Unru & Paramnesia "Split"

I must start this post by saying that I'm not a big collector when it comes to split releases, specially when it comes to two-track split releases. I'm willing to only spend money on it, as long as the two bands are fucking amazing. Well, in this new split release, we get two young and aspiring bands from Europe. German blackened crust act Unru and French atmospheric black metal band Paramnesia. We get one track from each one that together brings us almost half hour of music, ok. We get a remarkable artwork by the talented Business for Satan who also belongs to Paramnesia. Ok. You should know by now that these two bands are amazing and very talented. Both of them are bringing some freshness to the actual metal scene here in Europe, and this split release really proves that. 

Unru's side with "Die Welt in der wir sterben", really sets them apart from that blackened, harsh violent crust sound we heard in their (remarkable) Demo. This track has way more black metal in its core. The guitar starts by winding a few notes until the drums comes in thundering as the dismal vocals, in a very dramatic register, spew all of it's sadness. The guitar notes along this song really emphasize this somber mood even while behind the battery remains unstoppable in a row of furious blastbeats in the background. This amazing track ends with, what it seems to be, some kind of a spoken word, quote sample taken from a movie, layered with some loose guitar notes. 

Paramnesia's track, simply called "III" doesn't fall behind. It's a true black metal whirlwind. I would classify it as atmospheric black metal, although I feel in Paramnesia's sound clearly some classic influences coming from the Northern Europe but also some more contemporary influences coming maybe from the other side of the Ocean, some more "cascadian" type of influences. Nevertheless, Paramnesia's sound really stands out, making them one of the most interesting acts in the actual european black metal scene. The good thing on this track is that, it has 14 minutes length but it seems to last the double of time. The raging sections, filled with the most fierce black metal along with the most melancholic atmospheric parts, and the way the band bridges these two parts together, is just remarkable. Remarkable. And I specially love their sound and the vocals, those vocals... so cold and severe. 

This, ladies and gentlemen, is indeed a split release you must not let pass you by. Great performance by both bands. In my opinion, this unholy alliance works really, really well together. Great split release. No more words needed, just get it. 

Highly Recommended.   

Unru | Paramnesia

Kyrest "Fractures"

Taking influences of Cursed, Trainwreck, Hammers or Perth Express, Kyrest are another band making it's way in the european scene. I must confess that the germans really have a knack for this kind of stuff. Kyrest are no exception. I really dig this kind of hardcore that drinks from this crust (or neo-crust) new kind of influences. Fans of the bands mentioned above, don't sleep on this one. And by the way, the vinyl editions of "Fractures" sure looks awesome, and it's pretty cheap as well. All records comes with a download code and a beautiful 12-page booklet. First press of 500 records. 100 on white vinyl with black splatter, 100 records on pantone blue vinyl and 300 on black vinyl. Kyrest will release their first full-length record "Fractures" in August 30th. Check these beauties here.

Faults and Fractures

Black Mass "Of First and Last Things"

If you're into the brutal and dark side of hardcore and you still haven't heard of U.K's Black Mass then you are clearly missing it big time...

Black Mass have been around since 2010 and have at this point released a Demo, an EP and a Split release with Host. "Of First and Last Things" is a compilation and re-recording of all their recorded material to date, plus one previously unreleased track.

Well, what can you expect from a band that states on their Facebook page that their influence is "Horror, disgust and anxiety through tonal abuse and overwhelming volume."? Ridiculous and brutal drum discharges filled with the most dirtiest of the riffs that will carve into your flesh while fierce and vicious vocals will make your bones almost shatter. Black Mass aren't fooling around. They have got to be one of the most underrated bands in the midst of this darkest faction of hardcore. These lads grab a handful of genres like hardcore, crust, death metal and grind and blend it into this furious and evil potion to which is impossible to stay indifferent.

It's impossible to hear "Of First and Last Things" without banging your head or tapping your foot to the sound of it. The minute you start hearing the first track "To The Cross", they immediately grab you by the neck and throw you around like some rag-doll. The sound is perfect. Very dirty, sludgy and crusty. That's the kind of production i love. Just ugly, in-your-face and raw. You get all the evilness you can get from bands like Trap Them, Entombed, Cursed or even one of the bands mentioned on their page that i miss a lot, The Power And The Glory, all in one, but Black Mass is not just one of those copy-cat bands that follow this genre. Their tunes are fresh and never fall into boredom, just look into tracks like the infamous "W.P.P.V.B.T.Y.B",  the Entombed worship in "Left Hand Pass" and on the unreleased track "Corporal Imprisonment", tracks that clearly have a more death metal vibe attached to it. And one of my personal favorites, "Our Father" where they begin by introducing something else than just slamming powerviolenced hardcore, instead of physical damage here we get psychological terror as well, it almost seems the kind of stuff Column of Heaven creates. And i fucking love it. I can only imagine this band live: a wall of noise, bodies flying and thrown around, sweat, blood.

Listen, these kids can really play. By doing so, they are simply one of the best acts that the UK has to offer in this field of heavy music right now. Seriously.

"Of First and Last Things" will get a physical release coming in the near future through Witchunter records. Not sure if in vinyl although it deserves it for sure. For now, the band has made it available for free download via their Bandcamp. Until then the band will be writing, recording and playing shows over the coming months. Be sure not to miss anything through their Facebook page. Show some love and support the Mass.

Blackest of the Mass

Torchrunner "Committed To The Ground"

Can you hear it? The sound of the Apocalypse?

Fucking Torchrunner... bringing one of the most devastating albums of the year. "Committed To The Ground" is the band new full length that will fuck up everyone and everything. Really. Everytime i hear this album i'm automatically possessed with an unexplainable urge to destroy and spread anarchy.

Delivering 12 tracks in about 22 minutes, you won't even realize what hit you. Bringing an incendiary blend of grind, crust, hardcore Torchrunner's formula to chaos is on "Committed To The Ground" is absolutely devastating. Following these guys since day one, i knew that they were on to something and what they accomplished here is really impressive.

Grab some Converge and some Trap Them and then add some Napalm Death, blend it well... after that, double the dose. You won't get one second of rest after getting on this one, even the slow, sludgiest tracks like "Canon Cast", "Committed to the Ground" or "The Holy Are The Broken", that invoke the ghost of my deceased and beloved Cursed, will crush you deep into the ground in the middle of this whole this frenzy wave of destruction that is "Committed To The Ground". I'm more than excited about this album, it quickly became one of my favorites for the year and we will see it on very "Best Of 2012" lists for sure, i know that it will be in mine... without a shadow of doubt. Fucking Torcherunner... All i see on this is chaos, screams, pure fucking destruction, with this release these guys are way ahead of the rest of the pack. Along with YAITW, Torchrunner have got to be one of the most powerful bands in the dark/crust/hardcore/whatever-you -wanna-call-it scene.

 Don't listen to this, it will fuck up your life. I believe it will be released on vinyl (with a digital code) soon. Stay sharp here.  Highly Recommended!

head of the goat

Hammers "Vardøgr"

No, just because the title of the album is "Vardøgr" it doesn't mean that UK's Hammers have sold out to the black metal hipster scene... and thanks God for that. "Vardøgr" is the brand new release and full-length of this terrific band. It's been quite some time since these guys released something and i'm glad they did because they just made my day much better. I fuckin' love this band, i loved  the Demo "Year One" and "Orogeny"  from 2010, and the minute i saw that Hammers had a new album out i new that it was going to sound like an atom bomb was dropped right above our heads. As the guitar feedback starts in "Casting Spells" i feel like a little boy anxious to open his presents on Christmas morning... shit... this is going to be good. The crust approach that Hammers do to their sound is by far one of best out there. It's dirty, fast, mean and vicious as hell. The assault continues along the other 9 tracks, where Hammers simply won't surrender and they just won't give you one second of rest on "Vardøgr". An excellent return that shows that the band hasn't soften at all and that they are still in great shape. One of the finest albums of the genre for the year, for sure. The band was kind enough to give this new excellent album for free, so please thank them here. Highly Recommended! For fans of Masakari, Black Ships, Cursed, Perth Express.

listen | hammers of mass destruction

The Hunt "The Hunt" Demo

Destroy or be destroyed.

listen | i saw the Devil last night

Logn

LOGN: adjective 1. without rough motion; still or nearly still: a calm sea. 2. not windy or stormy: a calm day. 3. free from excitement or passion; tranquil: a calm face; a calm manner. 

From Reykjavík, Iceland, arrives one of the most exciting new bands that i had the pleasure to discover this year, Logn. Formed by a couple of young enthusiastic friends who just wanted to play heavy music bringing, each one, to the band their own musical influences, whether it was grindcore, crust or death metal, a storm was forming.. Unlike many other bands, Logn had that DIY attitude since the beginning, if they weren't booked for a show, they would create their own. And so they started giving gigs in their hometown, where soon they would start to draw attention to themselves. So after a split with the local band Manslaughter and a Demo entiled "Haust", the band sees finally their first full length out this year, "Í fráhvarfi ljóss, myrkrið lifnar við". With the help of good ol' Google Translator, the album title should mean something like "with the absence of light, darkness comes alive", something like that.

The album opens with the track "Klofnun sakleysis", half intro/half song, a heavy, dirty and caustic riff is about to crack the floor beneath our feet. The drum is just relentless, almost sounding like something truly primeval and the voice is so harsh that it could open cracks on the thickest wall. The attack continues over and over with a brutal mix of blastbeats tangled around some heavy crust riffs while we are systematically punched in the stomach over and over..

Suddenly the dark clouds open, and there's room to breathe, some peace arrives it the track "Í fráhvarfi ljóss" a much slower, dragged song, so it seems.. but just when we're gasping for some air, the sky closes in again and the storm rages on.. thats one thing i admire about this band, the ability to turn what seems a slow, sludgy song into furious grind blasts in a very well executed way. Not technical but almost in a very raw way, honest.. with guts and passion. "Salt í sárin" is a disturbing instrumental that with the help of the cries heard beneath, makes us imagine some twisted set. From there on we are hit with short shards of dirty grind violent songs. 

The end arrives with "Illspá II", what starts full of rage soon becomes melancholic, like a wounded and tired beast that refuses to die but just won't resist the lethal wounds anymore.. In Icelandic, the word logn is used in reference to a calm weather – peace - lull. The calm veiled a looming threat. The storm fades away, for now. Thank so much for Aegir for sharing this awesome album. You can tell it took a lot of work and true passion to bring this to the light (or darkness?) of day. So support them by buying this here. Super cheap price for a damn good album or if you would like a physical copy, contact these nice fellows at their Facebook. You can hear their other releases on Logn's Bandcamp and while you're there you can download "Haust" Demo for free. For a young band on the scene they surely demonstrate a lot of maturity on what they deliver. Highly Recommended!

bandcamp | in darkness there's no escape

Ruinebell

Ruinebell is a Finnish-Spanish collaboration with Lasse from Hooded Menace in guitar, bass and keys and Dopi from Machetazo, ex -Dishammer, in drums and vocals. Ruinebell plays apocalyptic slow and dark crust, with a lot of metallic edges. For fans of Amebix, Voivod, Deviated Instinct, Godflesh, Axegrinder. Buy it here. Thanks for the mighty Von Frost for upping this one. 

myspace | die in disgrace

Black Ships

Dude, i love canadian hardcore/crust.. if i read somewhere that it's an canadian hardcore or crust band, i'll immediately press the "download" button without blinking, it's almost the same with bands that have album artwork from Justin Bartlett. Black Ships are a dark hardcore band with some crust influences that come from Montreal, Canada, and "Omens" is their full length released in 2008. Basically "Omens" is loud, explosive, and crushing. The guitars are suitable distorted, while the bass is down tuned to the point of sounding almost out of tune. The vocals roar out, and the drums anchor down the sound keeping simple rhythms that pound like war drums. Black Ships offers an enjoyable first insight into the band’s attempt at mixing hardcore with slower sludge influences. The mention of sludge should not bring thoughts of Noothgrush, Dystopia or Thou, but more of a dirty, looming hardcore aesthetic towards the style.. i sense some love for the almighty defunct Cursed.

myspace | the omen

Tempest

Vindos do Canadá, os Tempest praticam um crust-core bem poderoso na veia de uns Downfall Of Gaia ou Fall of Efrafa caso estes fossem um pouco mais obscuros. Lançado no final do ano passado, divulgado pela própria banda em vários blogs inclusivé, entrou rapidamente para o meu Top de Best Of 2011. Um álbum de estreia deste calibre é bom demais para "morrer na praia", ou seja, no final do ano de 2010. Este álbum é do caralho. Acreditem.

Já tinham lançado um 7 "anteriormente, que também está disponível no Bandcamp da banda, mas na altura não me chamou tanto a atenção como agora este bombástico álbum de estreia, já disse que isto é mesmo bom? Bem, "Passages" leva o ouvinte através dum crust bem amargo e emocional, uma viagem que abrange o desânimo, a raiva mordaz sempre recheado de algumas amostras de som realmente potente. Não é uma longa viagem, na verdade, é provavelmente a duração perfeita. Chegando a pouco mais de 24 minutos, as 7 faixas, são de tamanho razoável, cada uma consegue cumprir a sua tarefa de nos captar a atenção, para não mencionar os 7 minutos épicos da faixa título que encerra o álbum. Se são amantes do género de crust mais obscuro e maquiavélico de todos então não deixem "Passages" passar-vos ao lado. Alta-fodasse-mente Recomendado!

bandcamp | passage to hell