It's been an astoundingly long six years since the last full-length release from Finland's Bolt, but "Behind Obstacles Lies Truth" has finally seen the light thanks to the always solid Full House Records. I haven't kept up with the Finnish scene as much as I probably should have in the last few years, but there's simply no doubt that Bolt remains among the best of the best, and this album is everything I'd hoped for. Expect plenty of the band's traditionally-based metallic hardcore rhythms and pounding grooves with gruff, bitter vocals (including some completely badass guest spots)—all delivered through an excellent, tight-knit recording that boasts plenty of crunch and just the right amount of pulsing low-end. However, branching out just a touch, this time around you'll also encounter subtly technical and/or dissonant metal influences as well as some really slick little melodic characteristics—somewhat reminiscent of fellow countrymen Down My Throat and underappreciated American acts like the Rag Men, respectively. They've achieved the perfect balance between a number of different styles of hardcore in a manner that gels perfectly, and this is exactly the kind of sheer force that made me fall in love with this niche of the Finnish scene in the first place. This really is an incredible album that's packed with killer songwriting and sounds fuckin' great, so it certainly comes highly recommended, and I'd be thrilled to see Bolt carry their currently 12-year existence on into the next decade. Awesome.
I'm not seeing this one in any distros here in the US just yet, but you can generally find Full House's releases at Interpunk, so keep your eyes peeled over the next few weeks if for some reason you don't feel like ordering this gem from Europe...
Get It
Full House Records (CD)
Full House Records (LP)
Comments
Extremely good post. Gotta keep spreading the word on the ridiculously rich Finnish scene. Keep eyes open for the new St. Hood lp soon, as well.
5.13.2009 | By Marcus