Jon E
Withdrawal - Faith Flesh & Blood
Withdrawal have become fairly well known for being a strong if not sometimes forgotten member of the hardcore metal underground. This may be due to member changes, length of time between releases or generally not giving a shit. Regardless the band has released what could be their finest effort yet. The record plays upon what they are known for. That being strong riffs, artistic lyrics and and strong sense of musicianship. All of these add up in this recording as the band spreads their wings and comes up with something far beyond their roots without forgetting them. The band play with themes and atmosphere in ways one could have only imagined a few short years ago.
Contrepoison - ..until next morning
This project as made by a member of long running Black Metal band Akitsa shares little in common with each other. Where Akitsa focuses on the same feelings it plays them out in a more harsh atmosphere Contrepoison play with a more depressed style. Utilizing synths and little else. Pierre-Marc Tremblay focuses on the feeling and draws out Akitsa's influences that laid under the surface. The listener gets to take a look inside Tramblay's personal despair and pain without having their ears bleeding afterward.
Caulfield - Self Titled
While i can't say for certain whether this is intended as an LP or EP Caulfield has released something pretty wonderful regardless. The band deal in dynamics and atmosphere similar to modern day Neurosis. The record plays something conceptual without ever being clear as to what that concept is. The trembling atmospheric tracks draw the listener in while each complete song alternately tears heads off and calms the listener. There is something to be said for a younger band that can create something so complete pretty much out of the box.
Ides Of Gemini - The Disruption Writ
This project is the vision of two people. Sera Timms of Black Math Horseman and J. Bennet who is best known as a writer for Decibel Magazine. The two create a thing of beauty on this EP. The band wield equal parts shoe gaze and post metal while adding in pieces of black metal into their songs. What one hears in all of this is something of a fever dream. The beauty shines through but shares time with the noise of their metal influences. Altogether this makes for a strong and well thought out piece of music with the power to incite true feelings in the listener.
Parasite - Metal Punk Massacre
This criminally relatively unknown japanese band has done more in the last 6 months than most bands tend to do in a calendar year. This being the first of a couple releases for them this year (including the great split with Vermapyre). This 10 inch record contains some of the best d-beat thrash metal one could hope for. By continuing what they have done right on prior records they manage to make a strong case for the rest of the world discovering them. Building a sound that contains the best of disfear, amebix, iron maiden and classic thrash this japanese powerhouse comes up with a true winner.
Bob
Planning For Burial- Untitled (Music Ruins Lives)
The two new tracks (and an extended version of “Leaving” from the album Leaving that is only available on the long sold out physical release of this EP) are exercises in wonderfully beautiful, noisy and slow pop that might get you weeping like a baby or simply mesmerized by the incredible sounds from Untitled. If you have yet to hear Planning For Burial, jump on here and be emotionally crushed in the best possible way.
Sutekh Hexen- Ordo Adversarial (Wands)
Two pieces of sound that are shards of harrowing and blackened noise assaulting your psyche and ear drums, this 7” is a perfect example of how something can be completely terrifying to listen to or strangely hypnotic and inviting at the same time. Listening to this makes you feel like you could be swallowed by some blackened maw intent on absorbing your fragile psyche into some blackened oblivion. This is the first offering on a slab of vinyl from Sutekh Hexen, and although it is short, Ordo Adversarial packs a wallop in the sheer despair of its sound.
Black God- Black God (No Idea)
Pure punk rock power that seethes and froths in the all of the ways that these grizzled old timers could be expected to do so. With only 6 tracks and not a single one being over 2 minutes long, this 7” is over in almost the blink of an eye. It took a bunch of listens to hear just how great this EP is and how good the songs are (don’t believe me? Check out “This Life” and tell me I am wrong).
Masakari- Sleep / Rot (self released)
Two songs of blistering (including a great Obituary cover that comes across sounding like mid 90’s hardcore at times), desperate and dirty sounding hardcore that remind you why their album, The Prophet Feeds was so good in the first place; short, to the point songs that use brute force to make you get off your fat lazy ass and do something (something destructive even like breaking your furniture while being careful not to let this 7” skip or be scratched by the needle). One more notch in the belt from a band that certainly is making some noise with their powerful songwriting and heavy diatribes.
Gods & Queens- Untitled III EP2 (Sons of Vesta)
Here are three new untitled tracks (and another cover) of the noisy riffing and pounding rhythms that Gods & Queens are becoming known for creating. Whether or not the aim of the band is to literally damage your ears is up for debate (though, being acquainted with Jamie, it might be the closest thing to the truth that you are likely to hear), this record actually betrays their ability to come up with a good melody and bury it amongst the thick, swirling feedback and white noise.
(Words: Bob
