"Killer" is the latest full-length from Sweden's almighty Victims, coming to the US this week from the always top-notch Deathwish Inc. Victims is one of those bands that really stood out right from the start for me, and I've been a big fan ever since. Their take on heavy and aggressive Swedish hardcore always seems to have a little more energy and memorability, and the 16 tracks in 24 minutes cranked out here only continue down that path—though with more variety and punch than ever before! The backbone is still very much the same (only a handful of the songs top two minutes, so everything's still pretty fast and in your face), but the songwriting is catchy as fuck this time around, and really does cover a lot more ground in order to provide individual identities for many of the compositions. From the 25-second blast of thrashy melody in "Try?" (which kinda reminds of me The Exploited or something); to the fiery, rocked out dual guitar bursts of "Destroy and Rebuild"; to the straight-up punk rock attack of tracks like "Holy Shit"; and of course plenty of the driving, bass-heavy Motörhead-inspired runs and classic D-beat rhythms you'd expect from such an album. It's definitely some of their finest work to date, and should absolutely please anyone who may have complained of the band's material sounding too similar from song to song in the past. Very well done...
Victims "Victims in Blood #5"
Victims "Holy Shit"
Comments
Victims are great, but this record doesn’t do much for me. The recording is too flat and sterile. However, all you east-coasters should be sure to see ‘em when they tour in May because I’m sure it’ll be great, especially if they’re still bringing Black Breath along. I saw those guys last weekend and woke up with a sore neck—been awhile since that’s happened.
2.19.2009 | By Avi
I like this, though I agree that the recording could be meaner. Ryan Patterson’s layout is, uh, killer.
2.19.2009 | By Invisible Oranges
I’ve got the LP and just ordered the CD, which has got to be the first dual format purchase I’ve made in years. Andrew’s post on the last Victims album got me into contemporary hardcore after a long absence and this band will always be special for that. Saw them live this spring and was reamed, steamed and dry cleaned. They can do no wrong in my book and I hope Victims make it to the Great Lakes Basin this time around.
2.19.2009 | By fishskull
This band, along with the Vicious and the Regulations, helps prove that punk is most certainly not dead in Sweden, but quite the opposite. I thought Havoc Recs. was responsible for this release, not Deathwish? Either way, the Victims are a much welcomed breath of fresh air in an often stagnant and repetitive genre. Kudos.
2.20.2009 | By paul
I got this CD a while ago—mine is Combat Rock Industries. “Victims in Blood #5” fuckin rips!
2.20.2009 | By Anon
Yep this one already came out through Combat Rock Industry in March 2008.
2.22.2009 | By Samuli
I dunno, everything I’ve heard off this album I’m not really feeling. I loved ‘Nevereverlasting’(or whatever it was called) and ‘In Blood’ but the one after that was somewhat forgettable and this new stuff sounds like Fucked Up half the time and SOIA the other half. I haven’t heard the whole album but this band seems like they’ve pushed their simple style about as far as it will go creatively.
2.23.2009 | By Justin