DELUSIONS IN THE SHELTERED WOMB

One of the heaviest bands in American death metal at the moment would easily be New Jersey's Funebrarum and this is their new split 7" with Copenhagen's Undergang, pressed by the ever powerful Doomentia Records on black vinyl. "The Dead Of Winter" presents one song from each band and in true metal spirit each track sits on or exceeds the five minute mark. What's to say? Funbrarum's contribution "Delusions In The Sheltered Womb" travels a pretty tried and true path for the band. It's a slower number that progresses through various riffs and progressions. Due to the nature of the pace of the song it actually reminds me quite a bit of their sister band, Disma's output. Certainly not a bad thing at all.

I don't think I've really paid enough attention to Undergang in times passed, and if this song is anything to go by I've certainly been doing the wrong thing. "Kloakkens Afkom" channels various forms of metal from across numbering genres. Obvious roots lay in pure death metal (there's an intense Finnish sound going on here), but elements of Norwegian black metal also manage to surface from time to time. The song is dominated by a driving, heavy riff and the vocalist spreads himself across a few dynamics, at times experimenting with some pretty high pitched screams (possibly where I am getting some of these black metal vibes from). The band are definitely not in their infant stage so it looks like I've got a bit of catching up to do.

ONE MONTH

New 7" EP "I'll Never Look At You The Same Way" from Brisbane home towners, Marathon. Mixed coloured vinyl from Midnight Funeral Records. The bands first vinyl outing, this follows up a CD EP release from a couple years back and presents three new songs. Guitarist and central song writer Ryan goes to lengths to describe his influences when writing music for this band, a lot of which I am relatively unfamiliar with, apart from one group that's imprint is an obvious pillar when you listen to these songs. As with the previous outing, definite "You Fail Me" era Converge impressions are left all over this record. The guitar tone, the structures and the general style all combine to create a very similar mood to that aforementioned Boston bands sound. One of very few Australian bands that obviously understand the finer points and nuances of the Converge sound and manage to pull off an interpretation of it quite well.

FEED US SHIT

Newish s/t 7" from Perth's Warthreat on red wax thanks to Crucificados Records. Members of a few Perth notables playing a pretty noisey, rough style of D-Beat hardcore punk. Tip of the cap to the obvious stalwarts of the genre, my limited knowledge of the style prevents me from making on-point comparisons, but if it helps this does remind me of stuff like Disrupt, Disclose etc. And I'd be very confident in saying that that's pretty much the style that these guys are going for. A driving, fast, constant D-Beat, layered with dredgey guitars and reverbed vocals with vaguely anti state, socially/politically conscious vocals. You get the idea.

ME & MINE

Here's the debut EP from Southern Cali's Soul Search, "Bury The Blame". Red vinyl and another release in the long line of impressive output from Triple B Records. There really isn't too much to this stuff. Heavy, mid paced chug hardcore that takes very obvious reference from a heap of big NYHC heavy hitters. This follows a demo from 2010 that was subsequently pressed to wax, and it more or less follows on direcetly from that release. I'm instantly reminded of early Biohazard and Crown Of Thornz. Fans of Trapped Under Ice should totally love this too. I think I read that they've got another 7" due in the next few weeks. Can't remember when and where that's happening though.

IN THE WOLF SKIN

Secured this 7", "Run With The Pack" by Moscow's The Pack a few weeks back in trade with a mate. White wax pressed by Juggernaut Records. What I know about this band is relatively minimal other than the fact that they're Russian really. A google search turned over an anti band tirade written in bad english sighting neo nazi connections, though no real solid evidence is supplied. None of the lyrics really point in any kind of fascist direction either so it's more or less hearsay I suppose. What you get here is a pretty well recorded interpretation of mid 80's NYHC ala Agnostic Front etc. Nothing new, though the songs are interesting enough to hold my attention for the duration of the six tracks. I could do with a slightly rougher edge in the recording though I think.

CATACOMBS BENEATH THE FROZEN SEA

Probably my most valued recent acquisition is this new self released promo tape "Frozen To Death" from the mighty Innumerable Forms out of Boston. I would assume that most who are farmiliar with this blog would know about this band, but for those uninformed, this is the solo death metal project from Justin Detore of the Boston hardcore elite (Mind Eraser, No Tolerance, Mental, Rival Mob amongst about a million others). Six tracks in total here, on the A side, three new offerings in a keyboard intro and two totally new, crushing numbers, and on the B, remastered versions of the three songs from the IF 7" EP from a few years back. The new songs here are to be a part of a planned upcoming split release Blessed Offal, also from Boston. Channelling many of the Finnish greats of the early 90's, Detore has gone on record to state that he draws most influence from the group Demigod but I also hear massive similarities to the masterful Convulse. I can't really say anything without sounding like a broken record, this is just pure, crushing Finnish death metal that puts many current genuine long hair bands to shame. Even the reissue of the old tracks are stunning. They suffered for numerous reasons in their first incarnation, with this releases they've been given a whole new, and massively heavy breath of life/death. This was sold at Chaos In Tejas, but I secured this from an online American distro. I have a feeling a few copies may have been distributed around this way.

And the new promo/mix tape from everyone's favourites Rival Mob. "Mob Justice" presents five new songs, a cover and a cool/weird remix thing of "Hardcore For Hardcore" overdubbed with Phil Anselmo live sound clips. The new songs are pretty cool. I've had to gradually ease into them, they weren't immediate bangers to my ears, but with every listen I develop more of an interest. The intro is pretty fucking great, my biggest gripe with the whole thing though is how similar the Paincave recording sounds to the bands last EP. Like almost identical. I kind of expected a slightly different sound maybe. Regardless, this shits all over just about every other band trying this gruff NYHC sound at the moment. From what I can tell this is basically a taster to the new LP the band have due out on Revelation Records before the end of the year. Not sure if these exact tracks will feature on said album or if they will re-record. I grabbed this direct from Rev HQ a few weeks back.

BLOOD PROCESSION

Another release from Ireland's Drainland in the form of another split record, this time a 7" with countrymen Crows. Released by Drainland's previous main man Jamie Grimes and his label Suburban Mayhem Records. Black vinyl. This marks the final involvement that Jamie has with the band in terms of being an actual band member and to be honest it seems a bit odd to me. Over the years my interest in the group has developed directly with my fondness of the various aspects of the music that he was involved with; his vocals and his song writing. Without him I don't think it will really feel like the Drainland that I've come to appreciate. We will see with further releases though I guess. Apart from maybe one or two individual songs from previous releases I'd go as far to say that their two tracks here would have to be the best they have presented in terms of pure aggro. Their heaviest recording to date, and Jamie is at a true peak vocally. Best he goes out on a high like this then I suppose.

I wish I could be as excited about the effort from Crows. Musically it seems that they're going for the same kind of sound as their split mates; that downtuned, slightly sludgey hardcore with a pretty crispy recording. And admittedly this isn't horrendous, but the main singers abysmally weak vocals with cheap American accent really do quite a bit to ruin the experience for me. I don't know, maybe you'll like it?

END IT

Wilkes Bar straight edge powerhouse Stick Together put their second EP out a few months ago on Triple B Records and here it is on red vinyl. "Surviving The Times". The last time I posted about these guys was well over 12 months ago when I spoke about "No More Games". At the time I had good things to say in said post but I don't think it really hit me how good that first record of theirs was until a good three weeks after that. Such a perfect modern hardcore record with so many catchy fast breaks, slow bits and hooks etc. One of the best of the moment. While this EP retains many of those awesome elements of their earlier work, backed up by a slightly updated, more pronounced recording, overall this isn't as great. Not to say it's bad, there's plenty of fun bits like the triple snare catch in the beginning of "View Of One" and the guitar solo in the title track, there's just not as many songs that make me lift the needle and put it back down at the beginning again. I'td be worth mention to note also that the best song on the record and perhaps one of the best songs the band has ever written is actually a rehash from the demo.

RUSTY AXE THROUGH AARON TURNER'S HEAD

Last The Afternoon Gentlemen related post for the time being, this time in their split 7" with OSK from Canada. Black vinyl pressed by another handful of labels including Just Say No! and Rawer Breath. Black wax. Again, TAG kill it with their approach at pretty mind melting grind. There's a couple really big blatant mosh bits in here too which are cool. OSK play a pretty mixed bag style that incorporates some elements of grind and PV and smooths it over with a cool thrash veneer. Reminds me a little of Neon Hole and their side of the split 7" with Suffering Mind from many posts back. I like their style, but TAG certainly win it out here.

BONESTORM

It seems that everything post "Pissed Again" that The Afternoon Gentlemen have released has been of a much higher quality than that record. Another split 7" that they're involved in here, this time with Chicago's Cyborg. I think this was released last year to coincide with their tour of the US. Pressed by grind stalwarts RSR, mine's of the black variety. Ignore the hip hop samples scattered throughout their side of the record and you get some really solid grind that retains the quality recording elements of the other stuff of theirs that I've posted about recently. This time around they've managed to pack their side with some really fun songs and there's more than a couple times where they seem to make some obvious tributes to later Infest for good measure. Maybe that's just me hearing that though. Cyborg present some pretty typical, A grade powerviolence that would take cues from the obvious choices. I'd argue that these songs of theirs would probably be the best they've done so far, but with that said none of them are really far removed from anything that they've already released anyway.

Fold out sleeve with an insert and an obi strip.

BIN LURKER

Another The Afternoon Gentlemen record, this time their split 7" with Chiens from France. White wax pressed by Give Praise, Dead Heroes, I Feel good and Tombs In The Valley Productions. Not an as interesting contribution from The Gentlemen as the stuff from yesterday's post, but it retains merit in it's own right. Still much the same in recording qualities- clear and precise with very on point blasts that back up a tried and tested grindcore style with PV elements, very similar to the style that Baltimore's Magrudergrind employ to much success. The songs just aren't as interesting really, plain and simple. Chiens are just about the only grind band from France that I am even remotely familiar with, so to compare them to any of their countrymen would be impossible, but in terms of good grind on an international scale, these guys have got the gift. This stuff weighs up to that of The Gentlemen easily and perhaps even eclipses it with a perfectly murky, grindcore recording. The thing I love about some of these more prolific grind bands and their split release schedules is that I'm constantly privy to new and often awesome grind bands in their split-mates. Bands that I may otherwise never have heard of. The majority of the past fortnight's post fodder is tribute to that.

With poster.

KILL A BANKER

Suffering Mind/The Afternoon Gentlemen split 7" on clear vinyl. Crucificados amongst about six others should be blamed. I can't quite remember for sure but I think this is the record that introduced me to Suffering Mind originally. I had never been a massive fan of The Gentlemen to be honest before this record, but I was pretty impressed when I heard a few songs from their contribution online so I decided to grab it. And yeah, that was my first taste of Suffering Mind. This would be some of their best stuff, with a clear, menacing recording that marks the last with Ula on vocals. The Gentlemen's music here is arguably their best at this point too. Clear, heavy grind, with some PV elements to boot. I've never been a massive fan of the little alcoholic/binge drinking gimmick they've always utilised, but look past that tom foolery and ignore the often goofy lyrics and you get some relatively interesting grindcore here. Certainly the best band coming out of the UK doing this style right now.

DOWN WITH AUTHORITY

Suffering Mind/Lycanthropy split 7" on grey plastic. Zaraza Productions and Bullshit Propaganda. 2009. Two female fronted grind band going at it. Can't decide who's material I prefer here. Both pretty good, but I've certainly been surprised by Lycanthropy's contribution. As a female fronted grind band they certainly don't seem to be getting as much hype as Suffering Mind, not to say that they should just because of that fact, but it's certainly a point I hear about SM more often than not. I had no idea Lycanthropy were led by a lady until I read the creds. You could probably say that might be a good thing.