"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