Record Review: Robert of the Square "Time. Truth. Heart." (Hollow Earth Records)

A compelling debut EP from Robert of the Square that generates great hope for European avant-garde hardcore’s future. Rooted in both Botch-like dissonant structures and more expansive post-rock/post-hardcore themes, they explore the whole musical territory inbetween while treading in new ground. They develop a mature sound before they even introducing themselves.

Genre: Post-hardcore/Metal

Country: Italy

Label: Hollow Earth Records (link)

Band Website: Bandcamp

To be honest, the only thing I know about Italy’s hardcore is only some bandanna thrash and oldschool hardcore punk. Robert of the Square, from Trieste are remarkably different. They deliver a solid debut EP that is at least promising of great things to come. Surprisingly, their sound is already ‘mature’ enough to explore, appropriate and combine their influences to craft five ‘driving’ songs hard to go unnoticed. Well-written, skillfully-executed with an outstanding production their sound rests equally on mathcore and more expansive post-hardcore.

Although a comparsion with American peers like Achilles or The Minor Times (who came into prominence in the latter half of the 2010’s) would be valid, the listener soon realizes that Robert Of The Square consciously depart from that sound to explore a softer, more progressive and atmospheric side of the genre. For instance, the song ‘Dominio’ demonstrates most evidently their European character with dark haunting melodic riffing while still keeping the dazzling, palindromic Botch affairs all too well blended. Their sound is also informed by post-rock aficionados Mogwai and Red Sparrows.

The first number ‘Time’ is quite representative of what Robert Of The Square stand for musically: They enter the musical landscape with an interesting 1 minute ‘showcase’ of their explorative sound palette that sets the tone for the rest of the EP just to give place to typical mid-paced ‘cumbersome’ dissonance of Botch and the likes to fall back to more ‘stretched’ post-hardcore passages of earlier Swedish stalwarts like Burst and Breach.

There is no drawback in this EP, just plenty of memorable moment throughout the whole set. From the exquisite slow second part of ‘Truth’ that broadcasts some glimmers of unwinding hope to the dynamic complexity of ‘Impero’ which resembles some early-Norma Jean vibes and the monolithic heaviness of ‘Ego’ the genre of heavy, experimental music has won a gifted exponent. The vocals express insight and pressure, hard and throaty with no exceptions.

Every song is a creation, every song is ‘driving’ with manifold changes and tempo shifts intermingled, every song has a reason to be there altogether creating an exciting flow in the album. This EP, unsettling and experimental as it is, may open many musical paths for Robert Of The Square to follow. I recommend everybody to check them out, because they are a great hope for the avant-garde hardcore scene of Europe.

- Rigas

Record Review: World in Arms - "Strong at Heart" (self-released)

Genre: Melodic Metalcore

Country: Providence, US

Band website: bandcamp, www.worldinarms.com

Label: - (self released) 

Metalcore can be both a good and a bad thing; and in this case it is a VERY good thing. World in Arms plays emotive, modern metallic hardcore that the same time hits harder than the proverbial ten ton hammer. This is no joke; these guys took the lead from all good things in US metalcore and went to create a masterpiece of pent up emotions, accumulated sadness and blind rage.

The ep (7 tracks in total) starts of with an heavy youth crew-ish intro and the phrase "you did this to your self" manically shouted with gang vocals. This is the type of shit that shows me right away the record will fucking rule. The driving guitars contrast the gnarly vocals, the latter (along with the lyric subjects) clearly placing this band in hardcore and not so much in metal. The vocals - and I don't say this easily - are some of the best I've heard lately in this genre. There is so much passion and anger in them, but also a heavy dose of melancholy and despair. We're talking really thick, raspy vocals with a unique identity, and obviously totally removed from the Terror clones you hear every day. Dude also attacks with some ear destroying death metal vocals evey now and then, and puts the cherry on the cake with some classic (in HC) spoken words over the music.

World in Arms continues to wreck shit all trhough the album, but there also is the correct amount of diversity to keep things interesting. There are some clever and super bouncy beatdown parts that luckily don't last forever, and thus serve their purpose boosting the songs and making them sound more groovy. Then again, there are some cool clean parts that are not emo by any means, but do add a bit of atmosphere to the whole outcome. These parts make the ep sound really modern and give it a strange avant garde (dare I say) aura. But let us not kid ourselves; it's the guitars that shape most of the things around here, with the aggressive yet melodic approach which brings to mind stuff like Misery Signals or even With Honor. This is good shit!

I just want to sum this up by saying that even though metalcore is looked down by some as the flavor of the day, let us not dismiss the bands who are doing things with heart and do have something to offer. Music styles, values and aesthetics come and go as fashions in hardcore, but there are always those who are true -- and this you can suss right away. World in Arms is just like that, and they hit so fucking hard. You won't forget them easily so get into them.

Fotis TxYxS

Demonic Slaughter - "Revelations of Death" (Hellthrasher Prods)

Genre: Black/Thrash Metal

Country: Poland

Band Website: Myspace

Label: Hellthrasher Productions

All hail. What we have here is a dirty rotten piece of old school black metal music for fans of that real nasty and unpleasant horror atmosphere.

Demonic Slaughter pull no punches as they plunge on to the sheer necro debauchery after a quick intro characteristically entitled "Funeral". The sound is a  low-budget, dirty and flat barrage of noise, reminiscent of that gone but not forgetten early BM époque, or even the modern black thrash revival.

There is really nothing modern about the sound of these Polish necro fiends, while they destroy all in sight with this 3rd album of theirs. And even though they have the aforementioned BM worship (early Mayhem, Burzum etc) locked down, that's not all that's going on: Demonic Slaughter manages to sneak in some unholy death/thrash metal influence that is really subtle, but definitely doesn't go unnoticed. The band also layers its sound with lots of intros, samples and weird passages that bring on that real old school horror atmosphere. What we're talking about is not Necrophagia's Lucio Fulci, but the real black & white cvlt horror atmosphere which is also the most effective. The album is spiked with weird sounds, satanic poetry, weird keyboards, cracks, screams, yelps and indiscernible sounds that makes your hair stand up. Real haunted house (check the cover), cemetery, grave-rising atmosphere that will put your thoughts in a loop.

While the aforementioned theatrical atmosphere goes on, there is nothing theatrical about the band's playing, as the drummer produces some crushing BM blasts and the sharp riffs give lessons in old school black thrash violence. The distortions are not huge or anything but that's also the point here, to make a nasty necro sound that is not based on huge amps but on the "right" quality of dirtiness. There are also two kinds of vocals: nasty and super nasty. The plain nasty ones are typical blackthrash screams and they are used as the main singing voice. Then again, the super nasty ones are weaker but definitely more unholy and are used in the aforementioned sick poetry and sometimes during the verses. This double vocal exchange is quite intriguing to the ear that only expects one kind of vocal. All in all, fans of Aura Noir, Cadaver, Desaster and that whole old school thrash black sound will just love this. However, be forewarned that this band is more underground and harsh to listen to (yay!).

Fotis.TYS

Tattoo Spotlight: True Love Tattoo Madrid, Spain

In general, we'd have to admit that there must be more than a few tattoo studios entitled True Love around the world. The name might not be exceptionally and totally original, but it surely stands for a lot. And sure enough, the things that happen in these studios are indeed quite unique. We have a lot of work to do to cover them all, but we'll start by throwing the spotlight on Spain's True Love Tattoo, Madrid.

I personally hadn't heard much about this particular studio beforehand, but the video below says it all. It seems like True Love Tattoo Madrid is a real mecca for people to get tattooed when in this city. I love the studio's old school feel, the checkered floor pattern and the fact that it seems like a place that a lot of HC kids and gals get their ink done. Moreover, as you'll notice by watching the video, one of the artists is wearing a Warzone t shirt and that's a definite bonus!

Enjoy this professionally shot video by Ronink Media and listen some cool tunes (including one from Social Distortion) accompanying the well known tattoo machine sounds.

Record Review: OATHBREAKER - "Mælstrøm" (Deathwish Records)

With this post, Take Your Shot fanzine celebrates a total of 300 posts! We'd like to thank all the people who visit & read, as well as the bands and labels who support us and put out awesome music. It's been a long and joyful trip in the wondrous world of underground music and it's not like we feel like stopping any time soon. In fact, our crew is now stronger than ever! On this 300th post, contributor Nick reviews Oathbreaker's weird but melodic post hardcore/crust masterpiece. Read on & enjoy!

Genre: Post Hardcore/Crust

Country: Belgium

Label: Deatwish Inc

Band Website: facebook

Three years after the release of their outstanding self-titled EP, Belgium hardcore kids Oathbreaker, strike back with their first full length Mælstrøm. Yet, another fine piece of hardcore/crust/metal tunes that are worth our attention. What I really like on these guys & girls (lady on vocals) is that they achieve to combine various elements of heavy music, keeping the hardcore aesthetics at the front page and succeed to sound unique and everything else but boring.

Though I don’t usually write about particular songs of an album, I think that in this case it is the best way to review Mælstrøm and give a clearer idea about what you are about to listen and feel. This happens mainly because of the various elements included as well as because of the huge differences between each song. Let’s start randomly checking out some of the tunes then.

The album starts with a “black-ish” riff, confusing the ones that were expecting to hear a typical hardcore/punk band but immediately turns to be an á la Converge type song, showing the band's major influence and intentions. Moreover, we can't overlook that the album was mixed by Kurt Ballou and mastered by Alan Douches (Converge, The Dillinger Escape Plan). Crust-punk drumming and guitar riffing mainly follow the style of Cursed and Rise and Fall, accompanied at several points with “sick” guitar melodies and a lower tempo turn. These turns upgrade the song and remind us why Converge is one of the leading and most influential bands in the hardcore/metal scene the last 15 years. (Ok, I promise not to use the word Converge again in this review).

Mælstrøm goes on with a catchy-groovy-heavy yet trivial and indifferent riff that you have heard 1 million times before. However, it gets you in the mood and fortunately it doesn’t last long as the song (“Hierophant”) turns to be a typical crossover-thrash tune bringing memories of early nineties and late eighties bands. Similar lines are followed in the song “Thorn” (even the guitar solo is so fucking old-school) until the last minute, when it gradually enters a more doom/sludge notion and crawls with it till the end. I would like to mention again the “black-ish” sound and riffing that is obvious here as in many other songs of the album.

The highlight of this blackened sound is the six-minute “Glimpse of the Unseen” which is a 100% black metal song at the style of Satyricon (post-Rebel Extravaganza period), Tombs and Burzum. Sadistic low tempo riffs, grated guitars and torn vocals at one of the best songs of the album. Album closes with an acoustic 4 minute epilogue (“Mælstrøm”) that brings you back in a safe place and lets you breathe at normal rates again. Imagine Botch’s Afghamistam (the first part of it) with clean female vocals like Gathering and you get the picture! When the singing part starts, it's hard to believe that it's not Anneke Van Giesbergen's (The Gathering, Agua the Annique) voice, not only because of the voice similarity but also because of the similar vocal lines.

Sludge/Doom influences are also observed, i.e. in the third song of the album (“Fate Is High”), which starts with a riff that brings in mind bands like Solitude Aeturnus and Cathedral but it continues heavily influenced by more contemporary acts like High on Fire, Black Cobra and Kylesa. The rotation of fast and slow rhythms, the atmospheric feel and a more “fixed play” give you a feeling of entering dark passages and facing dragons and demons. Same story happens during the song “Black Sun”, which could be easily be described as the end of the story that started with “Fate Is High”.

Some of you might have been already convinced to check out the album (or not). Some of you might be confused. To be honest now from reading what I have written so far, I am a bit confused too. In the end, is it a good album or not? Can it be that such a weird mixture is good? Is it maybe a bit too much? Are they just copying all the things that I have described with nothing new to tell? But then I am thinking that Mælstrøm has been stacked into my playlist for more that two months already.

Oathbreaker sound way more mature than their previous work, show a tremendous capability to combine so many things, and they are not afraid to show their influences and to experiment with them. Finally, I would like to mention that I cannot think of or even imagine a better production for this album.

For the confused ones then, the clearer answer I can give to their doubt is: Check this shit out!

Nikos Tolis

nikostolis [at] gmail [dot] com