Hardcore – Page 55 – Wonderbox Metal

Ambassador Gun – Tomb of Broken Sleep (Review)

This is the third album from US Grinders Ambassador Gun.

Ambassador Gun play their music with harsh melody, Hardcore abandon and Grinding brutality. On paper their Grindcore is no different to many others’, but in reality the riffs and melodies used are quite atypical and interesting.

The band are upbeat and have their blasting moments, but this is more about the songs having an energy about them rather than speed for the sake of it.

The tracks are somewhat of a cross between the Hardcore d-beat of a band like Martyrdöd, the experimental, unusual Grind of Cloud Rat, the insectile mayhem of Discordance Axis and the Sludge edge of Colombian Necktie.

There’s lots of dynamics on display here and these are songs that are built to last. The band use melody well, but not in a melodic way; I know this sounds almost contradictory, but this is not a melodic band in the obvious sense. However, they achieve it in a muted, angry way and their songs have their own internal colour and sparkle because of this, despite the abrasive, serrated veneer.

This really is an exceptionally enjoyable release with enough bluster and brutality to have an instant appeal, yet with enough nuance and depth to be long lasting once the initial appeal of the violence and carnage has faded.

This is 26 minutes of exciting, visceral Extreme Metal. Highly recommended.

Palinopsia – Murmurs From the Well Nothing More (Review)

This is the début EP from US Sludge Metal band Palinopsia.

This is dirty great Sludge with a Blackened Doom component and a Hardcore backbone.

The scathing, acidic vocals sound utterly inhuman and are frequently layered upon each other, screaming and shouting for all they’re worth.

The recording is extremely heavy, making the most of Palinopsia’s ugly, downtuned sound. It’s unpolished and teeming with viral life, seemingly writhing with diseased lustre.

Southern Sludge riffs mix with a Blackened influence to result in venomous songs that don’t have any pure intentions at all. The Hardcore backbone of the band gives them an upbeat edge that is as sharp as any blade.

The Black Metal influence works as an undercurrent to each song, spreading darkness as it works deep into the marrow of the guitars. The Hardcore elements allow the band to speed up on occasion, as if the attack hounds are being unleashed once more. All of this is tethered by a swampy Sludge presence that’s as big as it is bold.

They’re not without subtlety or introspection though. It’s not an obvious part of their sound and it doesn’t happen very often, but occasionally the distortion fades and they offer some light along with the shade. It’s a welcome enhancement to their music and when the guitars roar up again it sounds heavier than ever.

This kind of nasty Sludge is always an enjoyable hate-fest. Turn up the volume and tear down the house.

Interview with Witch of the Waste

Appearing like a violent hurricane of multi-textured chaos out of their native Canada, Witch of the Waste’s latest EP Made of Teeth is a dynamic and savage listen. Guaranteed to perk the interest of anyone who is into challenging and exciting music; I wanted to find out more, so delved into their world of rather amiable extremity…

For those who are unfamiliar with your band – introduce yourself!

We’re a Canadian band that plays fast, and weird music.

Give us a bit of history to Witch of the Waste

I started this band with a buddy. We found some friends to play in it. We wrote a demo, then wrote an EP. People were kicked out, people left. Unremarkable story really. What matters is that we always found a way to differentiate ourselves from our influences while still staying true to them. People have found it hard to pin us down because of that and we think that’s pretty cool.

Where did the band name come from?

It’s a reference to the Hayao Miyazaki film Howl’s Moving Castle.

What are your influences?

Everything from Converge, Gorguts and Russian Circles to Pink Floyd and Sigur Ros.

What are you listening to at the moment that you would like to recommend?

I’ve been super into the new Modest Mouse record. They have never disappointed me. I would also recommend our friend’s Exits who just released their first full length. It’s fast. Scope it out.

Where do you see yourself fitting in in the international Extreme Metal scene?

We are very much a product of Vancouver. Our scene is very densely packed with bands ranging from crusty metallic hardcore, techy metalcore to stoner doom and everything in between. Crowds here are also super open and down to hear new things which I feel is fairly rare. I think if we start looking at aggressive music with a wider scope I would say Belgium sticks out like a sore thumb. Oathbreaker, Rise and Fall, or Young and in the Way are all bands that we sort of liken ourselves to. It’s hard to pin down a specific genre because I can only think of a handful of bands but I suppose even something like Catharsis fits into that. Sort of Atmospheric Hardcore I guess you could call it. Either way I think we could find ourselves very happy in a place like Belgium. Also: they are wicked into beer.

What’s your favourite song on your new EP and why?

My favorite is They Haunt Minds. I feel like we were really able to nail our aesthetic and package it in something quick and terrifying. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to accomplish.

What are the subjects/themes of the songs on this EP?

I don’t feel like giving away much because I do feel it’s important to allow our work to remain ambiguous and let the listener have their own relationship with the songs and lyrics. If they feel it means one thing and I say it means another than that dissonance can be harmful. Besides, what do I know? I only wrote it. So without spoiling anything I can say that it’s a discussion of loss using imagery lifted from ghost stories and horror movies. There is probably also some True Detective in there. It’s really hard to have consumed True Detective and not be influenced by it haha.

Give us a bit of information on your songwriting process.

This line up is very different from the one this band started with. Songwriting used to be like pulling teeth. It’s very collaborative now. A song can stem from a guitar hook, a riff, a bassline or even just a feeling. It’s been extremely productive.

How do you see your songs/direction developing in the future?

Made of Teeth was an exercise in boiling down our sound to a base aesthetic. I think we want to keep going in that direction but write with a wider variation of tempos and volumes. Fast songs faster and slow songs slower. Loud songs louder and quiet songs quieter. We want to expand on what sorts of songs we write.

What’s next for Witch of the Waste?

We are planning to tour Western Canada and the West Coast of the United states as well as writing for our next release. We’re actually the busiest we have ever been and it’s been really awesome.

Witch of the Waste – Made of Teeth (Review)

Witch of the Waste are from Canada and this is their latest EP. They play violent Hardcore.

With some amusing song titles and an album cover that’s oddly disturbing, this is 14 minutes of intensity that’s almost guaranteed to fuck you up.

Full to the brim of technical frenzy and passionate delivery, Witch of the Waste are an exciting brand of Extreme Metal that incorporates aspects of Death Metal, Grindcore and dark Hardcore into their volatile mix.

This is not music that’s purely of the ultra-chaotic variety, although they do have that aspect to their sound; rather, there is a controlling intelligence to the mayhem that tells the players to either let loose or restrain themselves. Dynamics are important and Witch of the Waste have this locked down, seemingly able to hold themselves back or unleash chaos on-demand.

The vocals are savage and abrasive, with insectile screaming and deathgrunts mixing together with the greatest of ease. Like the music, the intensity never lets up.

Releases like this are a great listen. These songs are complex and nasty, yet can change up in an instant to something more atmospheric and considered.

Top release – more please!

Allfather – No Gods. No Masters. (Review)

Allfather are from the UK and this is their début release of Hardcore/Sludge.

Allfather seem to have cornered the market on Punked-up Metallic discontent. They’re pissed off and have come to put the boot in, big style.

This is underground and raw; music that’s ready for a scrap and happy to get its hands dirty.

The songs on this short EP are tight balls of fury with guitars that fall halfway between murky Sludge Metal and Hardcore anger. Energetic and heavy riffs make up the bulk of this release and there’s no let up in the 11 minutes playing time.

Allfather do heavy very well, but they also write actual songs; these tracks have a good flow to them and are quite catchy and memorable. This is not heaviness just for the sake of it; this music is focused and directed so that the compositions have meaning and purpose.

An enjoyable and promising EP. The UK seems to excel at this kind of dirty, gritty Metal. More please.

A cross between elements of Crowbar, Gutworm, dBh, Raging Speedhorn, Labrat and the like.

A Secret Revealed – The Bleakness (Review)

A Secret Revealed are a German Post-Metal band and this is their début album.

This is emotive Post-Metal that has a good mix of upbeat misery and negative energies.

The Bleakness is an interesting listen as it combines a few different styles of Modern Metal into a coherent assault on happiness. Post-Metal, Modern Metal, Post-Hardcore and even the odd bit of Doom, Shoegaze and Extreme Metal all get incorporated into their overarching depressive aesthetic.

The vocals consist of impassioned screams that are very much in the blood-curdling, emotive Hardcore style.

The music is nicely varied and revolves around the central motif of the band which is ultimately one of bleakness, it seems, (hence the album title).

Although it’s largely a heavy affair, the band never go too far into ultra-heavy territory and instead use the guitars for maximum emotional content. This is backed up and reinforced by the expressive leads and melodies as well as the odd bit of orchestration here and there.

This is a band who are enjoying the freedom of Post-Metal by doing their own thing with contemporary Metal music. They have eschewed the Doom route that most Post-Metal takes and instead has chosen the road less travelled by bands like Deftones and Devil Sold His Soul, only more Metallic.

The Bleakness may be just that, but it’s also a triumph.

Highly recommended.

Shields – Guilt (Review)

Shields are a Metal band from the UK and this is their latest EP.

Shields play heavy Modern Metal with some aspects of Djent, Metalcore and Hardcore influences included.

The vocals are angry shouts for the most part, mixed in with a few slightly higher screams here and there. These are juxtaposed against soaring cleans that announce the more melodic side of the band whenever they appear.

Although this is on the more popular/commercial side of the Metal spectrum the band are clearly into what they’re doing, something which always makes a difference. Also, this is heavy enough to ensure that they won’t be receiving any major-station radio play any time soon.

In general I’m not a huge fan of the Djent style but here it’s only one aspect of their sound. In some ways Shields remind me of the American Trustkill-style of yesteryear, mixed with a more contemporary Djent/Metalcore influence.

The band throw in heavy riff after heavy riff but the melodic influences serve to break things up before they can become one-dimensional. They also seem to be in the starting stages of incorporating more atmospheric influences into their sound; it’s early days yet but these initial forays are encouraging. I can even imagine them incorporating some of the tricks that Fallujah employ into their music and maybe even developing a bit more along those lines, albeit without the Death Metal influence, of course.

It’s easy for a band playing this style to sound stale or generic. Too easy in fact; both Djent and Metalcore are too prone to this. Sheilds manage to avoid the majority of these problems by using a combination of both that tries to take the best from each. Add to this the melodic and atmospheric parts and you actually have a band that can hold attention and have managed to re-ignite some of my passion for this type of Metal.

Well, it seems there’s life in this sub-genre yet. Shields have impressed and it turns out that Guilt is entirely guilt-free.

I think I need to find a mosh pit now.

Irk/Wren – Split (Review)

This split is made up of two bands from the UK. Irk play Noise Rock and Wren play Post-Metal/Sludge.

Irk are first with four tracks totalling 13 minutes.

This is angular, Mathcore-style Noise Rock. The bass has a good, heavy presence and drives the music forwards. It maintains a constant, prime position throughout the recording.

The vocals are impassioned and kind of fall halfway between shouting and some form of demented pseudo-singing. It’s an acquired taste yet works well juxtaposed against the solidly-constructed, almost mechanistic music.

The band have the feel of a DIY punk band only with edgy grooves and a detached riffing style.

They remind me of a cross between Hawkeyes and Association Area with a bit of Sultans of Ping FC mixed in. It’s a good, jagged ride they take the listener on and it’s certainly a memorable one. I think the vocal style won’t be for everyone but if it works for you then there’s a lot to enjoy here.

After this it’s now down to Wren to play us out. They offer up 3 tracks totalling 16 minutes.

Theirs is a murkier, slower sound than Irk. Wren take the Post-Metal/Sludge template laid down by Neurosis/Isis/Cult of Luna and make their own mark on it with impassioned playing and heavy riffs.

Walls of heavy guitars mix with transcendent Post-Metal melodies and a Sludgy core. There’s a high level of emotional content to a band like this and it’s all powered along by the relentless heaviness of the guitars.

Shouted vocals make an appearance on the second song and seem to merge with the guitars, providing pointed highlights to the aural onslaught of the six-stringers.

These are very enjoyable songs and if you’re a fan of the heavy Post-Metal style then Wren deliver in spades.

This split is a little unusual when compared to a lot that get released as the bands involved are quite different from each other. It’s a recommended listen for sure though, featuring two bands that show a lot of promise for the future.

Favourite Track: An Approach by Wren. The best is saved for last. Driving, heavy riffs, emotive violence and reflective chaos. Class.

Multinational Corporations – Jamat-al-Maut (Review)

Multinational Corporations are a Grindcore band from Pakistan. This is their first EP.

Here we have 15 minutes of intense, violent Grindcore, with passion and feeling that’s evident throughout.

This is ugly, underground music that has an Old-School style and offers a completely authentic immersion in the style

The riffs are as taut as rope and as tough as battered, leathery skin. The band are equally at home playing fast as they are slowing it down to a heavier groove.

Elements of Crust and Old-School Hardcore can be felt alongside the brutal Grinding core, and the band manage to make the most of short songs to sound relatively diverse for a band that is essentially going straight for the jugular all of the time.

Somewhat of a cross between old Napalm Death and Groinchurn, to my ears; Multinational Corporations sound rabid and ready to attack.

It doesn’t last long, but what there is of it is a great little listen. Be careful though, there’s a real bite here.

Above the North – A Tale They Whisper (Review)

Above the North are a Hardcore band from France. This is their latest EP.

It starts off with melodic riffs that have a firm edge to them whilst serrated vocals scream out over the top. This is the kind of emotive Hardcore that’s easy to connect with if you like the style as it’s instantly engaging yet with a depth to it that bears repeated visits.

Some of the guitar parts and riffs even have a Post-Hardcore feel to them and have a resplendent sheen. The solid sound that the band have shows these guitars off to their full potential and the band sound immense.

Imagine a more traditionally structured Norma Jean, or From Autumn to Ashes minus the clean vocals, or a less abrasive/Metal Zao…Above the North have a lot of talent it seems, as these four songs ably showcase.

Alongside recent Hardcore releases such as Muck and The Black Lantern, Above the North show that you can play Hardcore that has bite without going the massively heavy/angry route that much of Hardcore does.

These songs have a thoughtful, introspective aura to them yet still have energy and passion in spades.

Very impressive. If they can keep up this level of songwriting for the future then their début album will be a thing of beauty.

Check them out.