Premonitions of War "The True Face of Panic" CD
[Goodfellow]
Whew! I didn't know what to expect from these guys at all, but they blaze through seven tracks of heavy as hell grinding metalcore in about 18 minutes. This is pretty damn good. There are a lot of changes and some speedy chaotic mayhem going on, so I was sort of afraid this might lean in the insane and all over the place direction of bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan, but thankfully it doesn't. Even though they switch things up from blasting speeds and discordant riffing to brutally slow breaks with thick rhythms, and then some, the writing definitely has some cohesion to it. I think a lot of it has to do with the band's use of tactful variety, though. It's pretty rare to hear a band jump from near grindcore to completely pummeling and semi-melodic doom dirges, with scathing vocal screams unrelenting all the while. There are even a few tracks with weird electronic segments tucked away at the ends, and they actually pull it off (though I don't think these parts are at all necessary). The production doesn't really bother me at all. The guitars are heavy and perfectly controlled (I love that), the vocals sound fierce as a motherfucker, and the drums are tight and slightly rigid without sounding at all flimsy. I might turn up the bass a bit, or somehow give it more definition, but for the most part they're sounding pretty damn good. It's all about the clarity with this one, and they've got it. The layout's alright. Under the CD tray there's a subtle image of a gun barrel over a scratchy dark gray background, which looks cool. As does the damn near pitch-black band photo on the back cover, using the same scratchy textures. Menacing stuff. The booklet is a bit brighter with lots of explosive fire on the outside and abstract, foggy blue textures on the inside with the lyrics and whatnot. The lyrics are incredibly brief and somewhat sarcastic in their bitterness, "If I'd smoke crack on earth, heaven would surely be a disappointment, and hell is other people. I hope neither exists, I'd settle for sleep." This band definitely has the potential to kick the shit out of most of what's out there of a comparable nature. They keeps things short, powerful, and precise... and with this stuff that's exactly how it ought to be. If you're looking for something that hits hard, hits fast, has some bite, and is easier to follow than a lot of that, "Hey guys, let's be technical and complex even though we don't really know what we're doing!" crap... then look into this one. (7/10)
Running time - 18:43, Tracks: 7
[Notable tracks: The True Face of Panic, Hanging Man, I'd Settle for Sleep]
Goodfellow Records - http://www.goodfellowrecords.com

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