Review: BURN EVERYTHING "Hollow Victory" 7"

Genre: Metal-Hardcore/Mathcore

Location: NJ, USA

Band Website: Bandcamp

Label: Dullest Records

Do you happen to know a band called Burn Everything? If not, I believe it’s about time to discover them. Cause their two previous releases might have prepared the ground and warned us about what’s coming but their new release leaves no room for doubt. It is extremely positive when you see a band evolve and improve things whilst keeping all the good elements that has previously created. The 4-track 7" titled Hollow Victory that has just came out it’s simply the natural continuation of last year's EP and the beginning of a sound avalanche that has started to 

grow dangerously and nothing seems to be able to stop it.

So complicated music and style yet so simple. Burn Everything don’t step on their technical abilities in order to create a sound effect without order and structure. They don’t overwhelm with complex riffing and numerous changes. Cause through the complexity and the “out of tune” tempos, diffuses directness and simplicity. The distance that you have to cover is full of twists and turns but you‘ll have a pleasant trip and you will never lose your way. Everything is placed in the right spot, energy and passion is present at every second and when necessary they bombard you with death-ish tunes that shake your head miles away.

Okay, I can’t neglect the fact that the “math” sign, as also the huge similarity with Burnt By The Sun, is stuck on them but their music is enriched with all the elements needed to make a difference and to make this band special. Most important is that apart from the excellent bonding between guitar riffs, tempos and changes, each moment has a story to tell and has a reason to be there, at any point of this release. Thumbs up also for the improved production and sound compared always to their previous releases. The sound has the clarity needed to reflect the complex riffing and the heaviness and volume required to make Hollow Victory a bomb ready to explode at any time.

Burn Everything no longer bear the title “promising band”. They are far beyond that. Listening to Hollow Victory you will acknowledge that this band has a great potential. My only concern is whether they‘ll manage to break free from their influences (mainly Burnt By The Sun and Human Remains) and make their sound and music even more unique. Four tracks were perfect as a starter. I look forward for the main course!

- Nikos – nikostolis@gmail.com

Review: Deafheaven - "Roads to Judah" (Deathwish Inc)

Genre: Post Rock/Black Metal

Country: San Fran, USA

Band Website: Tumblr

Label Website: Deathwish Inc

I believe that is positive to push the boundaries and create something that has your signature on it, not only in music but in everything. Deafheaven are obviously trying to do that. Most of the people characterize their music as black metal, however I think that its more complex and I would like to make some comments about that. Ok, I agree that the drumming and the vocals as well as their sound in general will bring to your mind Norwegian forests and landscapes covered in snow. On the other hand though, when I cleared my mind and focused on the actual riffing and melodies I see a bigger connection to post-rock-metal than in black metal. And this is the controversial and the interesting part somehow. Their music teases your mind and throws it from wildness and roughness to tranquility, leaving you enough space to think wonder and get lost. One friend asked me what kind of music do Deafheven play and my answer was “It’s like Red Sparrows played 10 times faster. Include some torn vocals and now you got a hint”!

Their first official release, called Roads to Judah, contains four tracks only but with duration that approaches 40 minutes. The first song starts with an intro-part that lasts about 5 minutes and it is walking entirely on post-rock paths. Atmospheric, sweet melodies with a visible intention to put you in quite a relaxing mode. But when the noise starts, I don’t see many changes on the actual riffing and melodies. As I said before, the difference is in the drumming which becomes faster (in a black metal motive clearly) and in that someone is yelling blackly at a microphone. The first time I heard a pure black metal riff on the album was on the beginning of the second track and from this part on, riffs like that appear occasionally on the album. Clearly Norwegian influenced black metal at the style of Darkthrone and the “epic” and “winter” aesthetics of early Immortal. The fun part starts when the mixing of these two styles becomes more intense. So as the album goes on, we see an intention of combining black metal and post not only by separating one song in several parts, but in including post/alternative riffs while having their “black metal face” and visa versa. If someone pays some attention to the third and the fourth track I think he/she can also figure that out.

Concluding, I have to admit that I was not entirely fascinated by Roads of Judah, but I definitely found a reason to appreciate it, pay some more attention to it and place it in my music collection. Something is missing in order to make this album more exceptional. I believe that the main reason is that on the “black part” they are missing the black metal feeling and they maybe lack of capability to play this style of music. Increasing speed, buzzsawing on the guitar and putting some black metal vocals does not automatically mean that you have a black metal band or that you are playing black metal. I think that they are doing much better when they put their post uniform on and that is maybe why they cannot easily take it off. However, one certain thing about the album is that it gives a 100% travelling feeling. You will find yourself walking in landscapes, getting lost in forests and you will visualize lakes and colorful horizons. And that is definitely an accomplishment and something not so easy for a band to achieve with their music. Plus, it has its own identity!

Deafheaven have a lot of potential and I think I‘ll bet my money on them.

Nikos Tolis

nikostolis@gmail.com

Dead Swans: “Anxiety and Everything Else” (Bridge9 Records)

Genre: Modern Hardcore

Country: Britain, UK

Band Website: FB

Label: Bridge 9 Records

Dead Swans are a British hardcore band that has made quite an impact to the scene the last years. One full length, couple of EPs and a nomination at Kerrang awards as the Best British Newcomer are what they have to show up to date. But of course the reason why we are writing about their new release is not because of the quantity of their releases nor about their nominations, wins or losses at several awards. What we care about here is good music and since these guys continue to do that we are gonna bother ourselves talking about them. So, Dead Swans new release, second in a raw for Bridge9 records, is a 7 track EP called Anxiety and Everything Else that lasts approximately 15 minutes and it has definitely met our expectations.

At this new EP, Dead Swans actually continue from where they have stopped at their previous album. Include some extra speed and some killer break-downs and you get what you were looking for. Dead Swans feed us with aggressive hardcore till we bleed. And we like that! Their music has nothing to do with complexity, innovation, or commercialism. Here, it’s all about enthusiasm, energy, aggression and great ideas that step on known patterns. The opening “I‘ve been trying to leave” will convince you with its -straight to the face- attitude that will force you to enter the pit and will make your heart beat faster. The story goes on like that during the rest of the EP. Melodic parts appear at regular intervals in order to calm you down, let you breathe and…here we go again. Their sound and musical style will bring to your mind bands like Have Heart, Down to Nothing, Champion, Terror or even Snapcase.

Many times while hearing the EP I‘ve noticed that some parts reminded me of something but no matter how much I tried I ended up with the same conclusion: “It sounds like Dead Swans”. And probably that is what makes them a band worth talking about. Thumbs up for vocalist Nick who, I believe brings the band and the album to an upper level with his aggressive, passionate and diverse vocals. I guess that this release is a warm up for their new, full-length album to come. Our expectations have risen but something tells me that we can expect something even better from them in the future.

Note: “Anxiety and Everything Else” is highly recommended to fans of both the old school and the new era of hardcore.

Nikos Tolis

nikostolis@gmail.com

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

Record Review: RETOX "Ugly Animals" (Ipecac recordings/Three One G)

Retox, seems to be another project band of Justin Pearson (mainly known for his presence at the noise-chaotic-grindcore band The Locust) and their new album…kick ass! I‘ll try to explain myself by telling you a story.

You press the play button and after 13 minutes you wonder what the fuck blew your head away. It takes less than a quarter of an hour so you wonder. Is this possible? You press the play button again. Same result. Then you realize…it’s true….it‘s really happening. Retox, with their first full-length album Ugly Animals succeeded to produce something brilliant. They had warned us one year ago with the release of their self-titled EP and now they come back with an excellent performance again.

An amount of some noise punk/hardcore filled with drops of crust/fastcore and with lots of energy, sickness and creativity, Tragedy meets Some Girls and Cursed meets Melt Banana. Everything coordinated, everything in its right place. 

I don’t think I have to say anything else to describe something so straight forward and direct like “Ugly Animals”. I believe that it’s better to listen to the album instead of spending time reading this review.

Nick Tolis