HYPOTHERMIA

Melbourne's Sewercide should have been announced as national support for the Skeletonwitch/Toxic Holocaust tour. They weren't though. This is their split 7", "States Of Decay" from a while back with Tasmania's Randomorder. Self-pressed by the bands on black vinyl. I picked this up a couple of months ago on the Sick People/Sewercide east coast tour. Contributing one track each here, both bands play a pretty on point punk metal thrash attack. I've raved a number of times on here about Sewercide. I don't think I need say more really, most readers should be familiar. They have a few new splits coming out with great bands shortly.
Randomorder is the band that I've been most surprised by. It's funny how hype creates a (deserved) following for some bands and then completely disregards others. I'd argue that Sewercide are very well known around Aus at the moment with the release of just a couple of tapes and this vinyl to their name. Randomorder on the other hand can boast a very good full length album under their belts, though not nearly as much of the popularity. Maybe it could be put down to their unfortunate geographical location, or maybe it's just my complete ignorance, but I feel that they are definitely a band flying well under the radar at the moment. Hopefully that will change in the next few months.

BITCH

Mitted this at the same time as grabbing yesterday's subject, the previous LP from Toxic Holocaust, "Conjure And Command". I'd have to say that this is probably my favourite material from the band. The riffage is at it's most razor, and the guitar tone is probably the heaviest the band have captured. There seems to also be a high ratio of just fun and catchy songs here. I think this album would be a fantastic introduction to the band for any newcomer. Relapse Records. Black vinyl with a bonus 'Live In London' disc. Artwork by Mr. Daniel Shaw. Unsure of the numbers pressed.

ACID FUZZ

In line with yesterday's post fodder I suppose, here's the new album from Toxic Holocaust, "Chemistry Of Consciousness". Again, black wax of the wider press thanks to Relapse Records. I did actually chase this record down though, unlike the Skeletonwitch album. This band is one that I've remained reasonably fond of over the years, so the release of a new album was as good a reason as any to make me buy something in hard format.
Like their tour mates, TH recordings have gradually improved in quality over the years, something you would certainly put down to larger budget made accessible by a growing fan base. You'd be hard pressed these days to find any proper metal fan (or even savvy hardcore kid for that matter) who isn't fond of, or at least familiar with Toxic Holocaust. This album marks what most would probably rate as the bands cleanest to date. In terms of thrash goodness, levels are at a maximum. The punk metal is at full throttle with plenty of nasty leads, head banging moments and hardcore inspired breaks. Joel Grind's vocals sound as demented as they've ever been, and the single kick drumming is as prominent as it's been on anything previous. My only problem with stuff like this, any thrash like this, is how much it all starts to sound the same when you listen to it for any extended amount of time. If there's any modern thrash that I'm going to 'bang to though, it's this, or Skeletonwitch.

BURNED FROM BONE

Possibly a rather befitting post, seeing as how a dual headlining Australian tour has just been announced featuring Ohio's Skeletonwitch and Oregon's Toxic Holocaust. I hadn't planned it this way, but this is the new Skeletonwitch full length, "Serpents Unleashed" pressed by Prosthetic Records. My copy is of what I would assume is the wider pressing on black vinyl. I hadn't really anticipated picking up this LP, stumbling across it rather randomly at my local larger music retailer was my method or procurement, but I guess I'm glad I saw it there.
The last time I actively spoke about this band on the blog was more than three years ago when I first discovered them and their brand of melodic thrash metal. I haven't seriously paid attention to the band since not too long after that, during which time they managed to release another album and a handful of EP's. Those three years seem to have offered the band a sufficient amount of time to refine and pronounce further their sound, as the music on offer here with this new album is arguably much more polished and clinical than anything that I was familiar with before. There's no denying how high end and 'studio' this recording is. The band still choose to brutalise the willing listener with a barrage of catchy leads, crunchy riffs, and octopi percussion, and Chance Garnette's high/low vocal approach is still in masterful swing, but the sheer cleanliness of the sound here is somewhat of a turn off for me. I always like it a bit rougher sounding though, so I suspect this album should please both new and old fans.

CULT OF THE BLACK FLAME

The new 12" limited red vinyl pressing of the ZOM demo that originally came out early last year. Invictus Productions being the culprits. The mastering is almost exactly the same as the tape version; muddy as hell, so if you like your Death Metal blackened and dirty, this shouldn't dissapoint.

SWARM OF THE UNDEAD

I was pretty happy with the acquisition of this demo cassette from Boston's Deth Warr. "Rebirth Through Putrefaction" has existed for a couple of years now but I would have only learned of it in the last six months or so. Lucky for me it showed up on Discogs a few weeks back for something like $10. What you get here is C. Corry and B. Radigan playing their pretty on point interpretation of early Repulsion and other similar American thrash/grind of the 80's. CC on guitar, bass and vocals and BR on drums. Muddy riffs, screaming solos and hasty blasts. What information that does exist points to a bit of non even though, most indications are that the guys never really took the band seriously at all. Shame really, as with anything that these guys seem to have a go at, this is pretty bang on stuff. Simplistic in style, approach, execution and recording.

TAKE A PILL

Raw Justice may perhaps represent for me possibly the first record I've ever bought by a French band. Clearest angle would probably be a modern take at NYHC ala something on Lockin Out or similar. I've read in a few places that the band take equal influences from stuff like that along with bands like No Tolerance and other Boston notables. Yeah maybe. The bulk of the tracks are built around a higher tempo with the odd mosh bit here and there with yelled vocals as you'd expect. Clean and crisp recording. This is their debut EP, the perhaps oddly titled "We Don't Need Your Friends" 7" on black wax, pressed by three labels, Straight & Alert, Life To Live and Ugly And Proud. Would probably suit the B9 crowd and similar.

POURED IT OUT

Slightly delayed post, but here's the debut 7", "Fakes Rule", from Brisbane hardcore heathens, Sick People. Earlier in the year I had a hand in producing a promotional cassette of the same name, but this is the final product. I've mentioned the band multiple times on this blog over the last couple of years so regular readers will hopefully be familiar with these guys. Just simple, rough hardcore. Influences pulled from a handful of older styles, NYHC and Boston '82 would be obvious reference points, but the strongest resemblance's (and the band would tell you this too) would be late 80's and early 90's Australian hardcore and punk.
This first version is the Australian press, committed by Urbn Rage Records out of Sydney.

And the Euro press by Juggernaut Records.

RITUAL CARNAGE

Here's the debut LP, "Pyramid Of The Necropolis" from Texan riff heathens War Master, unleashed back in 2011 by Torture Garden Picture Company. Wider press on black wax. Inspired largely by Dustin's recent post about the same record, this is a band that I've been familiar with now for the better part of 10 months, committing to the actual spend was something I was struggling with though, due entirely to the ridiculous postage costs from the USA. Dustin's blog finally persuaded me to bite the bullet. Excruciatingly, literally a week or so after I paid for this copy the label managed to unearth some limited die-hard copies on white wax, and also release the bands latest MLP to the general public.
My interest in this band was initially sparked when they were joined by new vocalist Rahi Geramifar, previously of Insect Warfare obviously, replacing the formidable Daniel Shaw, the man responsible for the throat on this album (along with the artwork, and the artwork for a handful of other well known Texan releases over the last few years). I would argue that Daniel's approach is far more befitting of the obvious Bolt Thrower tones the band attempts, Rahi's work on the bands just-released MLP, "Blood Dawn" while enthralling, doesn't seem to possess the dimension that Daniel manages to achieve. I think I may just be used to hearing Rahi in a relatively differing Grind environment. This LP is fantastic though, and certainly one of the best modern examples of a bands playing this style of music.