Hard Resistance - "Lawless and Disorder" Review (full length, Strength Records)

Getting into European hardcore in the mid/late 90s, it was impossible to miss Hard Resistance. Alongside bands like Right Direction, Backfire!, Brighside, early Discipline and a few others, Hard Resistance pioneered (or perhaps brought in Europe!) the original hardcore sound that stood out from the Oi and hip hop oriented hardcore trends of those times. Well, it is 2012 now and these guys are making a big comeback. They're here to cause some serious havoc and crush your fake attitude with a new record of totally in your face political hardcore. The newly form but already notorious Strength Records (Roger Miret/Onno Cro-Mag) is behind this record, so you know it's gotta be good!

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This whole record is one big surprise; I was pretty fucking astonished to find out how damn FAST Lawless and Disorder is all the way through. I definitely did not expect to be battered with such rapid-fire hardcore blasts, heavy vocals and 100% oldschool attitude. It's like, these guys are back and they're really pissed. Forget about slick metal riffs, don't wait for the 'hardcore anthem' which will sound good at a party. This is just real hardcore for the hard times we're living in. It might be a bit antisocial due to its intended lack of commercial value (no solos / catchy melodic choruses etc), but hey, that's the whole point! Just loud, mean and in yer face!

So, like stated above this record is all go/no slow badass hardcore music, but I also want to add that I feel a definite crust/punk touch. I mean if you played this to a bunch of punks they would surely like it and find common elements with Exploited or other UK82 type stuff. This record would also go down nice for fans of crust hardcore, since it brings this ongoing machine gun attack that makes your ears bleed. But most of all, this record will suit hardcore kids' apetite for fast, pissed off and unprocessed hardcore music. The vocals put the definite hardcore stamp, with a thick and raspy tone that will punish you during the 21:50 min that Lawless & Disorder lasts.

The common theme throught these 12 hardcore songs is a total resentment towards today's political system. Yes, by listening to this record we will feel Hard Resitance's burning political message and we will remember that this world aint no paradise. It's always good to witness bands taking the time and effort to attack this stupid, slave-breeding society we live in. Angst and hate against the system has alays been a part of hardcore/punk, and it must continue till the end! Therefore, Hard Resitance go all out and spit their guts about all the shit that has gone wrong through the capitalist values that have been forced upon everyone in the modern world.

I will recap by saying that this is a true hardcore record that shows how some peope never mellow out. This is the kind of music that makes you want to pick up something heavy and go break some stuff. Hard Reistance back their political message with such ferocious music that you won't doubt these guys for playing the part o anything silly like that. If this band's old school and legendary legacy doesn't convince you, then listening to this new album definitely will. This one's for the real oldschool diehards!

www.hardresistance.be

Setback - "Step Up Your Game" (full length, 2012, Crash Course Records)

In a world of maximum political correctness and general kindness, sometimes it's good to go back to the anger and negativity that has fuelled so much of what is good about hardcore. Therefore let's take a look at NY's finest Setback who have returned and boy, are  they pissed. They surely have that bad ass feel that makes you want to go wild, cause some havoc, prowl the streets like you are a crazy motherfucker and all that. Yes, this music intends to bring out your bad side and if you let it, it will!

NYHC might be an easy genre to fuck up -- but not if you are one of the underrated OGs of the scene. Setcback? They are just that. No matter what they do, you know they'll have their hearts in the cold dark streets where hardcore initially emerged from. As soon as you hear the rolling drums over the spoken rapped intro, you know your're in for some pent up, hard-edged NYHC intensity. The only difference to many other hardcore bands of this kind is that Setback actually live what they preach, and thus give a very real lesson in streetwise mentality and real hardcore music.

Setback has always sung about the realities of living in a cold fucked up world. In this new record, they do it through short, heavy hardcore blasts that have one foot in beatdown hardcore, but definitely not in the way you expect. It's just that the heaviness of beatdown has been applied to the NYHC formula. Great fucking job! Yeah sure, there are some metal moments, but mostly this is just brutal hardcore that will stand the wear and tear of the scene changes and trends. It would have sounded good 5-10 years ago, and it will sound good in 5-10 years from now. And that's a fact.

Some changes that this new record brings is the absence of Bundy's characteristic vocals, who - I think - is now only doing rap. This is a big change and new guy has big shoes to fill (as I consider Bundy one of the biggest voices in modern NYHC). But Phil, the new singer is doing just fine as he screams like a rabid bulldog! Maybe not as a distinguishable tone, but heavy and angry as fuck! Other changes can be found in the production section, which is so solid and heavy you won't believe. Strong bass presence, nice and 100% NYHC drum sound and playing.

I also want to give an extra point for the perfect album title (and title track): Step Up Your Game -- what an awesome title for an album, amidst all of today's hardcore empty words. It's also a statement of purpose to those who stay down because... well, they choose to stay down!

I will be honest with you. I love this shit so much. The toughness, the integrity, the brutality makes me feel good, it makes me feel stronger, ready to take on the world. It's everything to me. Hardcore like this made me survive and brought me until here, so how could I ever say something bad about it? No! Nothing else to say... Just get this fucking album and wait for the interview that's about to come soon!

My Defense - "Delorean" EP Review (2012, Major Threat/WAKRecords)

My Defense is a Koln (Germany) based, melodic hardcore band in the vein of Good Riddance and other good stuff. This band is also kind of special in our homeland Greece, since the singer is a Greek dude living in Germany. I recently got their new CD handed to me via World's Appreciated Kitsch records, who co-released this record. So let's review it and see what's up!

Back in the early 2000s, My Defense seemed to be totally on their way to become a household name in the entire Euro hardcore punk scene. We're talking about awesome independent releases, featuring ex-members of notable hardcore bands, and shows with the biggest worldwide hardcore bands that toured through Koln. However, I hadn't heard so much about them over the last years, and it's definitely good to see them back on the map and still going for it. Or maybe I just had my attention somewhere else and didn't know the progress of this band...

This EP contains 8 songs lasting a brief 12 minutes. What we get  during those 12 mins is some fast, raging but also melodic hardcore that borders with punk rock. Like I mentioned earlier, Good Riddance is a solid influence, together with that whole late 90s fast melody-core sound. These guys know for sure how to write a catchy song, and also to layer their music with lots of melodic hardcore guitars and nice background gang vocals. I could to with a bit of a dirtier production for this style, and I would also prefer if the lyrics - for consistency reasons - were in one language (instead of three!).

So to sum things up, Delorean is a powerful hardcore punk record by a band with a strong background. I just think the only thing missing is a higher level of consitency and a more solid sense of identity. I am sure that this will come with their next release as these guys have both the collective experience and musical skill.

I Want The Moon - s/t Demo

What I find interesting about some Greek punk and hardcore bands, is the fact that their influences are  not so direct and harder to trace. And this is something that's good in a world of copycats and tried gimmicks. This is also the case with I Want The Moon, a Athenian melodic hardcore band made up of real old schoolers of the local scene (learn more about their bio at their reverbnation page).

With that said, I guess that we could say that I Want The Moon pay their respect to an older, slower, and proudly harsh form of melodic hardcore. It borrows inspiration equally from Leatherface as it does from Mudhoney and even Deus. I don't even know if one could actually term this music as "melodic", since the vocals are pretty rough and the melodies are on the pessimistic side but without a single hint of mainstream, romantic punk rock melancholy. Just grim, weird music with nicely accentuated and discordant guitar work. Also, it is not necessary to term IWTM "hardcore" as such, since there is no fast hardcore drums here; but I guess post hardcore is the only genre that could serve as a home for these lonely punk souls.

The reality of the matter is that the potent melodies that these guys have thrown in their songs have their own antisocial brand of melody and catchiness, and have something that grows on you with every time you listen to this demo. I should also mention that this demo is a live recording, and that's something that has worked very well on this occasion: a prefectly rough sound with a high impact on your ears (in fact, it all sounds very decent and 'clear'). There is nothing pretentious in what this band plays at all; and that is a good reason to start liking them a lot.

To sum this review up... IWTM's music is good at painting pictures of introspection, ferociousness and loneliness... a strange mix indeed. We have to do with that sort of matured ferocity that accompanies much of the good Leatherface-isnpired punk. it's like a bunch of angry bears giving you a lesson in irony, apathy and bitterness. Very nicely done!

Foundation - "When The Smoke Clears" Review (Bridge 9)

The modern hardcore scene has started turning its attention back to good old solid hardcore, and this is something I couldn't be happier about. I mean... bands mixing hardcore with other elements is fine and everything, but the real hardcore sound needs to be preserved for the next generations of HC kids!

With the above rambling off my chest, I will proceed to our review and Foundation's new album When The Smoke Clears.

These straight edge kids from Atlanta/US are all about heavy, chunky hardcore. Their new record brings the pain through 10 songs of metallic, brutal hardcore that will help Bridge 9 records stay close to the hearts of HC kids worldwide.

The thing is that even though these guys' sound is 100% solid, they still have some discordant guitars and offbeat parts, thus aligning themselves with the reality of modern hardcore which needs to be more than just fast / fast / breakdown / end. The whole record is practically full of breakdowns (hell, it's all one big breakdown if you will), but there is also nice and fresh work regarding the guitar sound and rhythm patterns -- without mellowing out of course.

I don't know if it's done intentionally (probably yes), but Foundation don't really have hooks and catchy parts. I've listened to the album a number of times, and it's all about the evil and the mosh. Nevertheless, the anchor here is the combination of modern heavy hardcore and well-thought, socially aware straight edge lyrics.

I think that Foundation may very well be in the handful of bands that will carry the torch of modern hardcore to the next level.

p.s. I want to give an extra mention to the cover artwork, which perfectly describes the combination of old/new shcool that Foundation goes for.

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

Alter Era - "In Autumn's Solitary Decline" (Mater Tenebrarum Records)

Genre: Primal/Ambient Black Metal

Location: Slovenia

Band Website: -

Label Website: Mater Tenebrarum

Alter Era is one of those mysterious black metal bands that have the reviewer at a loss for words when trying to talk about their work, because what they do is not only music, but more of a cult, a spiritual thing. I personally find that a few elite black metal bands (including Alter Era) do escape the narrow confines of sociable "heavy music" and cross over to another world, where evoking deep spiritual trances of the darkest hateful feelings becomes the norm.

Throughout In Autumn's Solitary Decline, Alter Era comes at you straight and directly with refined old school black metal that actually gives more of a cold rather than an overtly extreme feeling. The album contains 6 lengthty hymns that are totally true to a very mysterious and - may I say - paganistic nature. Most songs average around the 6,5 minute mark and this provides enough ground for the band to develop their sound, and also envelop the listener in an effort to follow and identify with the totalitarian atmosphere that Alter Era give off in the most unashamed manner.

If you sit down and analyse the specifics of the album, everything suggests that this is black metal and nothing else: violent guitars forge steel in a dark mine of BM dissonance, with catchy but true BM vocals and a blurry exchange of drum tempos (the loud snare is drum loaded with reverb and sounds like the doors of hell). Then again, if you pay closer attention, you certainly realize that this band gives off a very dark and chilling avant garde aesthetic. It's like the soundtrack to an endless fall, to an inevitable trip down a well that leads to nowhere else but Hades. Therefore, what you get is the whole satisfaction of black metal violence combined with a frosty nocturnal feeling that can haunt your mind and accompany your darkest thoughts during those late night hours.

All in all, this is a unique and pretty album which blends black metal with subtle new age elements. Of course, Alter Era have nothing to do with the popular post-black metal movement of our times. And that, is a glorious victory in itself: to manage to bring together different paths and craft a unique black metal sound without copying the popular (and shitty) BM trends of today.

M.O.R.A. - S/T (full length, self-released)

Genre: Thraschore/Crust/NYHC

Location: Helsinki, Finland

Band Websites: Sterokiller, Bandcamp

Label: -

Finland's M.O.R.A. deliver the fucking fear with the 9 songs of their incendiary debut album which lasts a grinding 16 minutes! There is a lot of interesting stuff about this band, and I will lay it down here for ya: judging from the cover artwork and layout, you'd be expecting something along the lines of Finnish hardcore (namely barbaric crust). But to great surprise, what you get instead is some no-compromise metallic hardcore with dual female vox, sounding like a mix between thunderous thrash and pitbull-style, old school NYHC.

What M.O.R.A busts out is a tight blend of some rarely mixed styles, like having the Cro-Mags team up with Hoods in a fight against Totalitar and Skitsystem. Metal riffs of all types come and go and give way to the more punk stuff, while the exchange of fast and groovy parts keeps the edge tight throughout the whole recording. The two female vocalists have each locked down their vocal style and manage to create a no-BS blend of two totally punishing vocal deliveries. Their approaches are kinda similar since they both have a hoarse screech that will haunt your thoughts, but a description could be as such: one vocalist sounds more adolescent and punky, while the other has a characteristically evil and mean growl.

Since I don't know a word in Finnish, I can't really explain anything about the lyrical themes M.O.R.A sings about, but I wouldn't expect that they sing about no happy stuff. I'd guess something along the lines of modern socio-political punk? Hate against society and normality? Something like that. Last but not least, this Finnish hardcore powerhouse packs an awesome and very tight production that puts many professional recordings to shame. The guitars are nice and heavy, but I want to point out how good the rhythm section is; it showcases a gurgling bass, and drums that have a sharp and metallic but also organic feel.

To sum it up, this band is not a bunch of crusty punx just doing the dbeat  rehash; they have their sights set forward, they know their influences, and have created something new and modern out of the basic elements of the music we adore. Thus, they are oldschool and progressive at the same time. We need more bands like this!

Final Prayer - "I Am Not Afraid" Review (Let it Burn Records)

Genre: Brutal/Street Hardcore

Location: Berlin, Germany

Band Website: http://www.finalprayer.de/

Label: http://letitburn.de

Through years of solid work Final Prayer have managed to establish themselves as kingpins of German (and why not, European) heavy hardcore scene. Yes, I am glad cause in this world of uncertainty at least I know what to expect from a FP album: groovy beats, heavy guitars, mean vocals and all the ingredients that make for a brutal, streetwise hardcore record. But watch out, the surprise on this album is that FP pack a lot of catchy parts (still heavy, don't worry) and memorable songs.

While Final Prayer plunder and pillage with their heavy-ass, beatdown-flavored hardcore action, it's like they pack the Midas touch this time around; I say this because every song is special, every song has character and  something unique to it. This record is mature, it is clever and catchy and and at the same time it is loyal to its roots and full of attitude. FP is not another band pretending to be tough and using the same old ingredients, on the contrary they have a lot of imagination and have made a record that goes beyond the fashions and cliches of today's scene. I bet that I will be able to listen to I am Not Afraid some 5 years later and derive the same pleasure from it as I do today. It's the type of HC that can stay untouched by the wrath of time.

You can understand that there is no necessity to talk about the quality of the production and so on; you and I both know that on a Final Prayer album and a Let it Burn Records release, shit like that is always meticulously delivered and this is also the case here. The production sound is huge, crystal-clear and thankfully for this style, not too metallic.

If you care about the hardcore scene and what it represents, I guess that this record will hardly escape you. You will meet somewhere along the way. If you are into hardcore for real, you will understand and become friends with the integrity delivered on I Am Not Afraid. It contains the essence that has always brought together fans of this music and lifestyle from around the world; it's the force that unites all of us with one common parameter, and that parameter is living by the rules of hardcore. While I listen to this record, I can imagine the cloudy Berlin skies and the city concrete that these hardcore dudes step on. Now it's taken on a worldwide level.

Dirty Wombs: "We Rise" Demo Review

Genre: metallic punk

Location: Patras, Greece

Band Website: bandcamp

Label: (-) self released

The Greek scene has a lot bands breaking out right now, and they are doing it in style and with ferocity. I am happy to say that some of these young fellas aim very high and really raise the bar, thus creating some music that's totally worth the attention of the worldwide metal/punk/hc world.

A good example of such bands is Dirty Wombs, an awesome metallic punk band based in Patras. Now people may want to call this style they're playing "japcore" and make comparisons with all kinds of crazy underground punk bands that I am sure the band listens to in order to craft their sound... however, since I am not too big on Japanese HC, I will break it down for you in a more simple way. What DW really do on this one is take the tight metallic basis of old school thrashy punk and combine it with crazy-ass solos, memorable double-guitar harmonies and barbarous crust vocals. Their style is all go no slow, and maintains its character throughout all the 6 songs of this self-released demo. This band could go down well with crust/dbeat fans but also with thrash freaks, and of course the more open-minded and underground-loving metal kids.

Anyways, so DW has just released this incendiary demo (which was a long time in the making) on a nicely presented, limited cassette release. What we got here is a neat little package with cool artwork that is loyal to the band's style, accompanied by a nice layout with lyrics, drawings etc made by the infamous Jerboa Illustrations. The production is ultra tight to the point I am quite amazed. The mixing brings the  flaming guitar leads at the fore, while the organic-sounding drums, rhythm guitars and truly distorted bass make this mother sound tight and mean. I want to give an extra point for the vocals, which are heavy but sound really clear (you can make out the words and everything) and go back and forth between english and greek.

All in all, this is a very solid piece of work by this Greek band and I am sure the underground will catch up on it fast. Won't you?

FAITHREAT - "Thrashing with the Stars" EP Review

Genre: Crossover/Thrashcore

Location: Volos, Greece

Band Website: Bandcamp, Facebook

Label Websites: n/a

Released in the middle of fuckin' winter, here comes a 7inch release from the 5 stooges of Faithreat that reminds us there's still summer in our hearts!!

Co-released by 4 labels in 350 hand-numbered copies, there're no real words to describe this ep of theirs (I'd say PENIKUFESIN, ha-ha!), with the band to be inducted to Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame after all the fuss ends! Rumors are circulating that, initially, Chuck Norris and Steven Seagal were to write the review for the 7", but due to insurmountable differences and terrible disagreement they started trashing everything up with roundhouse kicks, so the band called on me to salvage the situation once again!

Let's get a little serious there for a while... The 8-song ep is aptly titled Thrashing with the Stars. Ιt consists of musical leftovers from the band's auditions for "Dancing with the Stars" [-We said, serious!!-Oh, ok…]. As you can tell, it's dedicated to movie characters who marked our childhood and continue to haunt our lives, such as Steven Seagal ("Unstoppable Force"), Chuck Norris ("Man or God?"), Mitch Buchannon and Robocop ("Iron Bin"). It also contains a Christmas debunking of the myth of Santa Claus, this corporate-created bearded man, a fuck-off to posers ("Meatballs") and my personal best, "Hairless Charm", dedicated to mighty fuckin' Tsakonas, the favorite 80's cult Greek comedian! No need to explain about him, he's already a legend!

Regarding the music: We got eight fierce short songs that really take no prisoners!! Straight to the face, kick-ass thrashcore / crossover that leaves you begging for more. Fast and intense, riffs cut like a razor, vocals sound just right and the production kills! Thumbs up also for the collage cover and gremlin artwork, courtesy once more of the notorious P. Ntolas. Overall, the ep is a nice foretaste of the band's full length to come, hopefully after the end of the world (12-12-12). Yeah you jive turkeys, Faithreat will survive the blast, cause they are approved by Chuck Norris himself! Highly recommended for fans of Suicidal Tendencies, D.R.I., Vitamin X, R.A.M.B.O. and the like.

That's pretty much all. I'd like to suggest that a free copy of the 7” along with a thank-you letter be sent to mr. Tsakonas, for the endless laughter he's been offering us all this time with his hilarious acting!

Enjoy life and thrash' em all,

Leonidas "For Those About to Mosh" (again)

Review: MUTANT SUPREMACY - "Rotting Season" 7" (Blastbeat Mailmurder, 2012)

Genre: Old School Death Metal

Location: Brooklyn/NY, USA

Band Website: official

Label Website: Blastbeat Mailmurder

On any given day, I am up for some scorching and chaotic death metal brutality. It is a genre that just doesn't run out it terms of hate and violence; it just cannot die out, just like mankind's profound hatred cannot die out. Philosophies aside, Mutant Supremacy have just released a 7" of total ugliness through Blastbeat Mailmurder, which will take you back to the dirty and underground roots of death metal, giving you a demonstration of the "ugly side of town".

This Brooklyn, NYC band has already established its name in the underground scene and I dare to say that it can't that hard when you play like this. Throughout the 4 songs of this ep we are punished with all kinds of beautifully sloppy blastbeats, old school death metal pounding and relentless whirlwind riffs. The vocals are 100% brutal death metal, spat rhytmically and not letting up for any kind of melodic inclinations. All in all, tt is not that easy to draw specific comparisons, as Mutant Supremacy takes from the best in the DM genre to create its own beast of a sound. It would suffice to say that MS has one foot in barbarous death/thrash while lending inspiration from perhaps Leprosy era Death, and definitely some good old Morbid Angel and Malevolent Creation. That, by alll means, can only be a good thing! Finally, the murky but well crafted production seals the deal for every kvlt freak.

There is enough chaos going on in this ep, with all the noodly Slayeric solos, the extravagant drumming and the non-stop slaughtering joining forces to create the nightmare we all crave for. However, this record definitely needs a few listens before you can understand what's truly going on. I would like to believe that this is death metal for the learned and experienced listener, and not for the general metalhead (or clueless deathcore new jack) as it is complex, vicious and - yes! - hard to listen to. Don't expect any groovy slam parts to shake your ass to, or any metallic artistry. To approach bands like Mutant Supremacy you need a love for violence, and the ability to sit down and take brutality with a smile.

Song taken from Mutant Supremacy's Infinite Suffering album

In Clear Sight - "Fuck Fairytales, this is Reality"

Band: in Clear Sight

Country: Belgium 

Band Website: soundcloud

Label Website: Clenched Fist Records

Metalcore/Deathcore are genres generally viewed upon with much contempt, however, there will ALWAYS be the bands that make the exception to the rule. Personally, as a fan of all things brutal in metal and hardcore, can't find myself to resist bands such as In Clear Sight and their heavy as fuck metallic hardcore.

Withoutout deviating too much from the norms, ICS manage to avoid the ultra-boring cliches of the metalcore genre and go on to create some dark, powerful and devastating music. All you need is here: the pounding drums landing on your head like a ten-ton hammer, the mean NY-flavored riffs, and of course the state of the art brutal beatdowns. The vocalist spits the lyrics in a pretty guttural manner, but there are many other types of vocals (perhaps coming from other band members?) which keep a good balance between the guttural, the street, the death metal and a more hip hop style. In fact, there is quite a bit of dark hip hop imagery going on, not unlike Wu Tan and Jedi Mind Tricks. The production ties everything together in such a way that In Clear Sight is the aural equivalent of a rabid, fighting pitbul barking right in your poor face. Some more metal-oriented elements come to finish things off and put the last nail in the coffin... And if you didn't catch the above reference, this album is perfect for fans of Born From Pain, Walls of Jericho, old Hatebreed etc.

Not all music needs to generate introspection and beautiful feelings - not all music needs to display profoundly high technical abilities; music like In Clear Sight is specifically manufactured in order to do one thing: keep you angry as fuck. If you have a hard day in front of you or something pissed you off real bad, put this band on and you'll remember what I mean. This shit is also perfect for long and exhausting runs, pumping iron, relentless moshing with no reason, and general venting of frustration and hate. If you don't get it, the best thing about this band is that it is fucking frantic, and that is exactly the point most current bands miss these days.

If Clenched Fist Records puts out music like this, I'll make sure to check it again & again!

Black Coffee - 2012 Demo Tape Review (Self-Released)

Black Coffee! What a name fro this no-frills hardcore outfit from Australia, which has released a demo of nasty punk waiting to rip at your throat. BC follow the uber old school approach of 0% metal hardcore in the vein of other current hardcore bands like Noose and Another Mistake.

Usually at this point we'd say that even though these guys are loyal to the old school tradition, they have their own sound and they stand out because of this and that, but... there is no need to do that here. Black Coffee has a clear task at hand, and that is to recreate a much loved (but also kind of extinct), true sound that is generally known as the roots of hardcore. The closer thing I can think of is SSD with a bit more extra speed and spite (if the latter is actually possible). All early, snotty, thrashy early US hardcore is a reference here, like Jerry's Kids, Necro, and all that good stuff. Hell, there is even an Urban Waste cover to seal the deal.

There are 8 songs in this demo, and every instrument is played in an abrupt and unforgiving manner, while hints of Aussie accent arise here and there as the cherry on the cake. It's good that we live in times modern enough to allow a good production sound even for demos. Here the production is not perfect but it doesn't need to be, as long as everything sounds kind of clear -- which does. Also, I personally I have to note that demos often have some of the best and most original artwork out of all extreme music releases. That's before the opinionated labels come in to influence and change everything (a sad fact of life). This is also the case with Black Coffee. Their whole demo - physically released only on tape - has a super neat layout, as their black & white artwork is simply irresistible and perfectly matches their dry, pissed off, tornado hardcore style.

What is there to not like about a band which plays fast-paced hardcore like the good ol' times? This is the real deal for every hardcore bum who hasn't mellowed out, or the skater kid who is ready to step out and find the original spirit of this music.

P.S. Black Coffee is a side project of other Aussie HC/punk acts (Hard Luck, Faux Hawks + others) and I can't seem to find any band pages on the net, aside from this post at Rest Assured Zine. The demo can be downloaded for free from the abovementioned link. Enjoy!

Record Review: Forever Young Victoria - "The Hardest Part of Ending is Starting Again"

Genre: Post Hardcore/Other

Country: Ruhrarea Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Band Website: bandcamp

Label: -

I'll be 100% honest with you: FYV's cover didn't exactly motivate me to listen to their album, at first. I find it a bit outdated, maybe too simple, if there is such a thing. But as the saying goes, we should never judge a book by its cover and, dear lord, was it the case with this German post hardcore band. As soon as I hit the play button, I was immersed in a world of beautiful discordance and artful dissonance that really struck a nerve with my already damaged nervous system.

FYV jump around with ease between the post hardcore, screamo and post rock genres, painting a mid-paced but pretty harsh and chaotic sonic landscape. The band has paid meticulous attention to its sound, with a warm 'n' fuzzy guitar tone, a treble-absorbing bass, as well as unpredictable and offbeat drum patterns to accompany the general chaos. Things are topped off with a crazy vocalist whose tortured wail balances between Bad Brains' HR and general screamo insanity.

Throughout the 9 songs of this recording, FYV keeps it fresh and manages to come off as a pretty underground band. There is nothing polished, pretentious or premeditated about FYV's harsh post  hardcore, even though the general outcome is cleverly coated with an overall, basic rock feeling. What you essentially get is the archetype rock band going for something different, and using the basic instruments in an interesting albeit not excessively technical manner. You wont find any sung choruses here, but if you are up for some Refused action going backwards to meet some Bad Brains rock, you won't be disappointed.

P.S. An extra thumbs up goes to the final track, which is a slow, ambient, instrumental rock anthem with beautiful post touches. I will be looking to hear more of that in intertwined with FYV's heavy riffs in the future.

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

Record Review: I Want You Dead: "ΑΩ" 7" Review (7 Inch Distro / W.A.K. Records)

Genre: Dark/Brutal Hardcore

Country: Greece

Band Website: bandcamp

Label Website:7 Inch Distro / W.A.K.

Hell fucking yes! What we have here is a very unique concoction of dark hardcore/metal for people who don't like their hardcore termed as 'posi'. Fans who are not afraid to step into lesser trodden paths of bleak musical landscapes, better gather round to witness what this brutal band from Greece is doing. Right now, it is unforgettably carving its name  on the bleak musical territory we call dark hardcore.

We have actually had the chance of following I Want You Dead since the beginning (check here and here), but this 7" ep exceeds all expectations created before; the band has truly reached its highest so far peak, with a totally crushing, thick and surprisingly catchy sound. Elements and influences are drawn from all over the fucking place, primarily black metal (the true BM sound, not today's hipster shit), crust and old school hardcore. All this is encoffinated within the overall Holy Terror badge that many want to obtain but just can't. At times slow and sludgy, at times fast as fuck, IWYD deliver four blasts of negative hardcore energy that definitely won't go unnoticed in today's timid hardcore scene. These four tracks land on your head mercilessly, reminding the new jacks how hardcore rightfully blends with metal to create some of the most heavy, provoking, negative music ever made.

The production is really heavy and well-layered, with the guitars creating an interesting and unholy web of nastiness, while the distorted bass is ever present throughout the whole ep. Every painful drum hit can be heard clearly -- even the noisy cymbal action which accompanies a lot of the slow, moshy parts. Finally, the vocals fill everything with their one dimensional but also very thick and scorching effect. What you hear is four dudes giving it their all, creating passionate and aggressive music that grabs the listener and doesn't let go until the record is over.

I can't imagine what's next for IWYD. Probably a well-deserved record contract with one of more established hardcore labels out there, as well as more touring around Europe and elsewhere. This noise unit shall produce a lot more bleak music, artwork and words! Good fucking stuff.

Record Review: BURN EVERYTHING - "Last Run Through The Ruins" EP (Self-Released)

Genre: Mathcore/Progressive Hardcore

Country: NY, USA

Band Website: bandcamp

Label Website: -

Mathcore has become a term that tends to scare a lot of people off. Important as it is to try and forget labels, mathcore is another genre of hardcore: pissed off, direct music with an understandable message. Bands which go under the mathcore moniker should have the intensity and straight forward attitude to justify the 'core' part of the term, and - luckily - this is what Burn Everything do. They give you the complete chaotic hardcore experience and then some. They may have the weird song titles and intricate song structures, but they sure deliver that relentless blow of intellectual heaviness.

This complex and technical metal/hardcore band from Rochester (NY, USA) has just released an ep containing 6 songs which will require your undivided attention and a few repeated listens in order to "get it". However, it is worth the effort. While you can initially enjoy the album for its heaviness and awesome drumming, it will inevitably grow on you and will become a more easy to listen and approachable record. This tends to be the deal with all good mathcore and technical/progressive hardcore in general: you enjoy the aesthetics while the essence creeps in.

The good thing with Burn Everything is that the singer has a nice and direct hardcore approach, his presence being the common thread throughout this recording. It wouldn't be so with another heavy hardcore vocalist and I am glad that this band cleverly avoided this pitfall. If they had a bit more catchiness to their overall sound, this could be a band to read about on next year's Metal Hammer or Terrorizer. For the time being, however, these guys stay deeply rooted in the hardcore tradition of creating a underground sound that will astound but will more likely than not stay outside the hype. Nevertheless, these guys could pull it off if they wanted. I am eager to see what they are going to do next.

Mental Waste - "Meltdown" (self-released)

Genre: Raw hardcore/Fastcore

Country: Salinas, USA

Band website: bandcamp

Label: -

Mental Waste is the type of band that brings a wonderful combination of the extreme and the catchy; and I don't only mean that as far as the music goes, but also in relation to the artwork and the overall feel they give off as a band. Even though they play some pretty mean fastcore with grindcore passages, they manage to come off as listenable, straightforward and rather punky overall.

Usually when we use the terms grind and/or fastcore in this zine we are talking of crusty bands who usually flirt - even a little - with metal. This is not the case with Mental Waste, who deliver their short hardcore blasts without even giving a nod to the metal format. What we have here are simple but effective riffs backed by machine gun drumming and an pissed of vocalist. All of the 10 songs in this recording (except the last number) are below the one-minute mark, but they are so potent and so much stuff happens, that you think they have lasted for more.

As I mentioned above, the vocals sound pretty fucking angry but while the vocalist screams and shouts, he doesn't exactly growl. This is another fact about Mental Waste being closer to punky thrash and of course another clue as to whether this is your type of stuff. Fans of he Maximum RNR-school, who call fasctore "thrash" will definitely dig this record and will play it loud on their mp3s, while biking down the road going to the DIY show. But rest assured, there are many interesting ideas, especially in those slow, mini mosh parts which last only for a few seconds before the insanity starts again!

Essentially, this is pissed off hardcore for pissed of HC kids who have escaped the chugga-chugga (which I love, personally) sound and are looking for something rawer and unprocessed. The good thing about Mental Waste is that they don't copy any of the famous bands of the genre, but actually do their own thing while paying respect to the roots (Heresy, Siege, Ripcord, Dropdead etc), and of course with a newer, fatter sound! Eat this up, vegan thraskids with bikes!

- Fotis.TYS

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