Bolt "Deep Within" CD
[Full House]
I heard a split 7" from this Finnish metalcore band a few years ago, and I've wanted to hear more ever since. They've finally got a new full-length out, and it's damn good. Straight up metallic hardcore in the NYHC type of vein with awesome deep, burly vocal shouts that are pretty damn unique. Most of the material is moderately paced with some chugga chugga breakdowns and all that, and then there are some faster chord progressions as well... nothing out of the ordinary, it's the tried and true formula, but they certainly do it right. There are some standouts, though. "Flatline" has some melodic octave chords that add a different vibe to the delivery, and there are some brief Integrity-esque solos in tracks like "On One's Own" and "Basis to Brotherhood". But the real keeper is "Never Forsaken", whose intro starts out with some fucking awesome clean guitars and thick bass runs that have a jazzy feel, especially when the volume swells fade into the background. Amazing. The layout looks awesome. I like the band logo and color scheme of the outer sleeve, the text is clean, the photos and Asian imagery are both cool (samurais, dragons, Asian lettering, etc.), and so on. The lyrics are pretty damn good for this style of hardcore. Not only are the passages a bit longer and less repetitive, but they cover more than just the usual topics of standing up for your beliefs and persevering and whatever (granted those are common themes), touching on broken homes, racism (specifically the genocides in Rwanda and Sierra Leone), etc. "Haunted by bittersweet memories from the days of grace, trying to numb the pain from three years of suffering in vain, Day to day basis of midnight drama left me in a state of trauma, and it still ain't okay 'cause every other day I get the trigger finger itch, and the feelings of blowing it all away, Filled with hate, caught in a stalemate, still something says I need to stay for one more day..." Finland definitely has some awesome metallic hardcore bands going on. I don't know why they're not more well known, but they absolutely should be. Good stuff. Get this if you miss the real deal and are sick of the melodic Swedish bullshit that most of today's American bands are shitting out. (8/10)
Running time - 36:52, Tracks: 13
[Notable tracks: Flatline, Basis to Brotherhood, Never Forsaken, Crumbling Down, Growing Cold]
Full House Records - http://www.fullhouserecords.com

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