The count got back up to 120 posts for 2011, but it was all just a last gasp, as I took an extended break starting in early-February of 2012 that ended up lasting around two years. I did start contributing to some Mystery Grab Bag pieces over at Halifax Collect in late-2013 (damn, those were so much fun), and then co-founded No Echo in 2014—writing there for roughly three years before returning to resurrect Aversionline in 2017. I didn't necessarily miss it during the time away, but almost certainly did some irreparable harm in the sense that I still to this day get occasional comments or messages indicating that some people don't realize that I've been back here writing again for many years now. Oh well. Here's a semi-synopsis of Aversionline v3.0 circa 2011/2012.
Some of What I Loved the Most...
Animals as Leaders, Weightless (Prosthetic Records)
"I'm not sure how I managed to avoid hearing the band for so long, as apparently they're actually quite popular, which sort of shocks me since I don't think of highly technical, instrumental metal as a 'hot item,' but... hey, they're an amazing band, so good for them. Expect over 45 minutes of completely badass riffs, intense melodies, sick solos, and excellent jazzy flourishes that are right up my alley. And since they use eight-string guitars there are quite a few moments that are just ridiculously heavy without even really trying to go for that angle. Also present are a number of surprisingly tactful atmospheric elements that utilize a lot of ethereal effects... This shit actually makes me want to start playing guitar again, it's just awesome..."
I had totally forgotten writing about Animals as Leaders, and was half-surprised to find that I did. I guess I wasn't yet completely out of touch with contemporary metal in the early-2010s, ha!?
Charred Walls of the Damned, Cold Winds on Timeless Days (Metal Blade)
"If you're unaware, the band is something of a metal 'supergroup' featuring Richard Christy, Steve DiGiorgio, Jason Suecof, and Tim 'Ripper' Owens unloading solid, energetic heavy metal that's neither overly modern nor simply looking to the past. Stylistically and in terms of the production values this material is very consistent with the band's debut—offering a good range of tempos from surging mid-paced rhythms to thrashy, high-speed assaults that are still loaded with epic melodies and slick leads... I could see people failing to give this band a fair shot, but trust me, these guys are cranking out excellent straight-up, no bullshit metal. I'm a big fan, so I really recommend exploring both of their albums..."
Hard to believe that Cold Winds on Timeless Days arrived just one year following Charred Walls of the Damned's debut, not to mention that it ripped just as hard.
Karma Never Forgives, Corrupt State (Self-Released)
"Former members of Agents of Man! Former members of Elements DEC! And let me tell you, Karma Never Forgives is already right up there with those bands on my flip-out list, because all three of these songs absolutely rule, and quite honestly feel like a second coming of Agents of Man to me. They've got that same perfect blend of heavy, metallic hardcore and emphatic melodies with amazing vocals that can effortlessly shift from great singing and catchy choruses to more of a standard shouting/yelling. Killer riffs, memorable songwriting, I love every second of it... If Karma Never Forgives goes as criminally underappreciated as the other bands I've gushed about above, then I fucking quit. If people are too stupid (again) to realize how amazing this shit is, I just can't handle it. I don't get truly excited about 'new' bands very often anymore, but I'm going crazy over this EP!"
As I've said 427,013 times over the past 25 years, everything that these guys touch is absurdly underrated gold. It still pains me that this project only recorded a mere three tracks. (That being said, some of this material was later reworked with Truth & Rights, so...)
Kids Icarus, Kids Icarus (Creator-Destructor Records)
"I make no secret of the fact that I'm a huge sucker for catchy songs, and the self-titled debut EP from Connecticut's Kids Icarus is packed full of 'em... Four songs/13 minutes of absolutely perfect pop-punk/emo fusion (or whatever you want to call it, I don't care) with super crisp production and flawless songwriting that combines chunky rhythms, zippy picking patterns, technical melodies, and ridiculously catchy choruses. I know most of the people who read this site are probably not into this stuff, but I'm all over it, and will never stop enthusiastically recommending shit this good! Especially when it's loaded with high-energy tempos, a heavy guitar tone, tight musicianship... Man, I just totally flip out for stuff like this. I seriously can't wait to hear more from this band."
Again. Four songs. One 7". That's it. The end. WHY!?!?!? Fuck, man, this EP is so good. God damnit.
Exhumed, All Guts, No Glory (Relapse Records)
"For some idiotic reason I had forgotten how much I love Exhumed, but their latest provided a firm reminder within seconds of its opening track... This album proves without question that the band is still capable of cranking out Symphonies of Sickness-esque tunes with more energy, tighter musicianship, and better production. And, dare I say, All Guts, No Glory just might be the band's best album yet. I mean, this thing is just crammed with fucking excellent songwriting. It never lets up. It's got everything you'd expect based on the band's history: raging speeds, meaty riffs, slick melodic leads, an assortment of midrange snarls and guttural growls, etc... I'm all over this!"
Looking back now, I'm surprised that I was amped enough to posit All Guts, No Glory as Exhumed's possible best. Great album, though, and I certainly appreciate that it reignited my love of the band.
Incendiary/Unrestrained, Split (Trip Machine Laboratories)
"[A] killer split 7" between two current bands that are both heavily influenced by the '90s style of metallic hardcore. Long Island's Incendiary kicks things off with two tracks full of chunky rhythms, killer bass runs, and a solid sense of groove. The vocals are just a little higher-pitched than average, which gives 'em a really pissed off sound that always works... Good stuff. Unrestrained (Portland) then follows with two tracks of their own, which are in a more diverse vein that includes harsher vocals and more tempo changes. They still remind me of Harvest, and that's still a compliment. Expect heavy, churning riffs with a nice bass presence and plenty of discordant textures... When all's said and done you've got four songs in about 13 minutes from two great bands that I'm definitely looking forward to hearing from again..."
While I was indeed a fan of Incendiary based on this split, I probably cared more about Unrestrained at the time. I'm not saying I was wrong in any way, but Incendiary certainly turned out to be the more scene-impacting band of the pair in the years that followed.
Lash Out, The Judas Breed (Get By Records)
"Without question the best release of 2011, and quite frankly one of the finest releases in the history of all living things, Polish label Get By Records has achieved maximum excellence with the release of this almost-complete discography from what I view as the absolute greatest European hardcore band of all time: Norway's Lash Out. For my money, these guys are the single most underrated hardcore band of the '90s. Period. Lash Out is right up there at the top with Integrity, Mayday, Starkweather, etc. in terms of inventive, one-of-a-kind metallic hardcore bands that honestly never sounded like anything else out there... This utterly amazing double-CD set includes everything Lash Out ever recorded sans 1996's What Absence Yields full-length. The first disc is dubbed Vol. I: 1992 - 1995 and covers the band's early EPs and splits. Disc 2, Vol. II: 1996 - 1998 is centered around the band's second full-length, The Judas Breed (recorded in 1998, but unreleased until now), with tracks from the split with Burst and The Unloved & Hated EP added on to complete the set... I cannot even begin to properly express how much I love Lash Out. From now until I finally decide to stop writing about music, I will never be this excited about another 'new' release..."
Cheating here to once more allow a reissue, seeing as this one was of monumental significance to me. I don't think I've ever officially shared the story, but my old label Due Process was originally going to handle this release as two separate CDs, but I had an OCD meltdown and ended up abandoning the project at an embarrassingly late stage. I'm so grateful that Get By Records was ready and willing to pick up the pieces and see this through. As I've proclaimed before: Lash Out is the best and most underrated European metallic hardcore band of all time.
Maraloka/Cannons, Split (Self-Released)
"This relatively quick 26-minute split LP sees Salt Lake City/Provo, UT's Maraloka (featuring current and former members of God's Revolver and Parallax) teaming up with Denver, CO trio Cannons. Maraloka kicks things off with three tracks of somewhat sludgy, slightly rocked out, essentially 'metal' (but not in a particularly traditional sense) material with strained shouting/yelling vocals. The tracks are built largely upon solid riffing with just the right amount of melody... Cannons then follows with four tracks that fall into sort of a noise rock meets 'screamo' type of approach. Expect loose, angular riffing; a hard-hitting and dense bass presence; plenty of tactfully hectic percussion; and vocals that combine shouting, screaming, speaking, and arguably little hints of singing... As usual I'd definitely like to hear more from both bands, so I'll have to keep an eye out for more down the road..."
Hyper obscure split here, but you know I wouldn't have it any other way. Maraloka being tied to the late great Parallax will always have me fondly remembering the project. Bums me out that the their portion of this outing has gone missing from Bandcamp...
Ordo Obsidium, Orbis Tertius (Eisenwald Tonschmiede)
"For me, this material perfectly represents everything that I crave from this particular niche... It's all about atmosphere with this stuff, and you can expect superb black metal that occasionally delves into slow, ominous doom through long, at times hypnotically repetitious songs (the five tracks clock in for a total of more than 47 minutes)—utilizing loads of tremolo picking, abrasive screams, and emotive melodies. Quirky, discordant textures flirt with both harsher aggression and a more mangled sense of melody from time to time, while gorgeous acoustic passages and tactful, subdued synths are also occasionally employed for added effect... I haven't been this enthusiastically excited about a black metal album in a while. Amazing songwriting, powerful atmosphere... I love it. Highly recommended. Awesome."
For a number of reasons, post-2010 I have not cared about many black metal bands at all. That being said, the debut from Ordo Obsidium struck me then, and still holds up today as a damn fine selection that still deserves more attention.
Rot in Hell/Integrity, Black Heksen Rise (Thirty Days of Night)
"...I can think of no better combo for a split than Rot in Hell and Integrity. I mean, this must be right up there with the Integrity/Mayday split in terms of absolutely perfect, wholly appropriate pairings. Rot in Hell kicks things off with the crunchy rhythms, droning lead melodies, scathing vocals, and scorching solos of 'Erebus'; before a stark change of pace via 'Life Becomes a Desert Around You'—which utilizes faint singing underneath a repetitious lull of acoustic guitars, violin, and sparse percussion. Surprisingly epic... Integrity then follows with 'Waiting for the Sun to Burn Out My Eyes,' which transitions seamlessly into 'Black Heksen Rise.' Both compositions see the band's trademark sound permeated by somewhat more of an obvious Japanese hardcore influence (more so in the former) through raw, driving power chords; explosive solos and crazy tapping runs; pounding midpaced breaks with just the right amount of eerie melody; etc. These concise and explosive EP's have found Integrity cranking out some of their fiercest and most powerful material as of late, and I'm all for it. Before I was finished with my first complete listen this set had already worked its way into being one of my favorite splits of all time. It's just that good."
This was actually the last piece of music I wrote about in 2012 before the hiatus began. Had to go out with a near-perfect, "holy terror"-fueled bang, right?
Turnstile, Pressure to Succeed (Reaper Records)
"Someone please tell me how the hell this band's not getting more hype, especially since they've got Trapped Under Ice drummer Brendan Yates on vocals? That tidbit alone should draw them at least a little more attention, right!? Not to mention that this is some of the best hardcore I've heard in a long time. It kind of reminds me of the immediate energy of Allegiance's Overlooked (easily one of the best hardcore records of the 2000s) but with more of a heavy, mid-paced groove to it. They're obviously drawing from a lot of '90s NYHC influences, but it's awesome because they're blending the hard, chugging rhythms with slick melodic tendencies and absolutely awesome vocal patterns, so the material has a little bit of a different vibe to it—maybe like if Leeway's Open Mouth Kiss had more in common with Desperate Measures? I don't know, but it fuckin' rules. Six songs in less than 15 minutes and I'm all over this!"
Didn't fully remember writing about Turnstile either, but glad that I didn't miss that boat back then. I remain a fan, but there's no doubt in my mind that the harder-edged early days represent the band's finest work.
Windhand, Windhand (Forcefield Records)
"I'd put this right up there with Electric Wizard in terms of just fucking superb, unstoppable doom. The songs range from five to 10+ minutes and are all powerfully ominous, heavy as hell, and aside from some droning, fuzzed-out leads they don't really mess around with that rocked-out stuff either. Just top-notch slow, pulsing riffs in that classic, Sabbath-influenced vein (as opposed to more of a death/doom leaning) and killer singing that has a darker, more somber feeling than most acts of this nature (and adds some nice melody, too)... Every fan of this style should be absolutely flipping out over Windhand, 'cause in terms of this niche it really doesn't get any better. This band could definitely turn out to be 'kind of a big deal,' I'd say..."
Ranking a doom band up alongside the likes of Electric Wizard is no small compliment, and I stand by it!
Young Adults, Black Hole (AMDISCS)
"I absolutely loved their demo when I wrote about it early last year, and Black Hole contains re-recorded versions of all five tracks from the demo alongside five new songs, two instrumental interludes, and a cover of the Wipers' 'Over the Edge.' When I last spoke of Young Adults I loosely described their sound as 'a fusion of slightly new wave-ish punk, indie rock, and shoegaze,' and while there's definitely more to it than that, I'm not the most experienced listener with regard to such styles, so... that analysis still stands. It all boils down to super catchy songwriting that combines high-energy bursts with slower, plodding rhythms that take on a much moodier atmosphere..."
As I said last month in the 2010 rewind: one of the best and most overlooked bands of the last 25 years. If the above entices you in any way, by all means, please dig into the Young Adults discography.
