2007 dipped again, down to a mere 150-something posts for the year—and once more, that number wasn't focused entirely on new music. Since I've tried to refrain from including reissues in these looks back, I'll point out that 2007 was another big year for impressive re-releases. So, omitted below are worthy reissues from the likes of Bulldoze, Disrupt, District 9, Driller Killer, Fahrenheit 451, Massappeal, Redrum, Ritual Sacrifice, and then some. Still: plenty of high-level greats from ~18 years ago, and many that aren't always as top-of-mind as they probably should be! Here's a semi-synopsis of Aversionline v3.0 circa 2007.
Some of What I Loved the Most...
Bitter End, Climate of Fear (Malfunction/Six Feet Under)
"Climate of Fear chugs through 11 tracks of absolutely stellar late-'80s/early-'90s NYHC worship. And when I say 'NYHC', what I mean is, 'Remember all those badass old NYHC records that were totally influenced by thrash metal?' Yeah, that shit, which it just so happens that I fucking love: shitloads of crunchy mid-paced power chords and thrashy picking patterns, sick riffs, fiery little lead breaks, a solid sense of energy with just a little tinge of melody here and there... I just don't see it being possible for any other band in 2007 to get more props from me from a stylistic/influence point of view. These dudes know exactly what the fuck is up."
Bitter End has rightfully gone on to achieve an admirable level of reflective status, and Climate of Fear remains their finest output for me. Certainly not to disparage any other portion of the discography, but damn is it tough to choose anything but Climate of Fear when the mood strikes...
Darkest Hour, Deliver Us (Victory Records)
"Within one complete listen it's clear that this is definitely Darkest Hour's finest work to date... I've listened to this thing every day since it showed up in the mail, and I don't do that very often at all. They've finally reached a point where they can fuse all of their influences together in a way that comes across as cohesive, and the general sense of energy is very well-paced and memorable—with loads of killer riffs, surprisingly forceful melodies, a few sleek acoustic passages, and increasingly tangible vocal performances... It's pretty damn rare for a band to continue getting better and better with each record at the point of, what... their sixth album now!? But Darkest Hour's done it, and that's fucking impressive."
Best Darkest Hour album, and for my money "Fire in the Skies" is probably the band's single best composition. Incredible. Just so damn good...
Deathkiller, New England is Sinking (I Scream Records)
"I first popped this disc in several months ago with absolutely zero idea of what to expect and was pretty impressed by their extremely diverse brand of what would best be tagged as 'post-hardcore' for any sort of reference point. Musically you can definitely hear bits and pieces of bands like Quicksand and Helmet and shit like that, but at the end of the day Deathkiller doesn't really sound like those bands at all. The songwriting puts forth a nice blend of that staple post-hardcore dissonance over pounding heaviness and punchy distorted basslines, subtly melodic/catchy accoutrements, atypically rocked out bursts of force, and then some... Not bad at all... so hopefully some of you will enjoy it as I do."
Deathkiller is likely not the type of group that comes to mind very often, but their lone full-length holds up well and always piques my interest when one of these tracks comes up on shuffle. Worth taking for a spin if you remain unfamiliar.
Hot Rod Circuit, The Underground is a Dying Breed (Immortal Records)
"In less than a week's time I've already listened to The Underground is a Dying Breed 10 times more than any other CD I've bought so far this year, so... the trend continues, and this band remains a sorely underrated force that should, by all means, be hugely fucking popular. I mean, they basically write relentlessly catchy albums chock full of memorable, melodic rock songs—and when I say catchy, I mean fucking catchy. Emo, indie rock, whatever, yeah... but it's more than that... Gorgeous production, amazing songwriting... vocalist/guitarist/chief songwriter Andy Jackson is basically a fucking genius. Hats off, my man. There's no way in hell this thing's not gonna be one of the best releases of the year. Love these guys. Love 'em. End gushing."
One of my all-time favorite bands, and arguably the strongest album amidst their incredibly solid discography. Andy Jackson's songwriting track record across all of his projects is damn near unparalleled in quality, and Hot Rod Circuit is right up top.
Inhuman, Last Rites (I Scream Records)
"It's always a pleasant surprise when a band that's been around for over a decade can continue to best their prior work time and time again, and such is definitely the case with Brooklyn, NY's Inhuman, whose latest (and arguably best) full-length sees the band maintaining their diverse breadth of influences while continuing to hone in on a more focused approach that makes for some of their most memorable, not to mention powerful, songwriting to date... So few bands are able to improve with age, much less release their finest material on their fourth album, so... if you wrote them off back in the day or just lost interest along the way, give this record a fair shot regardless... there's a damn good chance it might surprise you, too."
I'd still argue that this is Inhuman's leading effort. It just has that extra hard-hitting oomph to it. I stand by what I wrote in 2007, for sure.
It Prevails, The Inspiration (Rise Records)
"As soon as I popped this fucker in I was relatively shocked, and hooked from the start, as the band cranks out 10 concise tracks of the best possible form of contemporary metalcore in a mere half-hour. Stylistically quite reminiscent of Shai Hulud (one of my favorite bands of all time) and Misery Signals, there's a ton of tactfully technical riffing that utilizes lots of interaction between dual guitar parts as well as roving basslines, so expect a good number of time/tempo changes and shifts between lightly chunky rhythms and loads of intense melodies. And aside from one or two quick moments late in the disc, there's no singing, just straight-up screaming or shouting vocals that actually possess a real sense of sincerity..."
I've always kind of envisioned that It Prevails might be semi-popular with the generation behind me. I don't know if that's true, but this album fuckin' rules. To this day, I've never heard any of the band's other material, as I just never happen to see those albums for sale. But, as mentioned, if you dig stuff like Shai Hulud and Misery Signals, you'll totally enjoy The Inspiration.
Robots and Empire, Omnivore (Trip Machine Laboratories)
"There's an unexpectedly dense, dingy sort of stoner/sludge factor hovering over the recording, which definitely adds a unique touch to the range of dissonant textures and melodies that would otherwise be more linked to that 'post-hardcore' realm—therefore twisting up the end result into something darker and more menacing that truly sounds like a beast of its own. But it's a wild ride overall: 14 generally short tracks traversing churning heaviness and pulsing basslines, borderline catchy hooks, stripped down power chords mashed within odd time signatures and oddball structural shifts, noisily fuzzed-out lead drones, and an array of vocal techniques..."
Weird band name and their cover art has probably worked against them over the years, but considerably underrated otherwise. Very much recommended. If you're a CD fan (and you should be), you can probably still get this fairly cheap from Trip Machine Labs.
Rot in Hell, 2007 Demo (Self-Released)
"A mere three tracks, barely over six minutes, yet all gold. This U.K. metallic hardcore outfit takes 'holy terror' so seriously they've got fuckin' Robert DeGrimston in their cover art! A little more Gehenna than Clevo to these ears (though there's a good dose of early Ringworm and raw, primal Integrity in there—complete with some dead-on little Melnick-ian lead bursts), expect short, chugging onslaughts of pissed off and ruggedly recorded (in the best possible way) material that absolutely leaves you wanting more... Oh, and did I mention there's a fucking Meanstreak cover!? Hot damn... 'Final Word' is still one of the greatest hardcore songs ever written. I love these motherfuckers!"
I mean, what more do I really need to say? The debut of the U.K.'s leading post-'90s "holy terror" hardcore band. Of course it rips!
Scraps of Tape, This is a Copy is This a Copy (Tender Version)
"This one's loaded up with 10 tracks and nearly an hour's worth of what seems oft-deemed 'post-rock,' which in this case amounts to largely instrumental compositions that fuse soft 'n' somber yet beautiful melodies with gritty, pulsing throbs of heaviness. A crisp, warm recording allots plenty of breathing room for each individual piece of the puzzle, making for an engaging listen that's both rocked-out and memorable and emotionally gutwrenching depending on the various twists and turns that the compositions undergo in the process. Ringing clean guitars and swirling effects; dingy basslines thudding away in the distance; crashing, distorted power chords; and fucking powerful, at times almost frantic drumming... it's all gold."
Really nice album. I certainly wish all "post-rock" was more along these lines.
Shining, V: Halmstad (Niklas Angående Niklas) (Osmose Productions)
"Shining have completely reinvented the band on their fifth album, to the point where this is not something that I would refer to as a 'black metal' album at all... This is the band's finest work to date, and will most definitely be among the best albums of 2007. While many of the band's past efforts have been excellent in their own ways, there's just no debating the fact that this is Shining's most emotionally gripping and atmospheric work thus far—from the gorgeous acoustic passages to the absolutely fucking brilliant solos, which are beautifully melodic and shockingly well arranged. Various snippets of piano, strings, and spoken samples also add to the tortured and depressing aura of the album as a whole, so... there's a lot to take in..."
Similar to what I said about both Bitter End and Darkest Hour above, I almost never pull down any other Shining album than V, and in my opinion "Låt Oss Ta Allt Från Varandra" is the best song the project has ever written.
This Et Al, Baby Machine (Monotones)
"This album is absolutely fucking outstanding, and has quickly become one of my recent favorites. The U.K. outfit lists among their influences My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth, Mogwai, Interpol, and Joy Division, among numerous others... Despite carrying a somber sort of tonality from start to finish, there's a wealth of energy to be found, as well as some surprisingly infectious bursts that really pull you in. Quirky indie rock riffing and time signatures mesh with subtly heavier rhythmic shifts to add diversity to the types of softer bass pulses, droning synths, and noisy guitar leanings one might expect... Every song's a keeper and I'm truly fucking impressed by these cats... Completely and absolutely recommended on every level."
Enormously underrated act. One of the most pleasant surprises that has crossed my path in the 25-year existence of this website, and I have tried my damnedest to scream to as many people as possible about how excellent this band is. If you dig the catchiest aspects of what Interpol was doing at their peak, then you need to hear This Et Al.
To the Lions, Baptism of Fire (Goodfellow Records)
"Fuck yes. Best hardcore record of 2007 thus far? Quite possibly... A fucking killer half-hour of straight-up, pissed off metallic hardcore. As you'd probably expect, the songwriting's based more around that '90s style of chunky, midpaced power chords and sick breakdowns with just the right balance of speed and energy to keep things sounding more furious and in your face than 'moshy,' though there are little bits and pieces of loose melody and metal-based flourishes floating around that do lend a 'contemporary' edge to the material. I can still hear a bit of a Ringworm connection happening in terms of that whole Clevo style, and I'll never fucking complain about that..."
I feel like so many hardcore bands that first appeared beyond 1999 are too easily lost to time, and To the Lions is a great example of that unfortunate reality. Anyone who enjoys the blunter and more in-your-face elements of the Ringworm-leaning side of the classic Cleveland type of sound would do well to seek this one out.
Other Stuff That Got Me Hyped...
All Out War, Assassins in the House of God (Victory Records)
"You know, of all the bands that were around during the '90s honing this brand of metallic (to the point of basically being straight metal) hardcore, I really wouldn't have expected All Out War to be among the select few still putting out records some 15+ years later. But holy fucking shit has their persistence (not to mention their consistency) paid off, because Assassins in the House of God may just be their strongest outing to date... I swear, minutes after popping this fucker in for the first time I was literally laughing out loud (out of sheer glee, mind you) at how true to the band's past this material remains..."
It's kinda funny to look back on the fact that All Out War consistently kicking ass after 15 years in 2007 was pleasantly surprising, when now in 2025 they're still consistently kicking ass after fuckin' 33 years!?!?
Cutdown, Always Intact (Musta Maija Records)
"Cutdown doing what Finland does best: pissed off, no bullshit metallic hardcore with loads of chugging mid-paced breakdowns and absolutely sick vocals that definitely lend some texture and aggression to the tracks. I've said it many times before and I'm sure I'll say it many more before I'm through, but Finland has the absolute best scene in the world for this form of no-nonsense, '90s-styled metallic hardcore, and I can't get enough of it... Cutdown is sounding tighter and more cohesive than ever, straight down to the crisp guitar tone and pulsing basslines of the improved recording quality. 10 tracks, 28 minutes, all solid. That's all there is to it, really..."
As has been previously established in these rewinds, Finland absolutely ruled top-shelf metallic hardcore throughout this decade. Cutdown here simply provides further proof.
Far From Finished, Living in the Fallout (Think Fast! Records)
"One of the most impressive albums I've encountered as of late is Living in the Fallout, the sophomore full-length from Boston's Far From Finished... Stylistically the band sounds quite a fucking lot like The Ducky Boys with a hint more polish 'n' punk amidst all the heartfelt rock 'n' roll, so there's plenty of energy and just enough of an edge in addition to the punchy songwriting and gruff-yet-catchy vocal melodies and such. As often seems to be the case these days it's nothing I haven't heard before, but I simply can't argue with songwriting this strong."
As with It Prevails above, I've never heard anything else by Far From Finished outside of Living in the Fallout. I have no idea why, 'cause this disc is still quite enjoyable.
Furious Styles, Life Lessons (Hand of Hope Records)
"While I've never been fond of some of the real world scenarios that can arise from the 'toughguy' mentality, when it comes to bands who deliver this style of brutish metallic hardcore I fuckin' eat it up, and this record delivers said style in the finest form I've encountered in recent months... The band definitely has their own sort of sound happening in terms of utilizing some hip-hop-influenced vocal arrangements over a rather Madball-esque musical backdrop—so the material should definitely appeal to fans of concise, to-the-point metallic hardcore based around moderately fast power chords and chugging breakdowns with a great balance of churning metal (not to mention some slick solos) and hardcore energy."
Still a sucker for this stuff. "Born on the Outside" in particular is rather undeniable for this niche.
Hard Response, Hostile Environment (Self-Released)
"More than 10 years later, they're back, where three out of five original members (joined by two 'new guys') crank out nine tracks of crunchy yet slightly atypical metallic hardcore that, as expected, has more in common with that sorely missed '90s era from which the band was born... To be honest with you, this is a more streamlined affair that tosses in just a hint more speed (and therefore energy), more heaviness, and more of an occasional old school hardcore undercurrent that keeps the band sounding full and aggressive without losing their identity or resorting to any of the genre's most generic trappings."
Sure, I'll always prefer their early-'90s output—especially the Single Bullet Theory album—but these later works still deliver, and Hard Response remains frustratingly underrated as a whole.
Memfis, The Wind-Up (Candlelight Records)
"[This is] the incredibly impressive debut from Kristinehamn, Sweden's Memfis. You'd never really guess it from the band name or the oddly 'indie'-looking style of the album art, but the band's focused and surprisingly technical style is an almost perfect blend of equal parts Opeth and Burst. That's not to take anything away from the band's own creativity, though. Sure, these riffing styles may be familiar on many levels, but I've certainly never heard the two combined so fluidly, and there's nothing but quality steadily streaming from throughout the riffs and compositions that Memfis places on display here—only a few of which top the four-minute mark..."
Somehow, I don't think I realized that Memfis had actually released a couple more albums over the years!? It appears they might be digital-only, but I need to do some digging no matter what!
Palehorse, Amongst the Flock (Bridge Nine Records)
"This is some ripping metallic hardcore with absolutely scathing vocals that lend a very Ringworm-esque twist to their gritty and in your face attack... While the bulk of the writing is based around the thick power chords and basic breakdowns that make this niche of hardcore what it is, the metallic aspects of the riffing are definitely a little outside the norm—both in terms of layering and note choices—which adds some nice little unique twists to the tracks along with the bursting drum fills and whatnot... These cats must certainly be among Connecticut's finest in this day and age, not to mention that this disc is one of the most powerful releases to date from the Bridge Nine camp. Definitely recommended."
Nastier than tended to be expected from Bridge Nine, and it still holds up. Perhaps not as lost to time as To the Lions, but another one that deserves to be mentioned more often than it seems to be.
Pusher, Pusher (Auxiliary Records)
"I had a feeling this was gonna be some good shit. The label's website refers to the release as 'the much sought-after unreleased full-length from Pusher, featuring Steve Sindoni (Breather Resist), Matt Jaha (Coliseum), and Eric McManus (Lords),' which gives you a bit of background as well as informing you that the band is sadly no longer around... [The bulk of the] tracks blaze through a frantic and grinding form of hardcore/punk that's tight and energetic (vocals = excellent) while also tactfully loose and noisy—not to mention perfectly recorded given that stylistic balance. There's a pretty good range of influences going on, so the band was kind of operating in one of those 'familiar yet inventive' spaces, which I tend to find pretty impressive..."
Ever-so-slightly atypical of the corners of the genre that I tend to get extra excited about, but one of several such releases from Auxiliary Records around this timeframe that really stood out and still gets thrown in my stereo from time to time.
Seconds Before, Galvanic (Blue Worm Records)
"...the band's lineup features former members of Threadbare, Krakatoa, and Picturesque (among them Carl "The Fucking Man" Skildum, so you know that killer riffs will be present), and Galvanic actually feels perhaps more streamlined and consistent than Further Destinations, which was already an extremely solid debut. For the most part it's still fairly catchy, melodic indie rock with post-hardcore twists that's neither generic nor simplistically delivered. That is to say that the band knows how to craft memorable tracks with a good amount of energy and all that jazz, but there's actually a great deal of musical substance happening in terms of the layering together of subtle intricacies as well as the general quality of the performers themselves."
All these years later and I'm still screaming about the brilliance of Carl "The Fucking Man" Skildum. He's so known for absolutely ripping metal in recent years that Seconds Before is one of those angles from his discography that I always point to as a beacon of such impressive diversity.
She Said Destroy, Time Like Vines (Candlelight Records)
"Imagine my complete and utter shock when I was greeted by these Norwegians' impressive attack of completely uncategorizable metal! It's a thickly layered concoction that sees roving bass lines and totally sick drumming with just the right amount of jazzy flare laying the foundation for some truly unique guitar work built largely around dense, rhythmic, dissonant chord phrasings whose twisted arrangements often give way to high-speed death metal influences that have a technical, progressive sort of undercurrent... Meanwhile, the powerfully aggressive vocals are damn near as layered as the music itself, gelling surprisingly well with their unique approach to melodic instrumentation... This is definitely a rather curious outing, if not at times a downright strange one!"
Damn, just like Memfis, She Said Destroy has at least two more albums from which I've heard not one note!? What the fuck!? I've got some problem-solving to do here...
Strangers, Weight (Action Man Records)
"The debut full-length from New Zealand's Strangers continues to deliver the goods. All of the songs from the demo appear here in re-recorded form, so expect plenty of that same brand of material with a backbone of hard-hitting surges of churning heaviness and rumbling low-end countered by searing mid-paced dissonance and frenzied bursts of more chaotically paced and textured riffing... The key differentiator here is that everything feels much darker and heavier this time out thanks to a fuckin' killer recording that beefs everything up significantly and really shifts the overall aesthetic more towards an actively furious and in your face attack, as opposed to the more passively spacious and subtly nuanced vibe of the demo... Well done..."
Underrated. I think I may have said somewhere before that had Strangers been from the U.S. and on a label like Deathwish, they'd be far more widely known. Still drives me crazy how much noise great artists have to fight through to try and be heard by the range of audience that they deserve.
Ulcerate, Of Fracture and Failure (Neurotic Records)
"I referred to the general tone of their demo recordings as 'a mix of Cryptopsy, a dash of Suffocation, some of the Florida classics, and even a few more modern shredding riffs akin to the Polish scene'—which still stands to some degree, as this is still thick, brutal material—but they're definitely leaning in that more 'over-the-top' direction these days in terms of infusing a greater deal of explosive technicality and chaotic songwriting arrangements. I'd also throw a Gorguts mention into the mix now, though, because along with the aforementioned characteristics comes a certain air of churning dissonance and just, well... weirdness that really works in the band's favor. Ulcerate proves to be a top-notch act in that regard..."
Whoa, two New Zealand bands in a row!? Well, unlike Strangers, Ulcerate was able to fight through and achieve some wider acclaim. Those early years still crush, too.
Violator, Chemical Assault (Kill Again Records)
"I'm telling you right fucking now, the whole 'retro' thrash thing may be somewhat 'trendy' right now, but Violator fucking rules. Of all the contemporary bands that are making a decent run at recapturing that mid- to late-'80s thrash sound, Violator is the best of the bunch, and they seriously shit all over pretty much everyone else in terms of the sheer quality of their riffs and songwriting. 'Cause hey, you can break out the jeans, high-tops, bullet belts, and jackets covered head-to-toe/front-to-back in patches all you want—and yes, Violator does—but if you can't truly capture that legendary old school thrash aesthetic and write a good song, well... you're dead in the water. But trust me, these motherfuckers nail it on ever possible level... Fucking amazing."
You know, I've at least heard some of the other Violator stuff, but I'm pretty sure this is still the only CD of theirs that I own. I should probably do something about that, too...
