure you’ll be able to make up your own mind on which ones you like.

As an overall, the majority of tracks sound pretty awesome but one would want to expect a little more from such an almighty band. Buy it and listen to it if you’re interested.

Most Precious Blood: 'Do Not Resuscitate'

05.02.11

First impressions of this album are that it makes you want to basically destroy anything you come into contact with but is that really a great thing? It’s very bold and redeeming from start to finish and it is certainly an album I have been waiting ages for.

As most people know, Most Precious Blood just sort of disappeared after their massive tour in 2006 promoting the album ‘Merciless’ and after 5 years they have returned with a heavier album full of hatred and aggression. As expected there was a slight change of sound to their previous releases with different guitar work and a faster, less metallic feel. The changes are most definitely for the best though, as this album sounds fantastic all of the way through.

Most Precious Blood have taken anything at all positive in an album and completely ripped and shredded it apart to leave nothing but negativity, aggression and pure utter hatred. Not the best message to get across but for some unknown reason I just cannot seem to turn away from this record.

The instrument changes are not the only things that have changed in the sound of their music, the vocals from Rob Rusco are even more powerful than before. Whereas in the previous albums the vocals sound is very frequently screamy (obviously giving 100 percent), in ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ he has gone beyond his norms and given 200 percent which definitely pushes out the message from their lyrics. The musicianship has technically developed from the previous releases and has increased the structure of the songs to give an added accomplishment to it.

One major downfall to this album is the acoustic track, which seems completely out of place to the rest of the songs. What were they even thinking? It goes from pure aggression to whiny vocals, which, for me, just seems to ruin the mood the previous part of the album. The cheesy background effects from the keyboards really don’t help either so I recommend you add this track to the skip list and you’ll have no complaints.

‘Do Not Resuscitate’ is a very hard hitting album that will make you feel like you can take on the world so make sure you don’t miss out on this release. Make sure you get yourself a copy!

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Mother of Mercy: 'IV: Symptoms of Existence'

21.01.11

Pennsylvania’s Mother of Mercy are a band I’ve been into a while now and ‘IV: Symptoms of Existence’ is some of the finest metallic hardcore around at the moment. This album is borderline of the metal genre but not too much that it becomes an unbearable sound. First impressions are that I love this album, instantly kicking off with a melodic, thrashy sound that follows through the whole record. This is a very catchy record and very memorable and will leave you listening to this over and over.

The vocals fit perfectly well with this style of hardcore and fit in well with the constantly chugging guitar riffs. The structure of the songs sound quite basic and simple, however are carried out well with the concoction of the powerful guitar musicianship and strong vocals. I am positive that they have a large influence from Metallica, from listening to this you could almost be around in the late 1980’s/early 90’s. With a fast paced sound they take all the best parts from metal and throw this together with thrash/punk which comes to together as a perfect mix.

I like everything about this band and I can see this being one of the best releases of the year (even though it’s only January). They appear to be doing well for themselves so help them out some more by purchasing their record.

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No Turning Back: 'Take Control'

17.01.11

Think Fast! Records have recently signed No Turning Back who will be releasing their latest album ‘Take Control’ due for release in April. As the title says, this record is based around the idea of taking control as individuals and for No Turning Back as a band. There is a huge amount of passion in this release almost documenting their time as a band together, starting out young and growing into adults staying true to their opinions and lifestyle. After hearing this for the first time it keeps repeating itself in my head, once you listen to this you won’t want to stop.

Over the many years that No Turning Back has been together, they have many releases which I have mixed feelings on. In the past they never really stood out that much to me however after watching their performance live this soon changed my opinion. I prefer their last few latest releases rather than their older records; as much as I like them, they have not really changed the sound of their music. It sounds almost restricted to this level of hardcore, playing it safe and not wanting to take any drastic changes.

Although there has not been any dramatic change to their sound, there is a slight difference in their music, compared to, for example, ‘The Beautiful Lies’ and ‘Rising from the Ashes’ and other earlier releases. These aren’t my most favourite band but I do like their sound and am really feeling the new record. Some of songs do have a melodic sound but still keep the hard and heavy sound that No Turning Back have always had and hopefully always will have.

‘Take Control’ is a very aggressive and angry record and looks back over pretty much the whole life and journey that No Turning Back have had, also containing elements of unity and friendships from their journey.
This album is a valuable asset to the career of No Turning Back; they have accomplished a huge amount during their time together and it seems they always will. Make sure you pre-order your copy as soon as you can and catch them on their soon to be tour.

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Outlast: 'Take Control'

16.01.11

Personally, I feel that this band is underappreciated and most definitely underrated. ‘Outlast’s ‘Take Control’ is a fantastic release of 2010. It’s great to see that Youth Crew bands are still on the increase and sounding as good as ever.

Outlast are a fairly new band (formed in 2009) hailing from New Jersey and show some very positive aspects to their songs and attitude. With an optimistic outlook on life, this band focus’s strongly on trying to make a difference; they have a large emphasis on the respect of one another, the world we live in with strong views on animal cruelty (ideas that I support myself). 

With a record that pulls no punches, their music explodes into a frenzy of fast paced catchy riffs and aggressive sounding vocals, leaving the only way to listen this record but on full blast from your speakers. While still capturing slight elements of the Youth Crew sound that is evident in the mid 80’s from bands such as, ‘Youth of Today’ and ‘Negative Approach’, they have added a modern twist that incorporates Straight Edge culture.

Containing former members of ‘The Glory Days’ and ‘Bad Blood’ (also a rad band), ‘Take Control’ is the follow up from ‘Outlast’s 2009 demo and will hopefully be the next best thing!

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Casey Jones: 'I Hope We're Not the Lastl'

11.01.11

In September 2010 Casey Jones parted ways with Eulogy records to self release a record of their own. ‘I Hope We’re Not the Last’ has now been released and will sadly be the final record from this band. 2011 marks the final year of touring before the band calls it a day so go support them and give them a good send off. To be fair it is best to end things on a positive note rather than fading out in the future and what better way to end things than with this fantastic record.
 

I have loved this band for a few years now and they have never ceased to amaze me. This album certainly shows some of their best efforts combining quality lyrics with comical takes on topics and compiling all this into catchy riffs leaving you wanting to mosh all day long. This album also portrays the ongoing message that has been evident over their previous releases promoting that Straight Edge is the way forward for personal choice and is a lifetime commitment. It has been the message since the day they began and they have continued promoting this until the very end.

There are many modern straight edge bands about at this current time and I do not want to put across that I am a stereotype or a hater of bands but a large number have very arrogant views on Drug Free culture and seem very ‘preachy’ trying to dictate what is right and what is wrong. Another common trait is to put breakdown after breakdown with the same boring song structures that we have all heard a million times over. Casey Jones strays away from most of these generic traits and take the best parts from punk/hardcore, incorporating this with Josh James forever getting better vocals to produce a raw twist on hardcore which is, I dare say an original sound. (I’m sure many of you may have other views regarding this!)

With songs that are trying to reach the youth of today I have no doubt that the this record will have no trouble getting through to people and to help them make up their own decisions on life. This band is not solely for straight edge people so if you think that this is a band that is specifically aimed at that type of audience then think again. Straight Edge or not this could very well be the band for you and with their passionate, fun, witty attitude it’s going to be hard to fill the huge hole they will leaving in the scene today. As the title says ‘I Hope We’re Not the Last,’ there is no doubt they will be as there are many promising upcoming bands that will hopefully carry this message on.

If you love real hardcore then this album is the one for you and for sure I’ll be listening to this record far into the future. Be sure to buy yourself a copy as it’s their last release copies will surely go fast.

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