Next week's probably gonna be another dead one, as I'm slated to go out of town this weekend and therefore won't be getting any reviews done. So, until I return, I leave you with this curious photo of an ancient relic that someone emailed me a few weeks ago:

First off, I wrote about the classic "Begging for Indifference" EP here a couple of years ago, so I'm not going to delve into the "where are they now" aspects of the Overcast lineup again, especially since everyone reading this probably knows already anyway. Having been a huge Overcast fan back in the day (and still today), I couldn't quite decide what to make of the fact that they were regrouping nearly 10 years after their breakup to re-record a bunch of old tracks (as well as a couple of new ones) for "Reborn to Kill Again" (on Metal Blade Records). And, truthfully, I'm still not entirely sure what to make of it!

For one thing, Overcast always seemed to do a decent amount of re-recording/re-releasing tracks on different releases when they were around as it was, and the only things the band ever recorded that actually sounded pretty crappy were their first 7", "Bleed Into One" (the title track of which appears here), and the track on the "East Coast Assault" compilation. I still think 1997's "Fight Ambition to Kill" sounds pretty damn good, so it's a bit of a bummer that about half of these 13 tracks are taken from that album - which only had nine songs in the first place! Do the re-recordings sound better? In some ways, sure. And there are definitely some added little flourishes and cool intricacies that either weren't there before or just weren't apparent. And at least they included "Filter of Syntax" and "Styrofoam Death Machine", some of the better compositions from said album, but… still. It's the tracks from "Expectational Dilution" and "Begging for Indifference" that might've benefited most, and are the most welcomed inclusions: "Diluting Inertia/Grifter", the fusion of "As a Whole/Two Degrees Below", "For Indifference", "Fate's Design", and "Bleed Into One". However, to be totally honest with you, I'll always prefer the original recordings. For all of the aforementioned flourishes and intricacies that start to surface here, there's just some dark, chilling, atmosphere and vocal character lost - especially in crucial tracks like "For Indifference". I'm also stunned that they included "Fate's Design" as opposed to the far superior "Forecast", which was always one of their strongest tunes in my opinion. But, hey, you can't please everyone, right?

As for the two new tracks, "Root Bound Apollo" may sound familiar as it shares lyrics and its title (and I think a few compositional shreds) with an old Shadows Fall song - it would've fit in quite well on "Fight Ambition to Kill", actually. "Reborn to Kill Again", on the other hand, sounds quite different - flirting with a lot of post-hardcore elements and a shorter, more focused and memorable approach than most of Overcast's work. It'll probably remind many listeners of Shadows Fall, but that's really only due to some of the vocal work. It's an atypical track for Overcast, but for me it's the better of the new songs.

In the end, I'm still on the fence, but I can definitely state that this CD will serve better to introduce new, younger listeners to Overcast's material. Longtime fans of the band won't likely deem this an essential purchase, which is in some ways unfortunate, but perhaps that wasn't the point in the first place? Either way, Overcast was an incredible band whose back catalog should remain significant for many, many years to come with regard to its impact on the roots of the true "metalcore" genre. The old show flyers included in the center spread of the booklet are proof enough of the band's massive crossover appeal at the time - having performed with everyone from Madball and Slapshot to Cannibal Corpse and Napalm Death, the Cro-Mags and Leeway to Neurosis and Into Another, among numerous other acts from all-over-the-place genres.

So, yeah… no disrespect here. Not a bit.

Overcast "Root Bound Apollo"
Overcast "Bleed Into One"

Purchase:

@ Relapse Records (CD)
@ Amazon.com (mp3)

Maryland-based 187 Records is another label that seems to have an interesting roster as well as a flare for eye-catching graphic design work, and "Libretto", the debut EP from California's Rise of Caligula, caught my ear with its diverse brand of technical metalcore - which fuses an array of more jarring and chaotic influences with pummeling death metal riffs and powerfully discordant atmospheres. I tend to be incredibly picky about these particular types of more contemporary metalcore, but Rise of Caligula keeps things tightly wound with seven tracks in about 20 minutes, and efficiently blends their influences in a manner that keeps things interesting. Rather than blaze through loads of fast-paced noodling and blurs of riffs, they keep the explosive bursts of unhinged riffing under control with the chunkier death metal aspects, and the slower, more tangible elements switch it up from meaty, breakdown-oriented rhythms to more melodically textured fare that's actually really fucking killer. And, unlike the vast majority of these bands, they do still break into the occasional power chord run that actually still bears some resemblance to hardcore, which is pretty cool. There's just a good sense of energy overall that really gets the job done. I don't have the lyrics, but the recording and artwork are pretty solid, and I don't really have any complaints here. I'm actually really curious to hear what'll come next, because the more I listen to this the more I realize how much potential they're sitting on. Not bad at all…

Rise of Caligula "Stillborn"

Purchase:

@ 187 Records

I believe "Quando a Esperança Desaba" may be considered the first "full-length" release from Brazilian grinders D.E.R. (on Cospe Fogo Gravações), but even with 16 tracks this is more like a 7" EP at a mere 13:34 in length! Expect nothing but raw, in your face, old school grindcore with shitloads of blastbeats and tremolo picking, plus barked vocals that sound like they have a hint of dirty distortion happening. Seriously, it's rare that a song tops one minute, and they just tear straight through with no remorse. Sometimes you can't even tell that one song ends and another begins! Every now and then they'll toss in some high screams to back up or contrast the core vocals, and on rare occasion they'll ease up on the speed just a tad, but… these cats do not do breakdowns. It seems to be all about speed here, and the entire disc's over in a flash. I don't have the complete package, so I'm not sure if any lyrics or translations are included, but with song titles that I was able to deduce translating to phrases such as "The Fall of Your Dogma" and "Thus is the Will of Social Justice", it would seem that D.E.R. means business with their content as well, which is always a plus when it comes to raging grind.

D.E.R. "Eu Decido Quem Vai Morrer"
D.E.R. "A Vitória e o Fim"

If you're in the US, there's only one copy left in stock at Crimes Against Humanity, though their mp3 download store does have the album for just $6 if you're interested…

Purchase:

@ Cospe Fogo Gravações (CD)
@ Crimes Against Humanity Records (CD)
@ Crimes Against Humanity Downloads (mp3)

"Through the Valleys in Between", released by Italian label Still Life Records, collects several previously released EP's from Texas metallic hardcore outfit Die Young, for a total of 19 tracks in 34 minutes. Included in reverse chronological order are the "Loss" 7" (2008), split 7" with Invade (2007), "Survival Instinct" CD EP (2005), split 7" with 7 Generations (2005), and the 2002 demo (also re-released as the "Songs for the Converted" 7" in 2003). The bulk of the material is relatively straightforward metallic hardcore with vicious vocals (still possessing that Catharsis-esque edge, especially on the demo material) and socio-political leanings in short burst of less than two minutes apiece, not unlike what the band offered up on last year's "Graven Images" full-length. On occasion they'll spice things up with an unexpected lead break or some more creative guitar work that flirts with a hint of melody, though, and the "Loss" 7" actually takes a lot of these influences farther into a more creative direction that experiments with a lot of different textures and influences - thus making me quite curious to see where the band's going to be heading in the future. But there are other standouts, too: For example, "Asco Puro" (which is Spanish for "Pure Disgust") is a clever take on the old One Life Crew track, flipping the lyrical content to convey the opposing message of, "U.S. corporations you must get out! Don't use third world countries for slave labor!"; while covers of Trial's "For the Kids" and Gorilla Biscuits' "Degradation" are nice surprises as well. Despite variances in the recording quality everything sounds solid and plays through without issue, and the layout looks pretty damn slick as well, so this is another impressive release from a band that I missed out on for far too long. Very cool.

Die Young "Last Recourse"
Die Young "There is No Rest"
Die Young "The Tortured Role"

I gave my all and to no avail. A withered soul of so few years, a youth becoming stale. The weight of failure and disenchantment, the albatross around the neck. As I gaze into the abyss, it stares right back. Pacing, seething like a beast in captivity, scowling out from within the cage of this society. Clawing, gnawing until claw and tooth grind thin, trapped inside this culture fighting wars that I can't win. I confess: I dream of eternal rest. When all of this madness ceases to be, at last I'll be at peace…

Purchase:

@ Interpunk
@ RevHQ

A few weeks ago I made a quick post in search of some material by Ironside, an early-90's UK "holy terror hardcore" band that I recently discovered thanks to Am I Mean?. I vowed to do a proper post on the band once I got my hands on all of their material, so… here it is! Several people got in touch with me to lend a hand (many thanks, one and all), and among those who contacted me was actually Ironside frontman Richard "Arms" Armitage, so I asked him to provide a little rundown on the band since I've been very sadly in the dark all this time and have very little background to work with here:

Ironside started in 1992 in Bradford with a bunch of longtime skate punks. Our first gig was with Sick of it All at the 1 in 12 Club the first time they ever came over - imagine them playing an anarcho collective. We played a lot around the UK, either with touring US hardcore bands or more importantly with new UK bands like Kito, Solace, Wartorn and Voorhees - all of whom have members still active in hardcore today. We did a couple of Breakdown- and Sheer Terror-influenced demos, then got the "holy terror" thing nailed once Integrity did "Darkness" on the "Only the Strong" 7" compilation.

We played in Belgium later in '92 and blew away all the '88 straightedge kids there, which laid the foundation for the H8000 thing. No one was doing slow, chugging metal with deep vocals and no recognizable straightedge lyrics at the time, except Ironside.

In 1993 we did the "Fragments of the Last Judgement" 7" - our four career best songs. Then a few of us started drinkin' and some original members left for various reasons. I played guitar and sang for awhile, until we got a couple of metal guys in on drums and rhythm guitar. We took the Paradise Lost/Cathedral influences a bit too far and did the "Damn Your Blooded Eyes" 7" in 1994 at Academy Studios, where a lot of the northern doom metal bands recorded back then - My Dying Bride, Anathema, etc. The back cover photo is hilarious: A collection of nightclub bouncers, circus strongmen, and vampires.

Then we went to Europe for a month with Chorus of Disapproval, also in '94, which was the biggest mismatch ever - us listening to Sabbath on the booze, and them not. Good times, but when we got back it was over. I played guitar in Voorhees afterwards, and now in The Horror. It's always cool when people bring up Ironside when I'm touring.

I must agree that the "Fragments of the Last Judgement" 7" (Subjugation Records, 1993) is the band's finest work, but that's not to slag their other output in any way. In fact, I'd argue that the demos (collected on the "Ecstatic Ritual" CD in the mid-90's along with the aforementioned 7") sound even more like early Integrity, right down to that totally Clevo-sounding guitar tone! They definitely seemed to come into their own on the "Fragments…" EP, while "Damn Your Blooded Eyes" 7" (Stormstrike Records, 1994) is indeed more of a drawn out excursion towards doom metal (though it's not entirely a stretch to have envisioned such a progression, really).

I'm still just astounded that I had never even heard of this band prior to this. I mean, seriously, Ironside should totally be mentioned more often in the same breath as Integrity or Mayday or any of those bands that were doing this kind of dark, metallic hardcore in the early-90's, when the whole "holy terror" sound was still in its relative infancy, really. Absolutely criminal. This must be one of the single most underrated bands in the history of all living things, so I really hope this post gets the word out, 'cause I know there are a shitload of people like me out there that would flip over this material if they knew it existed! Here are a couple of tracks to give you a taste, if for some twisted reason you're not sold yet:

Ironside "Fever Pitch"
Ironside "Smothered Conviction"

If you like what you hear, the band's complete discography, which is all out of print and rather hard to come by, is available below:

[DOWNLOAD] Ironside discography (@ Mediafire)

Enfuckingjoy…

Also thanks to Tom for the following comment on my last little Ironside post, with some more "where are they now" tidbits:

• Arms (singer) went on to play guitar for Voorhees and now plays guitar in The Horror.
• Nick (drums) sang for Unborn (also on Lifeforce Records), played in various Sore Throat lineups, and played in Cracked Cop Skulls (with Napalm Death and Ripcord members, I believe).
• Doug (bass) went on to form Iron Monkey, who did some records for Earache. Last time I saw him he was managing bands like Funeral for a Friend and Raging Speedhorn, or something like that.
• Jim (guitar) went on to form Iron Monkey with Doug, as well as the amazing Hard to Swallow. He now plays in Geriatric Unit with members of Heresy.
• Tom (guitar) played for Baby Harp Seal (Fugazi/Hoover type stuff), who also recorded for Subjugation Records (Ironside's first home); relocated to Germany and played with Battle Royale (toured the US in '05); and now in plays in Cold War (Deep Six Records).

The latest release from Milkweed Records is "Heed the Primal Calling", the debut EP from Lake of Blood, a promising southern California black metal act that I had never heard of before. Like many contemporary black metal acts, Lake of Blood doesn't exactly offer up much in the way of innovation: Their visual and lyrical aesthetics are quite similar to the rest of the genre (though the use of color on the front cover is a bit of a shift) in terms of dealing with a lot of bleak, murky forest landscapes and whatnot, and musically comparisons could be drawn to a number of other American/European acts within this realm. However, the songwriting certainly boasts an air of quality, and there are a number of very cool little riffs that, while comparable to some other artists, do tend to fall into the minority when it comes to what's most commonplace from the black metal genre as a whole. While present throughout, tremolo picking and blastbeats take a back seat to atmosphere and feeling, and that's always a plus, so you're more likely to be greeted by throbbing midpaced rhythms, driving chord progressions, melodic lead lines, intricate picking patterns, or even a few tactful keyboard intros (believe it or not). The only minor setback in my mind is that they need to do a little work on the recording quality. I don't mind the rawness at all, that obviously comes with the territory, but there's a little bit of "swooshiness" hovering about at times (and no, it's not due to the mp3 compression), and - more importantly - there's some separation between the elements in the mix, which can leave things sounding a little hollow. I can't really make out any of the basslines either, which could also be contributing to some of that. This is a very solid EP, though, and I think this band will have a lot to offer as they tighten things up and grow a little more into their own. Not bad at all. I'm quite curious to see what comes next…

Lake of Blood "Nameless I Arise"

Through this path ends existence. Through this path ends all boundaries of life… where rain falls eternal, cold as my heart. Through the mist I tread, past pillars of dying wood, to bring forth the journey's end into absolute darkness. Into infinite, incomprehensible black.

Purchase:

@ Milkweed Records

The debut self-titled, self-released CD from Belarusian outfit Pull Out an Eye cranks out 11 tracks of fast 'n' furious hardcore/punk in less than 12 minutes. Expect loads of blazing tempos, blasting drums, and straight-up shouting vocals, as well as cool uses of rocked out chord progressions and subtle melody in addition to loose, jangly playing styles that allow more texture and feeling to shine through. Oh, and very little (if any) breathing room in between songs! They pretty much tear straight through and call it a day, which really adds to the already high-impact energy level of the material. The recording's awesome, too. Super warm and gritty guitar texture, a totally raging bass tone with a smidge of that same grit pounding away literally right alongside the guitars (and dropping some impressive runs in the process), natural sounding percussion, and a mix that keeps the vocals fighting forth right from the heart of the music. The disc is housed in a nice, satin-finished digipack with slick, simple artwork and an insert that provides some English insight into the band's background and the generally socio-political contents of their material (which seems to be delivered in a simple, heartfelt manner). As usual, I'm left feeling like I should say more, but this one's over in a flash! Very cool. I'll definitely look forward to hearing more from Pull Out an Eye when the time comes…

Pull Out an Eye "Tochka Zreniya - Prestuplenie"
Pull Out an Eye "Vezde Lishniy"

Definitely get in touch with these guys to see about getting your hands on one of these discs if you like what you hear. They're a great band that's really staying true to the D.I.Y. way of doing things, and you've gotta respect that.

"Syndicate of Lethargy" is the debut full-length from Norway's Execration (on Vendlus Records), and my first exposure to the band - who are apparently among the finest purveyors of absolutely crushing, true-to-form death metal out there these days. Not terribly unlike Dead Congregation in some ways (though indeed quite different in others), Execration seems to have been inspired by the best of the best that old school death metal had to offer, and have swirled those influences together into a fierce attack that still sounds current and fresh, despite being largely rooted in the past. There's a really good balance of straightforward speed and light technicality with slow, plodding rhythms that accentuate the band's penchant for mangled chord phrasings and discordant textures, so despite achieving a very consistent approach, this is not a one-sided album in the least. Obviously numerous staples of the genre are in place - tremolo picking and pinch harmonics, blastbeats, guttural vocals - but such aesthetics don't exactly dominate, what with the almost doom-esque tempos so prevalent throughout. Not to mention that the tracks range from concise three-and-a-half-minute bursts to the whopping 11+ minute closer, "Clinging to Existence", which even eases into an eerie atmospheric break with whispered vocals over clean guitars, bass, and sparse piano - making for one of the more epic tracks on the disc, even with all of its strange little abstractions! The production's great as well, with a nice sense of clarity and a really thick, monstrous sense of space. The vocals are never overpowering (nor are the drums), the guitars create a huge wall of sound but you can still make out that slightly fuzzy, oppressive bass tone, etc. No complaints here. There doesn't seem to be a ton of information out there regarding Execration, which strikes me as odd, but hopefully that's all going to change once this album starts filtering out a bit more. This is great shit, right here.

Execration "Syndicate of Lethargy"

This one was supposed to be out on August 1st, but I'm thinking that got pushed back until later this month since the label's apparently on vacation and not filling any orders until August 18th. I don't like posting about stuff before it's able to be purchased, but shit happens, and I was psyched about this disc when I first checked it out, so… if you like what you hear, make a mental note and check back at the Vendlus Records online store to see when this beast arrives in stock!

"Endless Roads" is the latest EP from unique Dutch hardcore act Said and Done, recently released by Shield Recordings. Included are six tracks in a little under 20 minutes that pick up where their full-length left off and continue to build out from a base of largely midpaced and lightly metallic hardcore. The songs are a little longer this time out, but still focus on pounding basslines, tactful grooves, and little smatterings of melody or rocked out influences creeping in on occasion. And the vocals are definitely continuing to progress quite nicely, with more hints at a subtle form of gruff singing that really sets Said and Done's overall sound apart from many of their contemporaries, and achieves a great sense of feeling that fits in surprisingly well against the band's musical backbone. The layout's really cool this time out as well, with tour photos appropriate to the themes of the lyrics throughout, as well as brief song descriptions and other such explanatory text that comes across as truly genuine and inspiring with zero pretension, which seems to be getting rarer and rarer these days, so I really have a lot of respect for what they have to say here. I'm already looking forward to hearing some more new material, too!

Said and Done "Into the Distance"

I'm not seeing this one in any US distros yet, but it should start popping up here and there within another month or so I'd guess. The 7" pressing only has four songs due to time constraints, but if you buy the vinyl from the band or label you'll also get a download code with it that will include all six songs in mp3 format. Good stuff!

Purchase:

@ Said and Done (CD)
@ Said and Done (7")
@ Shield Recordings (CD)
@ Shield Recordings (7")

While I quite liked, "Mirrors", the last effort from Misery Signals, I really haven't listened to it very much at all since it was released, because their debut, "Of Malice and the Magnum Heart", was just so fucking good that I'd always prefer to listen to it instead (realistically, it'll always be their best, it's just a fact). That being said, "Controller", their brand new album (again on Ferret Music), seems to strike me as a hint more of a return to form of sorts - but without looking backwards, per se. Right off the bat the extremely intricate arrangements and technical riffing of their debut is there, complete with loads of energy and emotion, shifting effortlessly from chugging breakdowns and octave chords to totally incredible melodic attributes and loads of discordant textures with tons and tons of layering, creating all sorts of subtle little complexities. Some of the more spacey sounding textures and effects heard throughout "Mirrors" appear here as well, but they're far more restrained and well-integrated into the core sound the band developed on their debut, so they don't come across as stale or generic in any way, which is awesome. But they also push those types of influences further in a few areas, leaning towards a truly "progressive" sound with a number of bizarre yet gorgeous clean passages and weird little effects accents that almost touch a Cynic-esque level here and there (And that's pretty much never a band thing!). I know that a lot of people bitch and moan when bands of this nature switch it up with some singing vocals here and there, but there's barely any singing here, and I really like those vocals during the few instances that they do present themselves, so… shit, more of that down the road could prove quite interesting. And Devin Townsend's production job certainly doesn't hurt the overall impact. Everything sounds pretty god damn huge, but with a great sense of clarity that really lets the interplay between the various guitar and bass parts shine (Through some great panning, too!). Misery Signals has definitely been among the very top "metalcore" bands out there for that past 4+ years, and with this album they've certainly solidified their post right there as possibly the best still active band operating within this particular realm of the genre right now. You just don't hear this impressive level of musicianship and emotive songwriting quality together very often. Period.

Misery Signals "Parallels"

Purchase:

@ Ferret Music (CD)
@ Interpunk (CD)
@ RevHQ (CD)
@ Very Distribution (CD)
@ Amazon.com (mp3)

The latest from Finland's Lighthouse Project is the four-track 7"/DVD set "Misanthropic Humanist", from Combat Rock Industry. This is probably their most diverse outing to date, as each track sort of heads in its own slightly different direction, but everything still comes across as cohesive, which is great. Opener "It's Me - The Destroyer" kicks off with a dark edge that builds up slowly over the course of more than two minutes before the song really takes shape and the vocals kick in; "Remember Where You Come From" takes the energy and zippy picking patterns of the band's older material and flips it around with some discordant chord phrasings and somewhat of a somber feel; "The Leaves of One Tree, the Drops of One Ocean" has a little more of a spacious, jangly sort of indie/screamo sort of thing going on to some degree; and then "Now You Just Know My Name" sort of fuses all of these different sounds, tempos, and emotional atmospheres together into one composition with a smidge of added chaos and intensity. I'm now starting to notice some peculiarities with the band's production values that are minor setbacks (in this case things sound just a little too flat or dry), so it'd be cool to hear them find a way to thicken things up without losing any of that clarity in the mix or shifting the balance between the instruments, but… other than that I'm always intrigued by Lighthouse Project's new material, and several of these songs really grow on you with repeated listens.

Lighthouse Project "Remember Where You Come From"

I don't have the DVD, so I can't speak to its contents, but the release as a whole appears to be limited to just 500 copies. It hit the streets earlier this month, but from what I can tell it's really hard to find for some reason. In fact, I can't really find it anywhere other than the label's eBay store, where the price is pretty god damn insane, so… I don't know. Maybe hit up the band on MySpace to see if they have any copies for sale themselves?

"Rosenkreutz" is the long-awaited full-length debut from abstruse UK hardcore act The Process, released by Violent Change. The Process features members of Shank, Scatha, Atomgevitter, In Decades Decline, and King Generator churning out a varied yet cohesive brand of metallic hardcore/punk that ranges from driving midpaced power chords and breakdowns to traditional-sounding old school hardcore given a furious overhaul to borderline grinding blasts - all fronted by harsh, relentless, full-on yelling and delivered with with an efficiently raw recording that keeps things sounding dirty and textured without lacking any clarity or balance. Nine-minute closer "Thee Chymical Wedding ov Thee Process (The Process of the Chemical Wedding)" even accentuates some of the slower, sludgier aspects of their approach subtly hinted at elsewhere, utilizing some droning feedback, spoken passages, and even trombone and piano, which - shockingly enough - actually fit, making for a pretty epic build-up with loads of layering that all caves into a brief experimental noise outro. When all is said and done (on a merely superficial level, that is), it's nine tracks, 36 minutes, in your face, short but sweet. This is definitely the strongest material I've heard from The Process to date, and seeing as they're a rather curious unit, I'll certainly be interested to see where they go next…

The Process "In the Eye of the Tempest"

Purchase:

@ Out of Step Records (CD)
@ Interpunk (CD)
@ Amazon.com (mp3)

So, I was "tagged" by Cosmo at the always interesting (and unpredictable) Invisible Oranges to do this "meme" thing:

List seven songs you're into right now. No matter what genre, whether they have words, or even if they're not any good. But they must be songs you're really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your blog along with your seven songs, then tag seven other people to see what they're listening to.

My list will most certainly not be as diverse as the one he posted, and really won't be any different from the usual fare around here, but… it should be fun, and some of these songs/bands deserve the plug anyway! I'm not "tagging" anyone, though. I just don't have it in me, ha…

Oh, and I despise the word "meme"!

Anyway…

1. Lash Out "Evening Shade"
(from the "Worn Path" 12"/CD, 1994)
Utterly fucking destructive track from one of the greatest bands ever to walk the planet, and easily the most unsung metallic hardcore band of the 90's, without question. Go to Google right now and look these guys up and you'll barely find shit of any substance beyond their MySpace page and maybe four blog posts. Disgusting. This band was so fucking good it's ridiculous. I was gonna reissue all this shit myself but I ran into some heavy personal problems (life ain't a treat sometimes) and had to kill it at the last minute. I think another label's gonna pick up the pieces (I hope), so damn sure keep an eye out for that. There are just so many worship-worthy songs in the Lash Out discography, but this tune in particular is right up their with Integrity's finest in terms of the degree to which it makes me want to destroy all living things (and I mean that in a good way, of course). Absolutely amazing.

2. Underdog "Never Too Late"
(from the "Demos" CD, 1993)
I revisited "Vanishing Point" a couple months ago and still don't "get it", but the Underdog demos are total fuckin' gold. "Frontside Grind" is always the first track that comes to mind, but damn, this song's just stupid catchy. It's barely over a minute long, so I guess "stupid catchy" is all I've got here.

3. Elements DEC "The Game Ain't the Same"
(from the "Win or Lose" demo, 1996)
I've been rockin' the two demos from these painfully, painfully, painfully overlooked New Jersey cats a whole hell of a lot lately (again). It seriously causes me physical pain to ponder the fact that material this fucking good never gets released, and that bands this amazing can just fizzle away in a flash. I mean, how did E.Town Concrete do so well and Elements DEC just disappear!? Insane! It's entirely possible that very few people outside of New Jersey would've ever heard these tracks were it not for my website, and that's just wrong on so many levels. Criminal.

4. Christie Front Drive "Pipe"
(from the "Anthology" CD, 1995)
As I often do, like an idiot, I sold this CD way back when (don't ask me why, 'cause I have no fuckin' clue), and then finally revisited the band a few weekends ago when I randomly went on an obscure 90's emo kick. I ended up re-buying all their tracks off eMusic, and this collection disc remains their finest effort, in my opinion. I thought two-minute long instrumental intros were exclusive to late-80's/early-90's thrash metal, but apparently the tactic is equally effective for relatively laidback midwest emo, as it's quite obvious that this song is gonna rule right from the start.

5. Ire "Percept"
(from the "I Discern an Overtone of Tragedy in Your Voice…" CD, 1998)
By far the best song this band ever recorded. It just destroys everything else Ire ever did, I don't care what anyone says. I saw these guys play in someone's basement with Cave In back in the day and bought this disc afterwards largely due to this track, which totally killed it live as well. It still randomly pops into my head now and then, which is rare for a song like this that's not exactly "catchy" in any way. The break about three-and-a-half minutes in where it drops out to clean guitars and really accentuates the insanity of the vocals is just mindbendingly twisted (yes, once more in a good way).

6. (216) "Hands Bound"
(from the "s/t" CD, 1998)
For some bizarre reason (216) never really seemed to get their due outside the Mushroomhead crowd, despite the Integrity and In Cold Blood connections. I guess because this disc was never exactly easy to get your hands on, but… whatever the case: Great band, great album, awesome song. Fuckin' amazing chorus, too. A damn shame these guys never did another record.

7. Eidolon "Cranes"
(from the "Sanctuary" CD, 1992)
I never really knew anything about this band whatsoever, but I bought this CD blindly a long, long time ago just because it was on Jade Tree, and "Cranes", the opening track, kicked my ass all over the place immediately. The rest of the album isn't spectacular, but it does have its moments. Easily worth the price for this masterpiece alone, though. Super, super moving emo fused with what ended up being tagged "post-hardcore", not to mention some of the noisy, droning guitars that ended up being tagged "post-rock"… so, yeah, pretty ahead of its time, really. This song still kills me to this day.

(And for the record, I absolutely would've listed "Lycanthrope" by +44 above, as I've played it a ton lately, but I'm too wary of posting still-in-print major label tracks. I almost posted Harold Faltermeyer's "Fletch Theme", too. Classic.)

"Lifeline" is the debut full-length from Connecticut's Crowns of Kings (on Reaper Records), and continues in a similar vein as the material from their split with Price of Pain (the material from which appears here in re-recorded form). Expect 14 tracks of short, straight to the point metallic hardcore in just 26 minutes, with a hint more diversity and a stronger recording than the band's prior work. Here and there they'll toss in a smidge of melody or subtly more metal-based riffing (check the ripping solos in "Another Bump"), but for the most part everything's driven by fast-paced power chords and tactfully chunky breakdowns with gruffly shouted vocals. The usual, sure, but if ain't broke, don't fix it. This style of hardcore doesn't need all kinds of extravagant flourishes to get the job done (quite the opposite, in fact), and these songs keep things focused and in your face with a good sense of energy, so there's not really any time to get bored. That's all there is to it, really. Good stuff.

Crowns of Kings "Starting Over"
Crowns of Kings "C.T.H.C."

Purchase:

@ Reaper Records (CD)
@ RevHQ (CD)
@ Very Distribution (CD)
@ iTunes (mp3)

"My Soul for His Glory" is the third full-length from longstanding Finnish black metal crew Behexen (on Hammer of Hate), who I had never heard much from in the past. Apparently this album's been getting mixed reviews from some of the band's more "hardcore" fans, but… I don't understand where all the complaints are coming from at all. The compositions offer up a wide variety of black metal aesthetics, from the usual doses of blazing tremolo picking and blasting percussion to forays into that more discordant and cold, crawling riffing style, as well as a number of surprisingly stripped down and simplistically pounding "old school" black metal rhythms - to the point of flirting with an almost hardcore/punk edge to some of the chord progressions in rare instances. But everything's nice and consistent overall, it's not one of those situations where each song sounds like it should be from a different album or something like that. All of the varying approaches share common ground, and the songwriting's pretty damn forceful, too. Plus the recording's nice and balanced, with a good bass presence, natural sounding drum tones, and a shitload of texture to the guitars; the cover art looks cool (I don't have the complete package)… it's all solid in my book. I don't know what the hell some people are complaining about, but fuck 'em.

Behexen "Born in the Serpent of the Abyss"

This one's now distributed digitally through MetalHit.com for a mere $7.20, and will probably be more widely available on CD later this year as I think Moribund Records will be doing an "official" US release. But The End already has the CD in stock as well, so… either way you should be set.

Purchase:

@ MetalHit.com (mp3)
@ Amazon.com (mp3)
@ eMusic (mp3)
@ iTunes (mp3)
@ The End Records (CD)

"Virgin Sails" is the latest three-track EP from Connecticut act My Heart to Joy at the Same Tone (on Triumph of Life Records), and my first exposure to the band's work. There's a predominantly emo/indie rock vibe going on, but the aggression level does lean more towards the "screamo" side of things - just without any of the negative connotations that can sometimes follow that particular tag. There's a good mix of more-distorted-than-average chord progressions and almost frantic percussive bursts alongside loosely delivered melodies and occasional clean breaks, while the vocals are more of a shouting/yelling style (with some singing) than screaming. I guess what I'm trying to say is that they fall into that category of bands that plays a little wilder and looser and kicks things up a little more in terms of overall intensity, but they're not chaotic or grating (at least not on this EP, some of their earlier work sounds a touch harsher, but still very strong). The songs are well written and focused, and it's an enjoyable listen that piques your interest in where they'll go next.

My Heart to Joy at the Same Tone "The Hours Change So We Don't Have To"

I'm not sure I fully understand why (though I certainly appreciate it), but this one's available as a free download or an actual 7" release. A mere eight-and-a-half minutes of material damn sure leaves you wanting more, but thankfully you can download some (All?) of the band's prior work to check out as well! If you prefer vinyl/physical copies, make the grab from the band or label below for about $4. Otherwise, hit up the band's MySpace page for complete downloads…

Purchase:

@ My Heart to Joy at the Same Tone
@ Triumph of Life Records

It's interesting that Norwegian grind unit Parlamentarisk Sodomi was mentioned a few times in the comments of my "Most underrated albums of all time?" post a couple weeks ago, as the band was kind enough to send me a copy of the "Har du Sagt 'A' Får du si 'Nal'" CD (on No Escape Records) a month or two ago, and I just hadn't gotten around to writing it up yet. In the band's own words, "This CD compiles the long out of print 2006 and 2007 Parlamentarisk Sodomi demos, excluding a few shit songs which have been replaced by three new, less shit songs." I actually wrote about one of the band's demos early last year and referred to it as "classic, textbook grind", and that statement still stands today, as this disc collects 15 tracks of absolutely fierce, raging, no nonsense grindcore in less than a half-hour. No song hits three minutes and they just tear through track after track of high-speed attack with forcefully growled vocals and a sense of energy that really makes the songs much more memorable than many comparable acts within this realm. The playing's not at all sloppy, the recording quality's efficient (and consistent, all three recording sessions sound extremely similar to one another, which is awesome)… what more can you ask for? I can't read a damn word of Norwegian, so I really have no idea what the song titles or lyrics might contain, but I can say that it's blatantly obvious from even a cursory glance through the CD booklet or the band's MySpace content that they do indeed have an excellent sense of humor, though their music sounds 100% fucking serious and they do seem to have a sincere socio-political message wrapped up in there as well.

Parlamentarisk Sodomi "Vakl, Folkevalgt"
Parlamentarisk Sodomi "Kinky Lobbyvirksomhet"

Purchase:

@ Parlamentarisk Sodomi
@ No Escape Records
@ Crimes Against Humanity Records
@ Razorback Records

I just discovered this band this morning thanks to Am I Mean? (by way of Zen and the Art of Face Punching), who described it dead on the fucking money as "the UK's answer to Mayday". Then I did some searching and learned that they had a semi-discography CD called "Ecstatic Ritual" out on Lifeforce Records way back when, but it's out of print and apparently hard as shit to find now. Yet I must have it. How the hell I never heard of this band before today is inconceivable to me. Just… wrong. If anyone has this CD and can hit me up with quality mp3's… please. Please. Thank you.

I've been raving about how fucking great Memphis, TN's Dead City is ever since I first heard 'em two years ago, and that fact has only been continually solidified with each subsequent recording they've sent me. Now they've finally got a full-length album, "Goddamn the 21st Century" (12 tracks, 51 minutes), pretty much ready to roll, and they need a label to help 'em get the job done right. And with all of the bands out there these days getting massive hype for unloading solid tracks that are heavily influenced by the classic 90's niche of metallic hardcore, I simply can't fathom why the hell Dead City is still flying under the radar without getting more well-deserved appreciation. Because rather than falling back on all of the NY staples that everyone knows and loves, they're dirtying things up (in the best possible way) with more interesting and atypical influences more along the lines of what bands like Bloodlet and Cutthroat were doing "back in the day", right alongside some 1993 styled Entombed and Crowbar to add some texture and dimension. So the end result is still largely along the lines of early- to mid-90's "metalcore" (remember kids, it wasn't always a dirty word), but the fucking songwriting is far darker, more pissed, and more powerful than the vast majority of the aforementioned bands out there right now reaping some serious benefits from the hype factor. I've always been one for championing the "little guys", but I'm still fucking tired of seeing all these "little guys" that crush the competition getting set aside or ignored because of insignificant (often aesthetic) bullshit that has nothing to do with musical quality! This is easily Dead City's strongest recording to date, and I sincerely hope to see this shit get a proper release before year's end. Spread the fucking word if you're among those who agree with me. If not… well… I don't fucking get it. I just don't fucking get it.

Dead City "Saint of Killers" (unmastered)

Dead inside. I feel nothing. I don't fucking care. For those I loved an absent stare. Sick of playing games. Day after day, nothing's at stake…

And… if anyone reading this is interested in releasing this absolutely fucking awesome material, or knows someone else who might be, please either pass the word along or get in touch with the band on MySpace and see if you can make it happen!

Poughkeepsie, NY's Dissolve originally recorded "Caveman of the Future" way back in 2000, at which time it was supposed to be released by M.I.A. Records. Sadly the label closed its doors and the album was shelved while the band carried on for a year or two, playing shows and trying to find a home for the record, but it never happened. Apparently they never really broke up, though, they just kind of went away - playing a couple of shows in 2004 and 2005, and now playing a couple of shows to celebrate this long overdue release. I assume that means they're not really looking to do new material, but that's cool: It just makes me sick that there's so much unheard music out there just sitting around collecting dust like this, so it's very fucking cool that Trip Machine Laboratories made this happen eight years after the fact!

I actually wasn't into these guys in the 90's when they were fully active, but that's not because I disliked 'em, I just never really encountered their material. I've heard the name many times over the years, and have since heard some of their earlier work on compilations and such, but this is my first true exposure to their work. I'm sure this is all around more developed than the band's prior releases, but there's definitely a nice foundation of the crushing and rhythmically-centered pre-"dirty word" metalcore of the mid- to late-90's, based around thick power chords and shouted, screamed, and half-spoken vocals (some of which sort of remind me of V.O.D. back in the day). But then there are some pretty whacked out types of noisy, discordant guitar textures and leads going on that really twist things up a bit - giving the material a more metal-influenced style, but not one that really comes across as particularly "metal", you know? We're not talkin' tremolo picking and blast beats or tech'd out note flurries. There's a very fuckin' solid rhythm section (though the bass work is admittedly hard to pick out, granted that doesn't really detract from the listen), with lots of jazzy cymbal work and shifts from straightforward patterns to much more colorful fare. So there's certainly some complexity in there, but… despite similarities to select acts from comparable scenes within that general 1990 - 2000 time frame… the end result here has a weirdly unusual sort of aesthetic hovering over it, and I can't really put my finger on it. And that's not a bad thing! I mean, anyone who's been into this kind of music over the years will hear familiarities in this material, but I think you'll agree that (at least on this album) Dissolve just had something a little more… peculiar going on. Very interesting…

Dissolve "The Ultimate Nullifier"
Dissolve "Weakling"

Purchase:

@ The End Records
@ Interpunk
@ RevHQ
@ Very Distribution

I'm not sure if they're "officially" considering it a full-length or an EP (four lengthy tracks in 31 minutes), but "Vantage" is the first proper release from UK quartet Analysis of Bison Kills - who were formerly known under the equally unusual banner of Tear Gas and Plate Glass - on Sound Devastation Records. I believe this is the band's first recorded output since Tear Gas and Plate Glass' "The Sea Stranded Whipjack" demo four years ago, and they've certainly undergone a good deal of growth since that time. The sludgy textures are a little more subdued these days, and the band is forming their own kind of approach with lots of slides and pull-off riffs. Their restrained technicality and occasional use of subtly twisted time signatures creates a strangely melodic "math metal" type of vibe, which, when combined with the killer dissonant chord phrasings and sneering vocals, can be somewhat reminiscent of Intronaut's stronger moments. There's a nice, clear mix (which really accentuates the jazzy drum work), and most of the tones are pretty dry, which lends a warm, natural sense of spaciousness to everything. Very cool looking cover art, too. Unfortunately the release date has been pushed back to a couple of months from now, so I haven't seen the complete packaging, but the cover art looks great. Now that the band seems to have settled into their overall development and really nailed down an extremely solid core, I'm really looking forward to hearing more, so… hopefully it won't be another four years before a new half-hour of material surfaces! This is great shit…

Analysis of Bison Kills "Depth is Earned" (excerpt)

As briefly touched on above, this one won't be out until around September, so if you like what you hear make a note to check back at the links above from time to time and keep an eye out for ordering information and all that. I generally don't write about stuff so far in advance, but I didn't realize the disc wasn't already available for purchase until I had already finished this write-up, so… I figured I'd just start spreading the word now rather than sitting on it for two months or so!

With killer tattoo-themed artwork extremely similar to that of their last album, "Stronger" is the fourth full-length from prolific Dutch hardcore act No Turning Back (on Reflections Records), and "stronger" it is indeed, representing somewhat of a return to form for the band. Of course things continue in that same vein of straightforward NYHC-styled material, but with a more balanced set of memorable, energetic songs. The 14 tracks in 31 minutes range from short, fast, 30-second blasts of traditionally oriented hardcore to your usual two- to three-minute compositions with killer breakdowns and some more of that Madball-ish groove that the band started to stray away from on 2006's "Holding On". Are there a shitload of bands that sound like this across the globe? Yeah, pretty much, as there have been for well over a decade now. But when it's done right, it's done right, and that's just all there is to it. No Turning Back's been on the right track for 11 years now, and despite a few minor falters along the way, when they hit the mark, there's no doubt about it, and this album is arguably their finest to date. Slick artwork, solid songs, great vocal performance, strong recording… good stuff. That's all there is to it.

No Turning Back "Push Comes to Shove"
No Turning Back "Same Sad Song"

Purchase:

@ Interpunk
@ RevHQ
@ Very Distribution

Orthrus is another Virginia-based duo that I had never heard of before that's now releasing material through digital label MetalHit.com, and "Tyrants of Deception" is their debut EP. Now, any band whose cited influences range from Immortal and Watain to Racer X and Skid Row (among many others) is going to get my attention right off the bat, but thankfully these two are actually fusing their diverse musical interests into a rather efficient brand of "blackened melodic death/thrash", or whatever such combination of metal styles you'd care to throw at 'em. While rooted much deeper in black metal and not yet as developed as fellow Virginia-based masters Arsis, there are certainly some comparable moments herein, thanks in large part to the band's penchant for emphatic melodies and killer little shredding guitar leads thrown around all over the place. There's a little room for improvement in terms of the tightness of the performances and the overall sound quality, but this is a very fucking promising start, especially for a duo utilizing a session drummer. It's really strange that they're able to basically come across as a black metal band, because those "80's metal" influences really do come through in the quality of the guitar playing. There's just a great sense of energy amidst the totally badass dual guitar harmonies, sleek solos, and super powerful melodies to be found throughout. Fuckin' great cover art, too. Definitely catches the eye. Very cool. I'm really looking forward to hearing more from these guys. They've got a very unique approach, and you just don't get to hear guitar work of this caliber very often anymore.

Orthrus "The Summoning"

Like the Wolfsschanze EP I wrote about last week, this one should be filtering out to eMusic, iTunes, Amazon, etc. in the coming weeks, but it's only available from the label right now. $7.20 ain't bad for a half-hour of material, and this is very promising work, so… give 'em a shot if you like what you're hearing above.

Purchase:

@ MetalHit.com

"Blue Room" is the latest (and greatest, it seems) from Baltimore, MD grinders Triac (a split release between Forcefield Records and Reptilian Records). Their first recorded output with new vocalist Noel Danger, the EP tears through seven tracks in 13 minutes and is actually a hint more controlled and diverse than some of the band's past efforts, which is actually pretty damn cool. I've been a fan of everything these guys have done to date, but this time out the tracks seem to rein in some of the noisier and more chaotic elements in favor of a more energetic and blasting form of straight up crossover-influenced grindcore - pumped up with some surging, pounding bursts of scraping, dissonant sludge to mix things up and keep it interesting. The tracks range from 40 seconds to four minutes, too, so… that just goes to show you the type of ground they're covering here. It all fits, though. It's a consistent listen with a thick, perfectly raw recording that's got a balanced mix and just the right style of warm, dirty texture to keep the wall of sound raging onward. Very cool. I'll certainly be looking forward to more, as always…

Triac "I Wish the Worst for You"

This one's uniquely packaged in a glossy gatefold 7" sleeve (hand-numbered out of 500) with the CD version housed between two slots in the left inner panel, while the black and white splattered vinyl 7" and a little xeroxed booklet are inside the right half. The 7" contains the first five tracks and the CD contains all seven. Awesome. Killer artwork throughout as well, in the band's trademark old school, high-contrast black and white style. Simple yet effective!

Purchase:

@ Forcefield Records
@ Reptilian Records
@ Robotic Empire
@ Very Distribution

Back in the "still listening to cassettes" days of 1994 (which were also the "pop-punk is sorta kinda popular" days), a young me played the shit outta my "Trashed" tape on a very regular basis (oddly enough interspersed with plenty of Earth Crisis, I'm sure). The second album from Lagwagon (on Fat Wreck Chords, of course), "Trashed" is the only Lagwagon album that I still enjoy to this day. (Edit: False. "Duh" still totally kicks ass, and "Hoss" is decent, too. What the hell was wrong with me!?) And make no mistake: I still really fuckin' enjoy it. Sure, they've released a ton of records since then, most of which I've never even heard in full, but something about the planets must have aligned back in the day when these songs were being put together, 'cause this is an absolute classic of that coveted age of pop-punk. Yeah, over the years I started to find the production (especially the guitar tone) to be a little thin and weird, but… that never really did any damage as far as enjoying the album goes, 'cause the fucking songs, man! Gold. Just ridiculously catchy, poppy tunes with all these crazy (and fairly technical, mind you) metal riffs all over the place amidst a load of zippy, energetic tempos, incredible vocal melodies and harmonies, the works. Plus, they were somehow able to change it up from goofy songs about, well, getting trashed, to much more serious and emotional tracks that were actually pretty god damn powerful considering the lighthearted fare for which the band is probably most known. While some of this kind of stuff really didn't hold up for me over time, "Trashed" is right up there with the early Propagandhi albums in my book as far as still kicking some serious ass well over a decade later. You just can't fuck with a good song, and this record's jam packed with fuckin' incredible songwriting. No joke. I'm not the least bit ashamed to admit that I still listen to this disc quite often… and still oddly interspersed with Earth Crisis on occasion, too.

Lagwagon "Dis'chords"
Lagwagon "No One"
Lagwagon "Rust"

This one's still readily available on CD and apparently LP as well, so… if for some insane reason you never encountered this gem in the past, absolutely pick one up if you like what you hear. You won't regret it. It's just not possible.

Purchase:

@ Fat Wreck Chords
@ Amazon.com
@ Interpunk
@ RevHQ
@ iTunes (mp3)

It feels like it's been a really long time since the last full-length from Denmark 's mighty The Psyke Project hit the streets - so long, in fact, that I actually thought I might have missed an album or an EP somewhere in there! Thankfully I was mistaken, and the just-released "Apnea" (their debut for Lifeforce Records) is indeed the band's follow-up to 2005's most impressive "Daikini". And while the "post-" influences are a little more prevalent here (mildly unfortunate only due to the rest of the world's inexplicably growing obsession with the more boring and unnecessary facets of said sounds), the bulk of the material still follows a similar path: Loads of crushingly jarring rhythms and chaotic, caustic guitar tones, absolutely scathing vocals, plodding low-end throbs, hammering percussion, and so on. Plus, this time it's all delivered with a more "polished" (in a good way) sound that keeps the mix as clear as can be expected when it comes to oft-noisy jaunts through hurried time changes and churning, mangled rhythmic shifts in tracks that range from barely past three minutes to damn near 10. While the aforementioned "post-" accoutrements do occasionally yield some interesting melodic properties, it's generally the more aggressive moments that turn up the most force throughout - especially when focused into some of those shorter and more in your face running times (granted the aptly titled "Jugganata", at the other end of the spectrum, does unload some chilling feedback drones and hit on some cool uses of almost hypnotic repetition). The band certainly continues to impress, and there's so much potential still ahead - I could imagine them venturing more towards any number of the directions hinted at within their array of sounds with devastating (again, in a good way) results. Hopefully it won't take another three years or so to see where they'll take things from here!

The Psyke Project "Panic"
The Psyke Project "Love Shown in a Handful of Dirt"

Purchase:

@ Lifeforce Records (CD)
@ Amazon.com (CD)
@ Amazon.com (mp3)

"Axis" is the debut full-length from German act Goldust (on True Till Deaf), offering up nine new tracks (in 26 minutes on the dot) plus the songs from their split 10" with Blade tacked on as a bonus. If you didn't read about these cats when I first wrote about 'em late last year, this is straight up, no bullshit metallic hardcore the way it should be: Chunky power chord rhythms and tactfully groove-laden midpaced breaks, powerfully shouted vocals, short tracks, etc. Where Goldust keeps it interesting is in deviating from the standards just enough, so that there's a subtle variation in the character of the vocal delivery here and there, a hint more metal tossed in from time to time with some darker clean riffing or melodic leads, and just a general sense of uniqueness to a lot of the chord phrasings and arrangements that sort of steps aside from the simplistic nature of the genre without losing sight of its roots in any way. Goldust seems to be working at a very productive pace, so hopefully they can continue at this rate without burning out (as all too many promising hardcore acts seem to do). They've yet to disappoint, and tend to leave me hungry for more, so I'll look forward to whatever they keep dishing out! Well done.

Goldust "In Obedience"

We are in an eternal war, just stand accused and confess. The darkness in my mind is never-ending. Our time is slipping away. I saw the visions, I have foreseen this destiny. When I close my eyes, I see this world in flames…

This one just hit the streets, so it's only available from the label at the moment. I assume the band will have copies on hand within a week or two, and hopefully it'll start spreading around to international distros in the coming months as well. Keep an eye out…

Purchase:

@ True Till Deaf

Having issued a few demos and a self-released EP since their formation in 2004, "Transcend the Flesh" is the debut mp3 release from Virginia duo Wolfsschanze, through the MetalHit.com label. Included are three rather lengthy tracks of impressive doom-laden black metal in about 20 minutes, easing in and out of the sneering vocal work and cold, dissonant note combinations and speedier picking patterns for which the genre is generally noted, as well as loads of atmospheric dual guitar work and slow, pounding tempos. Hell, there's even a slick acoustic passage during opener "Transcendence (The Nativity)", so… there's a lot of cool shit happening here. I wouldn't necessarily refer to any of it as particularly inventive, but the manner in which the influences are combined here is extremely efficient, and certainly keeps things more interesting than marginally comparable acts who lean more towards a tediously slow delivery, you know? The recording is nice and crisp, there are some incredible riffs present, and the overall vibe of the material conjures a wider range of feeling than a lot of the black metal that I encounter. Very cool, actually. I'm really into this. My only "complaint" is that I damn sure want more, ha! I certainly hope a proper full-length outing's on the way…

Wolfsschanze "Transcendence (The Nativity)" (excerpt)

This one's only available from the label at the moment, but if you prefer, it should filter out to eMusic, iTunes, Amazon, etc. within the next month or so, I'd imagine. I know a lot of people hate all-digital releases, but I'm so over it now. It's fast and cheap, and this is a great EP, so make the grab if you like what you hear in the snippet above!

Purchase:

@ MetalHit.com

"Toothless & Fanged" is the latest EP from crusty Polish hardcore outfit Daymares (on Get By Records), which busts out six tracks in just under 14 minutes and ranges from driving, straightforward hardcore/punk force to the sludgy "death 'n' roll" styled riffing of "Words One Loves to Hate", and even an old school Neurosis cover to close things out ("Life on Your Knees"). For the most part the tracks are short and to the point, with pounding rhythms and burly vocals, but the recording definitely adds to their overall aesthetic with loads of absolutely awesome grit 'n' grime that provides a lot of texture to the guitar work and ends up being a great match for the vocal approach and the overall vibe of the band's take on this style of hardcore. Innovative? Nah, not really, but who gives a shit? Like many other bands they know what they're doing and they do it well. Solid songs, killer recording, slick and unique artwork… there's nothing to complain about here. I hate to keep it so short, but… hey, that's life. Good stuff.

Daymares "Annuit Coeptis"

Unfortunately I can't seem to find this one for sale anywhere in the US (or at many online locations at all, for that matter) at the moment, so it might not have filtered out to distros yet. I'd contact the band or the label at the links above to see about getting your hands on a copy.

Hey Mercedes was the far too short-lived (2000 - 2005) outfit formed by Bob Nanna after Braid broke up. Now, I was never into Braid back in the day (and in fact I've revisited their material since becoming a huge Hey Mercedes fan, and I still just don't "get it"), so I had absolutely no idea who the hell Hey Mercedes was in the beginning. I got into the band about four years ago, oddly enough the same way and at the same time as I discovered their Vagrant Records labelmates No Motiv: I saw their 2001 full-length debut, "Everynight Fire Works", in a pile of used CD's for like $2 or $3, thought it looked interesting, and bought it on a whim. Big win there, 'cause this is definitely their finest release, and all 43 minutes are absolute perfection on every possible level. 11 tracks of catchy yet musically proficient emo/indie rock with super unique singing and an overall sound that's very much rooted in the type of aesthetic the genre carried throughout the 90's, but with enough forward-thinking sense to keep it sounding fresh and original. I could (and probably should) go on and on, but this shit will totally speak for itself. Awesome songs, awesome artwork, awesome production… you can't lose, man. For immense music nerds like me there's absolutely nothing better than randomly buying some CD you've never heard of and having it kick the shit out of you right off the bat, and there's no doubt this album was just one of those instances for me. I fully recommend everything the band released in their time together, but this is definitely "the one". Love this stuff. Love it.

Hey Mercedes "The Frowning of a Lifetime"
Hey Mercedes "What You're Up Against"
Hey Mercedes "A-List Actress"

Monday, this is what you're up against. Your head rings to the rhythm of the alarm clock. Time in, breathe in, time out, breathe out. I doubt that this is what you're all about. Tuesday, this is what you're up against. The television and your version of aversion. The car, the candy, and the shower curtain, blurting out the answers you didn't even ask for. But it's bound to get better. It better. Slow motion replay, day in, day out. We came all this way now, we'll fire up just to push them down…

It looks like the label's selling this one for a mere $5 these days, so there's really no excuse. If you like what you hear (How the hell could you not!?), fuckin' buy one.

Purchase:

@ Vagrant Records

Originally self-released by the band last year, "I Carry…" is the debut five-song EP from Denver, CO duo Adai (now being re-released by Radar Recordings). All five tracks flow seamlessly together, and the bulk of the EP is instrumental, fluidly transitioning from soft clean passages through an array of "post-rock" or "post-metal" types of playing (and I really don't care for those terms, but if I use them people tend to actually know what types of riffs I'm referring to, so… you know) and a few sludgy sort of rocked out little riffs to thicker, nastier rhythms that better accentuate the absolutely vicious vocals - which, when they do appear, tend to be buried deep in the mix so as not to overpower (though there's actually some really cool singing back there from time to time as well). Recorded at the mighty Godcity by Kurt Ballou, of course everything sounds fucking great - from the warm, resonant percussion to the massively textured walls of guitars and effects that thicken things up and really give you no indication that there are only two dudes responsible for all of this. Several of the tracks are rather short "interludes" of sorts, so the 24-minute running time is actually a little shorter than you'd expect given the length of the two core compositions, but you easily get a feel for what the band's capable of. It may not be the most original approach in the world, but it's certainly quality, and I'd be quite curious to hear a full-length outing from Adai (hopefully in the near future).

Adai "Home" (excerpt)

Unfortunately I just found out the other day that this disc isn't being officially released until September, and had I known that sooner I would've held off on posting about this until then (I think advance promotion is sort of pointless, to be honest). But I do have the actual physical CD in my hands right now, so… maybe if you contact the band or label at the links above you'll be able to buy one ahead of time. Otherwise… I guess the wait is on!