Punk – Page 31 – Wonderbox Metal

Hashed Out – Hashed Out (Review)

Hashed Out are from Canada and play angry Hardcore.

This is violent music that’s noisy and Crusty. A hint of Grind, a smattering of Metallic fury, a good Hardcore base and even a touch of Sludge here and there – Hashed Out play music that’s full of rage and bile.

The singer shouts and spews vitriol across the 6 tracks and keeps the intensity up for the full 15 minutes playing time.

The songs may be short and furious but they have some hooks in them that keep you coming back for more. This reminds me of a more extreme version of some of the 90’s Metallic Hardcore bands like My Own Victim; the sense of songwriting that’s heavy but still catchy is similar, only with added Crust, filth and blasting.

Think of a Punk band swallowed by Eyehategod and powered by Grinding Crust. The songs stick around and the singer in particular is very memorable. In a sea of mediocrity Hashed Out stand tall.

This is an EP worth getting hold of.

Dråp – En Naturlig Död (Review)

Dråp are from Sweden and play Crust/Hardcore.

The band have a thunderous sound that is heavy and belligerent.

The vocalist sounds rabid, dangerous and thoroughly pissed off. His vocals bark out over the ugly music like a bruiser looking for his next victim. A constant onslaught of abuse and bile streams forth with grim enthusiasm.

The music is muscular and without remorse. The guitars bash and smash their way through the short playing time like a determined beating that never seems to stop.

This is angry music for angry people. There is no subtlety or nuance here, just menace and barbarity. The drums beat, the guitars attack and the vocals snarl.

It’s relentless, it’s harsh, it’s not pretty, but it is good.

Hunt this down and listen to it loud.

Favourite Track: Höstmörker

Boddicker – False Flag (Review)

Boddicker are from the US and play Grindcore with a healthy Sludge influence.

A short release at 13 minutes, this nevertheless allows Boddicker to flex their musical muscles and supply us with an all-you-can eat buffet of extremity.

Brutality and aggression are in bountiful supply as you would imagine and there is a Crust/Punk aspect that propels the delivery along with gusto.

Their sound is dirty and Sludge-fuelled and in addition to the standard Grind speed there is a relatively high incidence of slower, Doomier parts where the band take on the aspect of Eyehategod/Buzzov-en and destroy the listener with heaviness and slow-core battery.

The vocalist sounds suitably unhinged and bellows at the top of his lungs with anger and barely suppressed rage.

A very enjoyable EP, mixing a Punk Grind sound with a tasty bit of filthy Sludge. Boddicker are to be commended and recommended.

I bet they’re amazing live.

Bokluk – Taphonomy (Review)

Bokluk are from Spain and play Death Metal. This is their début album.

Primitive, atavistic Death Metal with a healthy Crust influence oozes out of the speakers and all over the floor. You try to run, try to hide, but to no effect. The gloopy, sinister ooze is already on you, infecting your brain and slowly turning you into itself. Soon it will have taken you over completely, and then there will only be Bokluk.

This is Old-School Death Metal mixed with the most filthy Punk/Crust influence imaginable.

The production is raw and unpolished, lending the songs real bite and an authentic aura of dirt.

Vocals are deep, guttural and indecipherable; a relentless battering of growls and grunts.

Whether playing fast or slow they have some tasty riffs, and the Metal keeps on flowing.

Play loud.

Zoldier Noiz – Regression Process (Review)

Zoldier Noiz are a French band who play primitive Death/Thrash/Crossover Metal.

This is ugly Death Metal from back alleys and drunken brawls. Ultra-primitive, belligerent Metal that combines the raw underbelly of Punk and Crust into a Crossover whole that melds Thrash to a primordial Death Metal.

The songs are short and violent, but that doesn’t mean the band are without talent; not just anyone can get away with playing this style of music and not have it come off as an uninteresting mess. Zoldier Noiz make up for what they lack in sophistication with raw passion and will.

A speed punk feeling underlies these songs with the band sometimes seemingly rushing to finish as soon as they’ve started. It makes for an energetic listen.

A functional-but-that’s-about-it recording emphasizes the barbaric nature of the band and unintelligibly grunted pseudo-vocals are barked like challenges to all and sundry.

If a band like Motorhead released a primitive Death Metal album, they it would probably sound a lot like Zoldier Noiz.

Die Choking – Die Choking I (Review)

Grindcore band Die Choking are from the US and this is their first release.

With only 5 tracks in just under 6 minutes this is fast and brutal. Die Choking like their Grind raw and rough, with Punk and Crust elements to the songs. Think of a band like Misery Index only with shorter songs and you’ll get the right idea.

Even with such short tracks the band show that they can play insane blasting just as well as heavy and brutal.

The playing is tight and focused and the sound does the songs justice. The passion and enthusiasm of the band is obvious and this is fresh and above all savage. This is Grindcore to pay attention to.

As an opening salvo into the world of Metal this short EP is an excellent warning shot. Let’s see what they can do with a longer release now.

Fossils – Flesh Hammer (Review)

Fossils are a two-piece drum/bass combo from Denmark that play instrumental Punk/Metal.

Flesh Hammer is the sound of controlled aggression and groovy tunes.

The bass has such a heavy, electronic quality to it that it’s almost like listening to a heavily distorted arcade game – and I say that purely as a compliment.

This is a short release at only 20 minutes, but this is all that’s needed when the creativity and imagination of the band is channelled so specifically into creating instrumental pieces that pile on the rhythm and heaviness. It just doesn’t have time to get dull.

An interesting and strangely addictive diversion from the well-trodden paths of the standard Metal music walkways; this will make a worthwhile addition to anyone’s collection.

Dead – Idiots (Review)

Australia’s Dead are an unusual beast, consisting as they do of just a bassist and a drummer. The noise they make is somewhere between Punk and Sludge, with more variety than you might think for only having two instruments.

Starting off creepy and atmospheric; when the bass kicks in you can feel it like a physical presence.

There’s plenty going on in these songs, including vocals from multiple people, to keep things interesting.

As the bass and drums are the only instruments they are left bare and exposed for everyone to see with no opportunity to hide what’s going on behind other instruments; due to this the duo have risen to the challenge and ensured that they are always doing something interesting.

This is a dredge through the darkest recesses of forgotten filth, but in the best possible way. The minimalistic Sludge the band come up with and the variety of ideas and delivery on display is a recipe for success in my book.

Favourite Track: Murder Hollow. Creep-tastic.

Cripple Bastards – Nero In Metastasi (Review)

Italian veteran Grinders Cripple Bastards darken our doors once more with their new album – 18 tracks in 36 minutes.

Playing a pissed off Hardcore-tinged version of Grind; Cripple Bastards may have been around for many a year now but they are not falling short on the ideas or integrity fronts.

Riffs fly around all over the place like splinters and the drums pound like bowling balls being dropped. Effortlessly combining Hardcore, Punk, Grind and Death Metal into short songs with all being presented in their inimical savage style. There is a even a 9 minute epic Splendore E Tenebra which is as unexpected as it is welcome.

The vocals are a thing of rabid beauty; running the gamut from deep, guttural Death Metal vocals to higher rasps, the one thing that never changes is the intensity of them.

Favourite Track: Lapide Rimossa. The Old-School and the New merged flawlessly to create an excellent song. A microcosm for the album as a whole.

When Grindcore is played this well it’s easy to remember what you love about the genre. The energy and passion in these songs is infectious.

This is a Grind masterclass performed by people who are at the top of their game. This album easily differentiates itself from so many Grind-wannabes by the character and individuality of the band, let alone the quality of the songs. A must for any fan of Grindcore.

Haymaker – Let Them Rot (Review)

US Hardcore band Haymaker release a short, sharp, shock of an EP.

With 4 tracks and lasting only 4 minutes it wastes no time in making an impact. High octane Hardcore that is hot enough to leave scorch marks.

The first song Let Them Rot may only be 1 and a half minutes long but it has a good riff, good pacing and character. Each song rumbles along like a bastard hybrid of Converge and primitive Grindcore with the singer reminding me of a harsher version of the guy from Most Precious Blood.

A short release destined for the world of 7″ Vinyl, this is a good old-fashioned rip-through of anger and hostility. I like.