This is the debut album from Wanderer, a hardcore band from the US.
Liberation from a Brutalist Existence contains 23 minutes of violent aggression and dark intensity. Smashing together grindcore, crust, sludge, doom, mathcore, punk, and metal into a scathing hardcore assault, Wanderer’s debut album is an exceptional slice of abrasive darkness.
The songs are well-crafted monsters, combining crushingly heavy riffage with grim atmosphere and lethal savagery. I like the style that the band have assembled for themselves; Wanderer explore a few different aspects of the aforementioned genres, sometimes all within a single song. This is not a one-dimensional release, and is actually quite multifaceted for something as unfriendly, as nasty, and as brief as this is.
Snatches of melody appear. Distorted metal muscles are flexed. Punk attitude infects the playing. Sludge intensity destroys the opposition. Foul atmosphere suffocates. D-beat energy captivates. Dissonant guitars strangle the light. Huge riffs dominate. I could go on, but you get the idea; Liberation from a Brutalist Existence is dark, heavy, and well-differentiated. Wanderer have produced an album of extremity that’s compelling, enjoyable, and grimly infectious.
Also, the singer has a great voice, especially his deep, soul-swallowing growls.
Very highly recommended. Fans of bands such as Full of Hell, Converge, Baptists, Closet Witch, Sunlight’s Bane, Yautja, Primitive Man, Pupil Slicer, etc. need to check out Wanderer as a priority.
Wonderbox Metal 