Death Scent

I know fuck all about Closure other than the fact that they're from the UK and that they play a heavy brand of PV akin to Crossed Out but with a slightly more metallic tip. This is their s/t 7" on clear vinyl. Feast Of Tentacles Records. The main reason I grabbed this is because the label put it up for order at the same time as the Rot In Hell/Horders split. Hadn't heard of them before that, but boy do I wish I'd heard of them earlier.
Now with a little investigation I've found that the band have another s/t 7" out that TDON Records did last year (or maybe in 2009, I'm not sure). This is somewhat the same as that record, it's just heavier, the vocalist has applied a far more gruff approach and they've employed the use of a second, more whinier vocalist in parts. I'm assuming he's one of the other musicians in the band. I don't like it, but it's bareable. They'd do much better with just the one, main singer.
I also found that I have an album on my computer that's labeled as the Moloch/Closure split that I hadn't actually listened to yet. Their are no Moloch tracks under this name on my hard drive, just these Closure ones, and with a light google search I can't find any such release online, so it's possible that I have mis tagged these tracks somehow. I don't know how I could have though. Anyway, these 'split' tracks are actually the same songs that are on this new 7", with one or two named differently. Someone help me out here.
Anyway, fucking good band, right up my alley. I hope I might get the chance to see them when I'm over there. I'm digging hard for more good British bands at the moment.
This record also came with a cloth patch which I forgot to take a photo of, but you get the idea. A black cloth with the bands logo on it.

Social Pariah

It's been a while since I offered a download, and what better way to get back on the horse than with this shredder of a demo. Downpour from Rockhampton (mid QLD coast for the uninformed) play fast as fuck hardcore ala Infest, Spazz and Extortion. This is the best Australian demo of this kind of music I've heard in years and it's so good to finally have a new band from QLD that I'm really excited about. They played here over two nights this weekend just passed and they fucking nailed it. Their singer is a 6.3" behemoth and just pushes dudes around with a massive grin on his face. I can't say good enough things about this band.

DOWNPOUR DEMO

At this stage the demo exists just as a CD that the band are giving out for free. After a few brief discussions on the weekend it looks like I may be using my Delayed Response label to commit this to the analogue format (ie tape). 50 copies. Keep your eyes peeled for more but be patient as well, I'm just getting the ball rolling today. Speaking of the label, I've got another cool release confirmed, but I'll wait until time draws nearer to talk of it.

Das Tierdama

This is the new Rot In Hell/Horders split 7" thanks to UK label Feast Of Tentacles. Blue vinyl of 100 copies. Not to be confused with the Rot In Hell/Hordes split from a few years back, this is certainly not what you'd expect for a release of this nature.
Came with this ouija board pointer thing guitar pick to follow with the layout as you can see. As pretty as I may be, it didnt actaully occur to me what was going on here until after a few days of recieving it. Cool idea none the less.
The two Rot In Hell tracks are acoustic numbers with smooth crooning, both written and played by xPOIx, one of the bands guitarists (I think so anyway). No percussion, no bass. Just a man and his axe. The two songs seem to differ a little to me, the first, 'Das Tierdama' has what I portray as a distinct 80's kind of sound. I have no idea how to articulate it properly, but my girlfriend reckons it sounds like The Smiths or something like that. I don't dig on that band, but she's probably right, she always is. The second song 'Heraclitus' has a 90's beard punk feel to it, but once again, I don't really listen to much stuff like that so I may be wrong. It's my favourite of the two (I actually posted about it a few weeks back).

The Horders side is a slow, noise/acoustic number. It's got some 'ambience', but it just comes across to me as the kind of thing you sit back and chill to. It's interesting, but it's not really worth a repeated listen unless you're the kind of dude who really likes this stuff. It obviously goes way over my head, but there's certainly a market for it I guess. I should mention too that Horders is actually the music alias of a one Give Up, the man responsible for this splits art and layout, amongst many other notable works over the last few years.

When it comes to being a collector dick head, RIH are just about the only current band that I like that release really cool, nerdy shit at a heavy rate. It's way too hard keeping up with them on this side of the globe, but I'm doing my best.

Arrested At Lunch

I only really bought the following 10" for the impressive packaging. You've most probably heard about this one already, the "Doombox" 10" by Graf Orlock. Black vinyl, Vitriol Records.
After being very underwhelmed by their live show last year, I kind of started to realise that this band gets by more on it's gimmicks than anything else. Silly lyrical themes, heaps of corny samples, wierd packaging with all of their releases, and reletively bland music. Now there is worse out there, but there's alot better too. I understand buying this record makes me part of the hype train too, don't even go there.
The packaging: the sleeve folds out into this boombox. Whoever designed this is a smart mother fucker. Very cool.
Also come with a CD of all of the bands previous material, that sits nicely on this dock as part of the package. A lid comes down over it too.
This album marks the introduction of a new singer, and I won't lie, his style is terrible. He really sounds like he's struggling with this. Really weak, snotty attempted vocals that don't do anything for me whatsoever.

Liner notes presented in this rip off Sony style instruction manual.

Heaven Is Waiting

Grabbed this in an order with some other records from Deathwish a while back, this is the "Heaven Is Waiting" single from DC's Give. I don't listen to much stuff like this, nor do I pretend to know a whole lot about it. I've heard a heap of people compare them to Revolution Summer acts like Rites Of Spring and Embrace etc. They also kind of remind me of later Minor Threat (go figure). React Records pressed this last year. Black wax.
This stuff isn't bad. Obvious melodic tendencies, this probably won't suit Integrity or Slayer fans for instance. I can't imagine many React Records fans going nuts about this either, but I suppose kids will do whatever they're told these days. The main reason I grabbed this is because Painkiller Records is putting out something of theirs this year (or maybe next year based on how long it's taking the label to get this next batch of records out). I don't regret it, and I've downloaded their other releases, but I doubt I'll go to the trouble of securing hard copies.

Mood Stabilizer

This one will probably end up being my favourite split of 2011, The Mammoth Grinder/Hatred Surge split LP on red vinyl of 100. Another boiler from Cyclopean Records. Brilliant artwork by the guy (not sure of his name, someone help me out) who also did the Insect Warfare "World Extermination" LP, though I'm not totally sure about that, I just read it somewhere, there isn't any art credits in the liner notes of this.
Both of these bands are pretty much the one unit now, sharing maybe five members between them. Rest assured that there is certainly a defined difference between the two sides of this LP.
Mammoth Grinder present three tracks of crushing early 90's inspired American death metal. The first track, 'Pulverizer' is probably the best song they've written in their later incarnation of this more true/focused Autopsy styled approach, if just for the intro alone. A mid paced riff jam with some sick leads and a really catchy momentum, this track is constantly playing in my head. The song does pan out a little and get kind of boring once the vocals kick in, but that fucking intro destroys so much. Worth the price of the whole LP alone. From there they've re-recorded 'Societal Collapse' from the previous MLP, which I'm kind of confused about, because apart from a new solo in the middle, this version is almost exactly the same as the old version. Then another new number in 'Surveilled', just over five minutes of really late 80's thrash inspired mayhem with a really repetitive (but catchy) lead. I really can't wait for new material from these guys, they just seem to mature and get better and better.

I can honestly say that (apart from their collab effort with Iron Lung) this is the best stuff that Hatred Surge have recorded. This offering marks the introduction of Rahi, formerly of Insect Warfare as now official, full time vocalist, replacing Fazia who moved on to concentrate on her other band, Mindless. And while I did eventually grow to enjoy her style with the bands last full length, Rahi's style suits this band a million times better. Four songs here of probably the cleanest sounding grind that the band have recorded so far, but fear not, it's still as mean and rough as the rest of the groups catalogue. With that said though, these songs are probably the most hardcore (for lack of a better word) orientated that Alex and co have written too. Still plenty of grind as before, but certainly the introduction of some somewhat groove laden riffy bits. Alex even groans "kick it" it at one point haha. My only gripe with this side is that it's over too fucking quick, even with the two minute noise outro on the closing track "Supernova". I hope that they record another full length with this line up that sounds EXACTLY like this stuff.

Cyclopean initially put these red versions up for pre order and that was it. It sold out in less than a day and then there was no more. About two months later (and two months because of some pressing error at the plant) when the whole press was ready for sale they put the remaining 400 on black up too. I thought I read somewhere that those black copies sold out as well but I've just checked and they're there. So maybe it's another press I don't know. That or what I read was a pile of crap. I'd probably bet on the latter. I'm pretty sure that this will sell out eventually though, so you might get wise and grab a copy. I'm betting you don't regret it.

Wasted On Wine

Chicago seems to be producing some fucking good bands at the moment. Cülo is one of the better. Following a series of EP's and tapes, this is their latest work with Deranged Records, the "Toxic Vision" 7". Black vinyl.
Throughout their discography they seem to have maintained a quality sound that blends various mixes of 80's USHC from Detroit, east. Definite influence taken from everything from Necros to the snottier Boston pack to some of the outsider DC stuff. The singer is a fucking gruff sounding dude and his performance on this EP is certainly a highlight for me.

Here's to more from Chicago. Skrapyard EP due this year.

Creation Of Fire

So I've been on a bit of a death metal kick lately. New and old stuff. Basically anything that worships at the altar of bands like Autopsy, Repugnant and Morbid Angel. And anything that uses more basic recording values (aka no drum triggering). Belgium's Detest Records has a slew of bands like this on their roster. Bone Sickness is one of them. So is Miasmal from Sweden. This is their debut 7" from last year (I think?). Black vinyl.
There's a heap of good bands on Detest, the two aforementioned probably being the best. I only really stumbled onto both of them and the label for that matter because of a USA tour that they're both participating in with Mammoth Grinder and Hatred Surge. Very glad I did. Mastery.
Two songs here of an obvious Autopsy lean. Modest recording. Simplistic song structure. Heavy fucking guitar tone. This follows a demo of theirs which I'm not that fond of actually, I think I need to give it some more time though. Crapy recording quality which I'm sure I'll get used to with some more effort.
New LP out in the coming months to coincide with the US tour. The song i've heard off it is probably better than both of the songs on this single. Very excited for it's release.

Stare At The Walls

Picked up this Walls tour 7" a couple weeks back when they were here in town with Iron Lung. Like the Iron Lung tour 7" that I picked up at the same show, this record is a repress. And again, I'm not sure of the exact details of this one. I do know that it's at least the second edition. The band fucking killed it live, as does this EP. Iron Lung Records, clear green vinyl, not sure of the numbers.
And the 3rd record I picked up at the show, this Total Control EP, "Retiree b/w Meds II" on blue vinyl, again, Iron Lung Records. Simplistic packaging, just the record with the printed dust sleeve. I wish there were more record labels in Australia than just No Patience doing bare bones vinyl like this.
An Australian edition of this single was also pressed at some point so I've read. Thank Fifth Column for that one.

I'm not gonna lie, I'd never paid this Melbourne band any attention before I grabbed this single, and I know why; this is really quite out of my taste range. Noisy, electronic, synth punk. They utilize a drum machine, and lay heaps of effects on the vocals. I might mention that this is the work of DX (Distort, Straightjacket Nation, UV Race), and Mike (Eddy Current Suppression Ring) too. Worth having it for the sake of it though.

Scraping The Bones

Sometimes I sleep on good bands. Here's a fantastic example, the Bone Sickness demo tape from last year. Death metal mastery from Washington State, USA, this tape was originally issued by the band in an edition of something like 250. Selling out mega quick, Plague Records reissued this version with red sleeves soon after. I picked this up a couple weeks back.
These guys main claim to fame I suppose you could say is their link to fellow statesmen, the thrash band Funerot. That bands guitarist, Ben Moore-Maley wrote for and played on this demo. He's since left the band though to pursue university or something, so they recruited a new guy.
One thing that surprised me about this band is that it's mostly comprised of teenage dudes (as in 17-18). For kids of that age to be able to write and play metal of this awesomeness is very impressive, to me anyway. With the loss of Ben, I'm skeptical about the quality of the 7" they have coming up in the next few months, but the sample they have on their myspace at the moment is pretty fucking good.
Now that I am aware of these guys, I can safely say that this is one of the best demos of last year. Pure, charging, American death metal ala Autopsy etc. Pretty much one of no more than three bands doing this really well in that country at the moment. I am keen as for this 7" they have coming up on Detest Records.