Minors – Atrophy (Review)

Minors are a hardcore/sludge band from Canada. This is their debut album.

This is 19 minutes of ugly feedback and remorseless intensity. Containing elements of hardcore, punk, metal, and powerviolence, all wrapped up in a harsh sludge delivery, Atrophy is a withering, caustic listen. The keyword here is violence.

Minors are one of those bands that play a certain type of extremity that’s hard to pigeonhole effectively. Suffice to say that it’s heavy, nasty, and very, very good. And violent, did I mention that?

From roiling, claustrophobic doom to blisteringly aggressive hardcore, Atrophy covers several different bases during its playing time. For such a short release it’s a relatively diverse slab of aggression, one that sees the band’s feedback-drenched delivery at the top of its violent game.

Able to switch from fast-paced energetic brutality to slower, atmospheric workouts, the only constant is violence, violence, violence. Dripping with dark, malignant sludge and effortlessly energetic, this is music that revels in smashing together Eyehategod‘s feedback-driven heaviness, old-school punk belligerence, and the lethal intellect of a band like Converge. Simply put, Atrophy rocks.

The singer’s harsh shouts are as bleak and aggressive as the music is. He’s relentless and unforgiving; again, just like the music.

Full of jagged atmosphere and barely-restrained aggression, Atrophy is a first-rate listen for anyone into violent, hardcore-fuelled sludge metal.

Very highly recommended.