FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE - "AGONY" (Brutal Death goes Classick in 2011)

FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE - "AGONY"
("Nuclear Blast Records"; CD):

This is a italian Band that had their debut released back then in 2009 and after a follow up EP in 2010 now in 2011 here's their new and current release so far, released by the german "NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS" label. Even this label changed heavily over the last one-and-a-half decade compared to their roots it all stayed more or less clearly Metal what was released by the label and so now you all should already know what we get here, and yes, if ya now have thought that this would be Metal stuff coming up here for you then you had been damn right. I didn't know FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE before but after currently from time to time I use to listen to Death Metal with some pleasure, from DEEDS OF FLESH to LIVIDITY and EXHUMED and also modern Deathcore music is pretty high on my billing again currently, and after reading this should be a pretty impressive and unique Brutal Death (Metal) band and release I thought to myself that it would maybe be a pretty good move to get this one here and so I got it anyhow and bought it two weeks ago before now or so. I got it and I listened to it... first thought: It rulez!!! Second thought: It suckz!!! Third (and final) thought: It's okay and a good one but nothing else anyway... FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE blend totally over the top fast and furious raging and incredible demanding and technical(ly) skilled up to date Brutal Death (Metal) with intense and morbid Classic Music elements in huge, huge heavy, heavy doses and also add clean and sometimes somehow also even a little bit opera-like clean vocal lines to it and that's what you get here with the "AGONY" album from them: Symphonic bombastic Brutal Death Metal that's taking no prisoners. Balsting high speeded raging very fast pace of the songs, intersting changes of rhythm and structure of the songs, impressive guitar and drum work (of the bass you don't really hear that much...), all damn well-versed and multi-layered as fuck, evil death grunt vocals, and all mixed up with bombastic and symphonic orchestral classic music elements (permanently present and marking the songs heavily) and clean more or less opera like vocals. Here you have it... the musicians are incredibly high skilled when it comes to playing their instruments and they show it in every single song, and also pretty often their songwriting works out pretty good after all. But I really dislike this whole classic muisc crap and also especially the terrible clean vocals that they have worked into it in so damn huge doses and the dislike of this elements (at least in thisparticular case of FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE) really grew on and on with every single listen more that I've done. But if you like Brutal Death Metal music and have no problem with this 'gaily' and 'artsy-fartsy' classical music stuff then this will maybe be your record of the year... for me it's just a good record with an very interesting and stringent lyrical and also aesthetical (look at the artwork - and start for example with the above picture great frontcover of the album) philosophical concept behind it all and all is coming in a powerful and clear and clean production sound, nothing more but also nothing less and anyhow nothing else. Maybe check them out anyhow if you like extreme and up to date (Metal) music. Btw, I don't know how this band thinks to do the songs of this album live on stage... (7 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/fleshgodapocalypse)

ONE MORE VICTIM - "DOMINION" (Deathcore from Russia, punishing the weak hearted in 2011)

ONE MORE VICTIM - "DOMINION"

("Gigawatt Music"; CD):
I did not think that I finally and still get some grapping and really damn good Deathcore to listen to today, after so many faceless let-downs and lately dissapointments, after seeing so many pioneers of the modern Deathcore style turncoating into nothing else but some oh so 'new' and oh so 'creative' so called Brutal Death (Metal) bands that are hyped so much today (like JOB FOR A COWBOY and/or THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, just for example) and even I have to admit that there are also Brutal Death (Metal) bands out there that I would really recommend to anyone who's into brutal, heavy, and extreme music I still truly think that this whole Brutal Death (Metal) style'n'stuff that was not at l(e)ast born out of modern Deathcore is not much more else than just a 'better' produced ripp off version of what technical very demanding, very gifted and skillful, damn hard'n'heavy, brutal and extreme Death Metal bands like first and foremost MORBID ANGEL (but we're NOT talking about the current crap album they've released currently this past months of this year 2011, NO, we are definitely NOT talking about this piece of shit packed on a CD...), as well as the almighty DEEDS OF FLESH and maybe also CANNIBAL CORPSE and stuff like MONSTROSITY (remember their 'proggy' and 'breaky' and 'tricky' mid 1990's album "MILLENIUM" and you will know why I list them here) used to kick off, and also not to forget about the founding force DYING FETUS and their still amazing Death Metal, Grindcore and Hardcore hybrid style and sound. But okay, anyhow, here's coming something really damn good and that's directly for you, if you are into Deathcore (and maybe Metalcore, Death Metal, Brutal Death, technical New School Thrash Metal, and other stuff like this as well) then you should check this roughnecks from good old Mother Russia out as soon as possible. What we get here is brutal and beating, punishing and aggressive, extreme and blasting, raging music between technical Death Metal, forceful Hardcore assaults, some few fluffy mosh and also catchy dance the fuck up parts (that should also make your ears start to ring in pleasure if you're into heavy Emo/Screamo music stuff of the better kind of that style), brutal stomping fist into the air beatdown parts, some good doses of melodies and symphonies (that remind of Melodic Death Metal, and sometimes also a very little Black Metal vibe comes into play here and there), intelligent song architectures and rhythm structures, fast and flowing and often done changes of the pace of the songs, clever arrangements, aggro violent dancing moments, yeahr, and all done with the highest technical skills of the musicians at their instruments and really and truly strong, interesting and grapping, demanding and ambitious, multi-layered songwriting, yes, that here is really a damn good album. Especially the really outshining guitar work is brilliant done shit, no matter if ya take the riffs, leads, solos or sheer little symphonies they spit out of the speakers of your stereo, then the to the point exactly playing rhythm section also truly stands out, and the different lead singers respectively lead singing styles (Death grunts, Hardcore shouts, clean vocal parts, and here and there also some few very good powerful female vocals to back it all up and so on) really giving this album its 'skylights'. Okay, let's get it straight and correct, they aren't inventing or discovering a new energy ressource on this one here as well as they aren't pushing (modern) Deathcore to new limits and heights, nah, but who cares about it at this current point, because what they do here with and on this album is giving this whole genre of (modern) Deathcore new life and with doing it so they also showcase that (modern) Deathcore was and is more than just some sort of "stair-step" from Metalcore and Death Metal to Brutal Death (Metal) but that it was and is instead of this a whole inetersting genre of its very own that really knows how to stand its ground. And that's maybe even more important today! If ya want to see this whole genre of the name of (modern) Deathcore being pushed over the edge to new limits and heights check out ALL SHALL PERISH, this class ONE MORE VICTIM don't own anyhow (at least not currently at the moment), but they are coming already in their strongest moments pretty close and anyway like I've written before what they are doing respectively what they have done here with "DOMINION" is maybe even more important these days around. So get this one here, period!!! Ah, and to make it complete, the artwork is really damn cool and also damn good stuf, the production sound is sheer might and power, and the lyrics are really pretty interesting stuff that you should also check out. So, yes, get it if you are a fan of (modern) Deathcore, yehp, then just get it, period!!! And all others: Give it a fair try, and this soon!!! (8 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/onemorevictimband)

RED FOREST HUNTER - "DEMO E.P. 2011"

RED FOREST HUNTER - "DEMO E.P. 2011"
("D.I.Y."; MP3-Download):

Here is a pretty cool new release by a (at least to me) totally new band, RED FOREST HUNTER from Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A., and I stumbled over this via the great "AVERSIONLINE" blog (http://www.aversionline.com.blahg/) when I was surfing through the web the last days or so and once again a big thanx to the guy running this awesome blog for so many years right now. This here is a D.I.Y. Demo EP that was respectively is released by the band itself currently (for all what I do currently know) solely as a MP3-Download in great quality and as the complete package with all the lyrics and the brilliant and just beautiful and also very atmospheric artwork, thumbs up for that. The download link you can find on their Bandcamp site and the link to this site I will give you at the end of this review, the usual way to handle stuff like this up here. To me this band is a totally unknown one respectively was it even a bit more before listening to this one here. So, what shall I say, beside the fact that these guys do come from Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A. that much more I can't tell you about them. Hm, trying to keep this one here short('er') this time it's already far enough of the introducing small talk and so on (in-)to this review here: RED FOREST HUNTER (a btw somehow really damn cool bandname anyhow) do give us four songs, "ASSHOLES & ORANGES", "NO SAFETY LIGHTS", "THE SURFACE IS THE DEPTH" and "SECOND CHANCES", in something around ten minutes or something like this. What we get from them? A pretty cool mixture out of Emo Core and some Indie Rock falvor to it, as well as a big bunch of somehow Punkrock noise, some very few Hardcore impressions and a lot of textures of the Post Rock and Post Core sceneries. All crowned by grapping and interesting songwriting, full of clever arrangements, intelligent and very good flowing changes of the pace of the songs, suprising short breaks, somehow really amazing guitar textures, grapping rhythm structure work, a great feeling and intense atmosphere, and all is there, all is here. Brilliant guitar work and arrangements, no matter if you take the awesome leads and the constantly different and varying melody lines a.k.a. the 'red lines' that creep marking('ly') through the songs, the great sometimes also pretty stoic and always heavy rockin' riff work or some pretty unique solos and atmospheric somehow ambient passages, it's just great and works out nearly perfect, then the rhythm section is a pure beauty at work, pounding yet fluffy and varying crispy drum playing, powerful shredded bass work, and two lead singers, one with a more or less gruff throaty angry lead singing voice and one with a more high('er') somehow 'screaming' voice and the 'coming together' of the two is really a trademark of the songs, even the guitars are at the end of the day really the most marking factor of the music of RED FOREST HUNTER. They aren't really comparable to any other bands out there, at least no comparision is coming to my mind. Maybe only a very little bit ALEXIS ON FIRE, hm, but, nah, RED FOREST HUNTER truly do their own awesome thing. If you're searching for something maybe anyhow truly 'new' and something definitely stand-alone and something that's still truly really heavy in this whole world of Emo, Indie, and Post-what-the-bloody-fuck-ever-Music(k) then make sure to check out this guys and their Demo of 2011 here. Get the download, period! The artwork is amazing, the interesting lyrics are really great, the production sound is a strong bomb, and if they fill the last few blank holes  in the songs then the next time around they will get the highest grade possible up here if they work that great again in the future. Get it!!! (9 of 10 points)
(Download = http://redforesthunter.com/)
(Contact I = http://www.myspace.com/redforesthunter)
(Contact II = http://www.facebook.com/redforesthunter)

GREEN DESTROYED - "DEMO 2011" (Green Anarchist Black Metal from out of the dephts of Northampton, Massachusetts, U.S.A. in 2011)




(Not the cover artwork of this demo.)

  GREEN DESTROYED - "DEMO 2011"
("D.I.Y."; MP3-Download):

Okay, what we have here is something pretty new for me and it is nothing else than: Anarchist Black Metal! Or, to say it all even more precise: Green Anarchist Black Metal! (Could be interesting how the RABM scene is justifying their ambitions to take over Black Metal and use and maybe also abuse it for their agenda, like the NSBM retards have done it before.) Damn it, what everything exists today... Never heard of anything like this before. Knew of NSBM for quite a while now, hm, and so it seems that also the conuterparts of the WP/NS nutjobs paving the way for their front via using Black Metal and it's all called Red and Anarchist Black Metal (or Metalheads in general), seems like a pretty comparable situaion or development like in the world of Skinhead(s) with this WP/NS Bonehead idiots on the one side of the fence and the RASH jackasses on the other side while all the other kinds of Skinheads (Oi!, Trads, real SHARPs, HC, Trojan, etc. pp.) are caught in between this two poles and became and still becoming because of this attacked and defamed and... ah, you all know the story and especially when the media joins the play. Maybe this scenario and this whole14/88 bullshit and crap on the one side and the whole AFA PC fakes and fags on the other side are becoming now-a-days also more than ever the 'destiny' of the world of Metal, we will see. Because it's one thing to address political and social issues in and with and through-out your songs, but to take part in this ideological farce is a whole other thing. Something not really good seems to happen now-a-days also in other scenes than Skinhead and Oi! and okay, why not, right, but btw I think that developmnts like this had never ever been something anyhow good after all. Anyhow, I've found this one here on the blog named "RED AND ANARCHIST BLACK METAL (AND MUCH MORE)" (http://r-a-b-m.blogspot.com/) and thought that it might be pretty interesting anyhow, and so I took care of the download. The download there (http://r-a-b-m.blogspot.com/2011/08/green-destroyed-demo-2011.html) is posted with the authorization of GREEN DESTROYED and so I will give you the link at the end of this very review here (even I don't know if the blog-runner as well as GREEN DESTROYED may anyhow like it or not, and so if anyone of them is maybe reading this and wants the link to be removed because this very blog of mine here isn't really that much PC at all and definitely have not and won't join forces with the AFA- as well as also not with the WP/NS retards- then just let me know it via leaving a comment or something like this and I'll take care of it asap). Okay, now directly and more precisely to GREEN DESTROYED from Northampton, Massachusetts. (Aren't the mighty WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM not also from out of this region? Maybe there are even some connections existing, after both bands also share somehow some ideological similarities?) GREEN DESTROYED is not a real band in a classical sense of the term band but it is more a one man project and this here is the very first output of GREEN DESTROYED for what I know and it is currently only to get via the mentioned download and there's also not a cover or something like this at this point, but it is planned to release this demo as a tape or so still this very year 2011 in a limited to one-hundred copies version and it seems like there are already much more songs of GREEN DESTROYED waiting to be released and to be completly recorded finally some more or less soon day and also a pretty strong change of the musical direction is to be announced, moving away from raging blast infernos to more atmospheric and ambient Black Metal stuff. But okay, that is all at this very moment only 'future-music' so let us take care of what we have here right now. And... even I have a lot of respect for the guy behind GREEN DETROYED for doing it all by his very own... but anyhow this here is incredible terrible stuff, period. I mean I like a lot of Black Metal even still today, from immortal larger-than-life legends like the almighty EMPEROR and MAYHEM and DARK THRONE to the most brutal and extreme Corpsepaint stuff maybe ever released like SETHERIAL and DARK FUNERAL and ENDSTILLE to in one way or another pretty 'proggy' and 'deathy' Black Metal masters like DISSECTION and MARDUK and TUNRIDA to just phenomenal legendary underground warhorses like TAAKE and ABIGOR and IN BATTLE, and also a lot of more or less total Underground Black Metal acts like SEEDS OF HATE (pure might), FIEND (great), WARLUST (pure aggression), VARGULF (at least their second album) and TOTAL HATE (great inferno set to music) I do really like, so you see, Black Metal is everything but a problem to me, hm, but this here, nah, come on... But okay, it's not all bad (even the very most of it) and so I will start with a general description of the music of GREEN DESTROYED, then I will tell what (at least in my personal subjective perception) does badly suck and then I will tell ya what works out already good so that after this all you know what you are about to do or not to do. So okay, GREEN DESTROYED gives us total lofi Black Metal full of frozen and blistering fast sawing guitars, more or less tight thundering drums, of a bass existing we better don't talk at all (remember that it is and stays Black Metal), and throaty scream vocals, and all is enriched with really intense atmospheric ambient parts and spoken word like passages. Really comparable acts aren't coming currently to my mind, sorry. The songwriting in its strongest moments works already pretty well and is really grapping, in its weaker (and most) moments it totally is a farce without any sense for arrangements, and yes, so close together do exist here light and darkness. The technical skills are often more than good... But anyhow, the total lofi production or better recording sound is really destroying nearly everything here. That isn't a sound anyhow, that's a bad joke. This might be damn "true" in the world of Black Metal (no matter if it's normal and real Black Metal or if it's NSBM or if it's RABM) but it anyhow sucks and even this here is a Demo this sound (even we shouldn't name it so anyway) really can't be meant serious. It really begins to give ya physical pains while listening to it and that especially in the fast blast speed parts and also this parts seem to be everything but tight (at lest maybe) due to this sound. Okay, after this it also sucks that the lead vocals sound like Donald Duck on a bad acid trip trying to rap over shitty Black Metal crap music coming in a total bullshit production respectively recording sound. Nah, this all can't be meant serious by GREEN DESTROYED after all. And this norse Black Metal like raging parts are also just crap because they are totally uninteresting, nongrapping and also completely out of tone (even this might just be because of this terrible sound). Terrible! But what already really works out good are the atmospheric ambient parts, they are very clever and intelligent arrangend and also totally grapping and creating a really intense atmosphere, and that's really damn good already. And yes, GREEN DESTROYED should really work more in this direction on future releases, no doubt about it. Just listen to the third song (btw we get four songs in total) named "TOO LATE... WHY", really a great one, and you will know what I mean and also how good GREEN DESTROYED can already be and how good they maybe will become one day. Okay, a total farce is the pseudo-hypnotic track "DOOMED TO EXTINCTION", total bullshit, period. While "ETERNAL WAR" and "SLAVE" are songs where all the light and all the darkness of and in the music of GREEN DESTROYED really shine through, for better or for worse... To the lyrics I can't say anything because I really don't understand anything (beside the slogan of eternal war in "ETERNAL WAR" and that is not much for a band or project that is founded on a through and through political approach), a artwork isn't existing and the sound... yes, the sound... So, all in all, if you listen to the music because of the music and not because of the ideology I can't imagine or think about anything why anyone should like to listen to this stuff (beside "TOO LATE... WHY"), no, not a single bit. A lot of work is waiting for GREEN DESTROYED to be done from here on, but at the starting point of their release career this is anything but a catastrophe. If you take care of the download by yourself you will know what I mean... even I can't imagine why you should do the download except the fact that you want desperatly to know what the RABM underground has to offer for you or maybe you have some masochistic affiliation that you want to satisfy via the music you use to listen to... ah, and okay, if you like atmospheric ambient Black Metal then download it because of the great song "TOO LATE... WHY"... but other reasons than that aren't given here if ya ask me. Hm, but it could be intersting how GREEN DESTROYED develops in the future, we will see it as time will tell it to us... Last notice: You need to have the real player downloaded and installed on your hard disk to play and listen to the songs. Don't know what I could or should write here more... (2 of 10 points)
(Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?vuvuimijvu1ygpj)
(Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/greendestroyedrabm)

BLACKSTONE - "HEREDITAS" (Hardcore from Regensburg, Germany in 2010/2011)

BLACKSTONE - "HEREDITAS"
("D.I.Y."; MP3-Download):

Great! Awesome! Amazing! Totally stand-alone stuff! You need to have this! Period! (...) Okay, okay, okay, I now already that this isn't enough here at this point and so, yehp, I'll write some words more to and about it, calm down. This one is (for what I know) still the 'newest' and current release by this german Hardcore band and it was recorded and released already back in 2010. To be honest then I have to admit that I totally didn't knew BLACKSTONE before this one and it seems to me that this album was solely released as an official MP3-Download by the band itself totally done in the D.I.Y. way of doing things like this, and I have not a single clou if there ever had been physical releases of it as well as I don't know how many stuff BLACKSTONE used to have already released so far. (Now I know it, an Demo earlier before this LP and a 7'' vinyl single released after this LP some-time in 2010 and this 7'' seems to be the first proper release by the band and I need to have it.) Okay, anyhow, it's all maybe also not really that much important after all, and as usual you get the link to the Bandcamp site of the band where you can download this album for free at the end of this review. And yes, finally a really great, outshining and stand-alone Hardcore band from good old shitfaced Germany again, brilliant and just great, point and fact. And I really can't tell ya why also this album (and how damn great it is) was lying here around without coming up here for so many months now (got it in the early months of this very year of 2011 or so also from their Bandcamp site, found it while I was searching through the web some time for some new interesting music out there back then), strange things do sometimes happen somehow... Like I've already said or written at the beginning of this vey review here, this album is an awesome piece of (Hardcore) music(k) and not a single little thing less. BLACKSTONE are a Hardcore band and a great Hardcore band with a pretty unique, ah, nah, I mean: with a very stand-alone and unique style and approach. Comparable bands just refuse to come to my mind and maybe if you just take the approach, the quality and the (stand-alone and self-contained) character of the band and its music you can maybe just compare them to legendary and latest now-a-days larger-than-life pioneers in 1990's Hardcore history like DAMNATION A.D. and MORNING AGAIN as well as the almighty INTEGRITY and so you should be already able to see how great BLACKSTONE are and how important for future developments of and in Hardcore they could become if just the fair and real chance to do so will only be given to them. It's Hardcore with a metallic edge to it, filled with massive walls of ultra-heavy and well-versed and very multi-layered cracking guitar riffs, very atmospheric and intense guitar leads, here and there outstanding 'goosepimples-approved' guitar solo work (but no annoying solo wack off), evil and grumpy sheer heavy and brutal yet totally clichè-free bass playing, massive and noisy and angry stomping drums with a really somehow very stoic yet at the samt time very diverse and pretty exciting as well as hypnotic massive effect on the listeners, totally full-throat fat crew shouts, and brilliant charismatic, very emotional and passionate, throaty and harsh shouted lead vocals, and all is mixed together just brilliant and great and all melted together by somehow very complex and especially very clever arranged, very well-versed and even more divrse and multi-layered songwriting that is making it all here just even way far better. Totally suprising twists and turns are waiting for you to be discovered by you, hypnotic and stoic somehow 'Industrial-like' arranged parts, Old School Hardcore impressions, metallic Hardcore raging anger and madness, ultra heavy mosh and totally destructive Beatdown parts, thrashy fist in the air marks and strong rockin' by MOTÖRHEAD influenced notes and then even far more go all hand in hand without only a how-ever little break or stop in the flow of the single songs or the complete album and with all what they do BLACKSTONE truly and really do create an incredible intense and tight atmosphere, that's just brilliat, and totally suprising shit (from completly 'spacy' guitar stuff to amazing clean vocal passages in moments where you would have never ever bet for something like this to come and to work, but they come and work, yes, and how they work) is the crown of it all, yeahr, this one grabs you and it won't let you loose again, it holds its grab on you, yes, just total outstanding and awesome stuff. Amazing! This is really something totally 'special' and gifted, absolutely alive and fresh and new and kicking, and just brilliant, something you will love and you need to have if you are into really good and interesting Hardcore or at least interested in truly grapping and really outshining intense and extreme and heavy and harsh as well as brutal and completly clichè-free music, period. We get also great lyrics with also a very unique approach behind it/them, a great artwork (lyrics and art are both coming via the download, thumbs up for that) that's also refusing to go any clichè-way, again thumbs up for that, too, and a massive pounding forceful and powerful, yet dirty and earthy, dry and dusty production sound. If I would only got this one here even more earlier (and I mean already back then in 2010) it would have earned a pretty high place in my top ten records list of/for the year of 2010, definitely. So if you still don't have it then make sure to get it (for example at least via the this review following official download link) and give your support to this awesome band and let us hope to see more from them coming asap. Get it!!! Awesome!!! (10 of 10 points)
(http://blackstone.bandcamp.com/album/hereditas - the download link)
(http://blackstone.bandcamp.com/ - the contact link # 01)
(http://www.myspace.com/blackstonehc - the contact link # 02)
(http://de-de.facebook.com/blackstonehc?sk=wall - the contact link # 03)

DEAD MAN'S CHEST - "HATELINE" (Hatefilled brutal HARDCORE on "SEVENTH DAGGER RECORDS" in 2011)



 DEAD MAN'S CHEST - "HATELINE"
("Seventh Dagger Records"; CD):

Whoa, I first thought: "Okay, now back to your usual ordinary daily topic of Beatdown Hardcore and/or Metalcore with a strong Tough Guy mentality to crown it all." But okay, we all know that sometimes (or often?) the stereotypes that we allow to take control of our thoughts and so with them somehow also of our (-) selves do lead us in the wrong direction and are giving us a wrong anticipated perception of things to come. But then there are other experiences we make where we see that all lives up to the fullfillment of exactly this stereotypes and the direction they lead us into is the total right and correct one. So, yehp, that said, what's it all about here in the case of the band DEAD MAN'S CHEST (a U.K. Hardcore act with some polish roots, hm, and I think that they are also a xStraight Edgex Hardcore band, hm, but that should be for no one a suprise by a look at the label, righty right) and their 2011 album "HATELINE"? A uncomfortable mixture out of both so far her aboved described "stereotypes-and-times" affairs. Looking at the label, the band name, the title of the album, the aestehtics of this band and album and (at least some) song titles like "EARN YOUR RESPECT" and especially "COLD CUNTS" you should pretty fast know the deal... and that deal is metallic and rich on Beatdowns styled up to date Tough Guy Mosh Hardcore for da crew. Bulldozer guitar work, especially the riff walls are immense and very massive, the beefy and bulky and damn precise and brutal rhythm section is cracking skulls like otherwise only Conan the Barbarian with his Battleaxe (okay, I know that this metaphor I maybe should have used better in a review of a Metal record, but okay, what-ever), and the hard and aggrssive, yet fat and brutal shouting lead vocals in cooperation with some (but not so wisely chosen) guest singers and loud and full crew back up chants really melt it all together. It's all there what you expect (and maybe want) from a up to date Hardcore release like this. The songs are also pretty complete structured from out of the perception of that genre with groovy raging Mosh parts, über-heavy down paced Beatdowns, some few furious Old School Hardcore parts, Tharsh Metal and also Death Metal influenced up tempo raging madness parts, a lot of metallic inspirations when it's about the guitar as well as the rhythm work in general, and all is pretty much Tough Guy Violent Dancing compatible. It's all coming with a lot of pressure behind it, with a lot of power and force, and that these guys really know how to play theirm instruments I think I don't have to say here anyhow. No, that's all not the problem here with it. The problem is that this album starts really strong and promising with the great track "THESE BRIDGES LEFT BURNING" as the opener and also "THE ICONS", the second track, is pure force and then comes with "SUMMON THE STRENGTH" one of the by far best tracks on this album, just great and the atmosphere that DEAD MAN'S CHEST know to create here is really and truly awesome, enriching the song with some few Black Metal impressions in the guitar playing syle, all good and fine and maybe more than this up to this point. But then... yes, then it starts to go all more and more into the direction of my above mentioned first thought, it becomes ordinary and the usual stuff we all are already so damn pretty much used to these days. The fresh ideas are missing, they're lacking a strong own identity which would make them really cognisable in the big bunch of other metallic Beatdown styled Tough Guy Mosh Hardcore bands for the crew out there of today. It's all solid and some surely good stuff and if you feel the need to really have it all what is coming out of this specific genre of Hardcore then get it because you can find far more bad stuff, surely, that's it. Protruding from out of the rest of the bunch of the songs on this album do just the boomer "DEAD MAN'S CHEST" and the pretty strong by Death Metal influenced "DOOMBRINGER", both are great songs, while the rest just stays okay, solid to good midfild stuff. DEAD MAN'S CHEST try to come in somewhere in between TERROR, HATEBREED and xTYRANTx but without coming only close to one of these titans of today's Hardcore world and scene. Lyrically we get some good but also pretty much expected stuff, the artwork got a decent and a cool (even it's a total typical clichè) look, and the ultra-fat production sound is really what we usually do or at least can call a wall of sound like we all know it from releases of this kind out of this genre. So, okay, hopefully you all do know now what we get from DEAD MAN'S CHEST and what's the problem about it. Btw, I don't know where I should seek for the "HOLY TERROR HARDCORE" impressions and INTEGRITY and IN COLD BLOOD notes and marks and influences here in it that were announced to be found here... so don't expect anything like this... So, okay, if you like this certain style of Hardcore music then check it out, risk an ear or two, even this is nothing anyhow 'special' it's also nothing somehow really bad and you will find far more worse stuff out there and so maybe you'll find what you've still been looking for here with this one. Maybe... (6 of 10 points)
(http://www.myspace.com/thedeadmanschesthc)

OUT CROWD - "DEMO '11" (Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. Old School Hardcore at its very best!!!)

OUT CROWD - "DEMO '11"
("Ghetto Josh Records"; Demo/Tape):

Next up and I have not a single clou how I only somehow was able to let a release like this one here lying around for so long being 'un-reviewed' by me up here. It was recorded in January of this very year of 2011 and some-time after this it was released via the Underground/Independent label "GHETTO JOSH RECORDS". (Don't ask me anything about this label, I've never heard anything of it before, hm, but to judge by the MySpace site it seems to be a damn serious and pretty active and also well-reputated label.) Okay, I got this fine release by mail send to me by a friend of mine (many thanks for it) quite a long while ago from now (which means some months) and I'm damn glad because otherwise I would bet that I would never ever took notice of "it" (this band and album) anyhow, just far too many bands and records out there today so that it's sadly enough too damn easy to miss out on some truckloads of really good and even far better stuff out there and here I'm pretty sure that I would have totally missed out on this one not at least because I'm everything but familiar with the local Hardcore scene of Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Okay, anyhow, btw, this band is a little bit mysterious for me because until now I just couldn't find any link to what site on the web ever of this band and also the MySpace site of the label don't gives us anymore informations about this band and release. Maybe I'll find what site ever later on and then I'll give you the link here anyhow some later time around, we'll see. So okay, now enough of the introduction talking, straight forward, here's the review: This is a great release, period! Old School Hardcore like you have to love it if you're into Hardcore music, period, too! (...) What, that's not enough for you? Damn it! But okay, there you go... One great pretty strong by classical Oi! influenced intro track, named simply "INTRO", is kicking it off and then three tracks of furious Old School Hardcore are unleashed at us, with titles like "BLUE BLOODS", "OUR STRUGGLE" and "WHAT ARE FRIENDS FOR". OUT CROWD play damn great Old School Hardcore with a lot of Punk and Streetpunk as well as some good healthy doses of great Oi! in it, somewhere to be located between the almighty and immortal WARZONE, the very early or first stuff of the also just simply almight and surely immortal YOUTH DEFENSE LEAGUE also from New York City, and early 1980's Straight Edge Hardcore like the legendary MINOR THREAT and also old time early 1980's Hardcore pioneers like BLACK FLAG had been damn important for OUT CROWD, maybe also some Old School Thrash Core acts like CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER should be named here as an important influence for OUT CROWD after the before mentioned stuff. Fast and punky sawing and aggressive and dirty shredding guitar playing, fast and heavy pounding drums and a forceful and power pumping bass work, fresh and full and fat crew shouts, a aggressive and sharp screaming lead voice and damn great fast forward storming pace of the songs as well as amazing Old School Mosh'n'Groove moment. The songwriting is pretty cool and so you really feel that in the very short one to two minute songs far more is happening then in overly hyped five to seven minute tracks of some artsy-fartsy overlyhyped 'Hardcore' (or what today is often called so) bands of today. Brilliant! Also for fans of IRON BOOTS an FED UP! this great band here of the name of OUT CROWD should be interesting, but OUT CROWD really are ahead of the two mentioned other bands (even this bands are also really damn good and fucking cool bands anyhow), and that's so because of the fact that in the music of OUT CROWD you simply won't find the slightest piece of any retro crap, here's everything damn fucking fresh and young, alive and new, yeahr, and that's really so damn fucking great! So, yes, OUT CROWD are so far with being totally Old School but in NO way retro Hardcore pretty well comparable with the also almighty D.C.Oi! and that's a massive and huge proof of the quality of OUT CROWD. To say it short and simple: Pretty brilliant stuff!!! The lyrics are angry and militant, gladiatorial and rebellious stuff (so you see that the band has also really something if not a lot to say, great), the artwork looks awesome and the dirty and noisy production sound is just a pure beauty. Old School Hardcore with some Oi! & Skinhead marks to it, and this done nothing but damn great!!! I don't know if there are still any copies floating around but if you're a fan of Old School Hardcore then you really need to have this one here, point and fact!!! I'm really looking forward for more of OUT CROWD to come hopefully very soon. Great band!!! (9 of 10 points)

(http://ghettojoshrecords.bigcartel.com/product/out-crowd-demo-cassette)

(http://ghettojoshrecords.bigcartel.com/)
(Announcement & Download: Okay, don't ask me why but beside some other blog entries respectively some entries on or of other blogs I really find nothing else about this great band, can't tell ya why, but it anyhow sucks, period. So if anyone of you readers out there got some decent informations for me about this great band then please leave a comment or what the hell ever, would be great of you. After I don't know how many tapes respectively remaining copies are still floating around I decided to give ya a download link to or of this demo so that the global Hardcore community ;-) (at least the parts of it reading through this very blog here) can anyhow easily and in every case listen to this great band. It's not a download that I've done, just a link that I'll post up here. If you like what you listen to then buy (for example by clicking on the above posted links) the tape as long as there are still copies around. If someone of the band or the label is reading this here and wants that the link is removed then just let me know about it via leaving a comment or so and I'll take care of it asap, and so now comes the download link and then just you enjoy this awesome band: http://www.mediafire.com/?uvzikec824jnc2s - For all what I've heard a new (and for all what I know first) full length CD of this band is announced to be released still this very year of 2011 and I think we all can be damn curious about something damn awesome and amazing is coming at us, so be prepared for it and start with finally knowing this demo.)

HEARTLESS --- Hardcore/Crustcore from Pittsburgh in 2011

HEARTLESS - "HEARTLESS" ("D.I.Y." / "Tina B" / "Thor Johnson Records" / "Revolution Chords"; MP3-Download):

Also like the release of SWEET WEAPONS this here is one of the releases I really have to bring the review of it finally up here because it's really about time to do so. First of all this here was primarly released as a 7'' single (and I think this very year of 2011) but it was also later on released as a download to be loaded down for fee and even it was maybe not by the band itself done it was done with the authorization or so of and by the band itself so that they promote the download link via their band own blog and so the download link I will give to you at the end of this review. I just call it by myself my own as the download version and even I would have loved to get one of the physical 7'' copies as one of my very own I have to say that this is also again a case in which the whole download idea is a damn great one because otherwise I would have maybe never ever known this band anyway and I would have definitely missed out on this release here. And if I would have done so then I would have missed out on something really, really good. So, HEARTLESS from Pittsburgh are a very fine Hardcore band that really know how to convince the listeners, if you like your Hardcore filled with Crust and some few Sludge and all done pretty sinister and dark as well as aggressive and furious then HEARTLESS are exactly 'your thing'. They play pretty much Old School Hardcore with a lot of a great authentic "Fuck you all!" Punkrock attitude to it, some very few metallic impressions, some good healthy doses of dirty and sick Sludge Core and some really big doses of Crustcore and D-Beat in it all. Very good stuff, for sure. All very heavy and angry, noisy and brutal, dark and dirty, aggressive and raging and fueled up to the max with old school styled Hardcore mosh grooves, bitter raging high speed Crustcore and D-Beat moments, sick and psychotic down paced Sludge parts, all done with huge and heavy loads of crushing and sawing guitars, tight as fuck drumming, forceful bass work, and crazed sick and aggressive vocals. Sometimes also some (only very) few Powerviolence comes into play, and anyhow if you like Hardcore and Crustcore pari passu then you will definitely like, nah, definitely love HEARTLESS. Bitter lyrics, and a great production sound and all the aesthetics (I love the cover artwork) of HEARTLESS are pretty cool and fit totally 100% to the music and the attitude of this very band. If they work out their songwriting and make it more demanding and stringent then there next output will get an even better rating up here, for sure, trust me upon this. Until then make sure that you get this one here and enjoy it, and play it LOUD, period!!! (8 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/heartlesspgh)

(http://heartlesspgh.blogspot.com/)

(http://www.revolutionchords.com/heartless/)

(http://torjohnson.anewlanguage.org/store/)

(http://torjohnson.anewlanguage.org/store/index.php?main_page=product_music_info&cPath=3&products_id=488&zenid=9ubpv4gfhvemaed6f3gg0vsus6)

CRUCIAMENTUM - "CONVOCATION OF CRAWLING CHAOS" (Ancient Death Metal from out of the U.K. from 2009)

CRUCIAMENTUM - "CONVOCATION OF CRAWLING CHAOS"
("D.I.Y."; Demo):

After Hardcore and Emo/Punk next up this month is Death Metal. Yes, so it goes, fuck all 'musical borders' anyway, haha;-). This demo I received via mail from a friend quite a while (which means some years) ago and somehow I totally not-thought about it anyway for a pretty long while already now until I read an entry at the great "COSMIC HEARSE" (http://cosmichearse.blogspot.com/) blog this very day. I thought like, damn it, I know this band and demo but from where and since then... ah, and I know them from here (which means exactly from this demo), but don't ask me since when, I just know that it is already quite a while ago now since back then. Seeing and reading the mentioned entry in the Hearse I decided to listen to my copy finally again... and then I also decided to do a review of it by my own. Okay, and now striaght into the review: In the rotten and bloody and brutal world of Death Metal two major directions of current developments (some would maybe say 'trends') are for some few years now already to be recognized now a days pretty clearly. One development is today named Brutal Death and this one is a incredible hard and extreme, technical and demanding offspring child out of (modern) Death Core (by itself a very hot trend not so long ago, but also a very short lived trend with a lot of its forefathers like JOB FOR A COWBOY, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER and maybe also ALL SHALL PERISH are now-a-days to be seen in the first row of the Brutal Death wave) and raging technically very skilled U.S. (and especially Florida) Death Metal (what especially MORBID ANGEL became known for over the last decade or so), and also extreme Death Grind bands like EXHUMED and LIVIDITY became important for the Brutal Death scene and are now-a-days by themselves counted as Brutal Death bands. The other development is a return to the bloody, rotten and sinister diabolical roots of the genre called Death Metal and so we could maybe talk about a new wave of Old School Death Metal today, maybe somehow primitive compared with the Brutal Death stuff, but not worse and also in another form and way not less brutal than it. U.K.'s CRUCIAMENTUM and their here reviewed demo album from 2009 are definitely to be located somewhere in or as a part of the new wave of Old School Death Metal. After a atmospheric dark and sinister intro, "INTROMANTICAL SCREAM", we get three songs, "DEATHLESS ASCENSION", "CONVOCATION OF CRAWLING CHAOS" and "ROTTEN FLESH CRUCIFIX". Three heavy and massive Old School Death Metal inferno assault tracks, packed up full with deep and brutal guttural death grunt vocals, all done with some sick reverberation to it, totally harsh bulldozer guitar riffing, damn sinister leads and melodies and sick and twisted solo parts, and a tight to the point played heavy artillery rhythm section. Thumbs totally up for that! What's great is the songwriting of this guys, from (again) tight to the point played blast speed attacks (and this really extreme, aggressive and fast) over mosh parts to brutal mid paced parts and from there to totally down paced and sick and psychotic, sinister and dark, evil and twisted doom parts you can find everything in this three songs and all is melted nearly perfectly together, here and there some very few Old School Black Metal parts come also into play, here and there all is cultivated with some few nice discordance elements and parts, and with all they do CRUCIAMENTUM really create a great and intense atmosphere, and that's nothing but damn good. Ah, and that these guys know how to play their instruments should be clear for everyone here at this point. If you like your Death Metal the Old School way and to be located somewhere bewteen (old and early) MORBID ANGEL, (also old and early) BOLT THROWER, (early) SINISTER and also some AUTOPSY (even CRUCIAMENTUM aren't that sick but instead of this more diabolical in music, style, lyrics and aesthetics) and some very few OBITUARY (talking especially about the "SLOWLY WE ROT" era), and if you're also not shying away from old CELTIC FROST and very early BATHORY and maybe also some few BLASPHEMY, HELLHAMMER and POSSESSED, and if you can and like to imagine these mixture pretty self-contained and Old School but NOT retro in any way possible, yehp, then I think these U.K. Death Metal warhounds are exactly what you need to be made happy by, through and with the music(k) you use and like to listen to. Maybe nothing groundbreaking and also surely nothing overly new or fresh or what the hell else ever, but some damn good stuff that everyone who knows about how great Old School Death Metal was and is (at least still can be) really need(s). and if you're such a guy then make sure you know this band, hm, and why not starting with this demo?!? Right, why not, so go and search for it and get it! (And if you simply just can't find it anywhere no matter where you look for it and no matter how hard you look for it, then maybe check the Hearse out at http://cosmichearse.blogspot.com/2011/08/convocation.html and get it at least via downloading it from there, because I also don't know if there are still physical copies of this album here are floating somewhere around.) Lyrically we get what ya expect to get, I mean, it's Old School Death Metal and just look at the above mentioned names or titles of the songs, yehp, so we get diabolical and necro, dark and sinister lyrics. The production sound is truly a great one, it totally gives strong back up to the sick necro atmosphere of the musical material and it also totally supports the pure Death Metal style and spirit. And, at last, the artwork is also what you may expect, but (or: and) it really looks all pretty cool. CRUCIAMENTUM now-a-days have a record deal going on with the greece label of the name of "NUCLEAR WINTER RECORDS" (don't ask me anything... totally unknown to me... but cool label name... even it's maybe some sort of a clichè name, hehe;-)...) and a new proper CD release of CRUCIAMENTUM is announced to be released still this very year of 2011. Until(l) then get this one here from where ever and enjoy it. This is a serious try to give old or ancient Death Metal finally a new life and this so that it can and will also stand its ground today in a world pretty much dominated by Brutal Death and still (more or less) Death Core, and it's not just a serious try, no, this is also a succesful try, period. If you like your Death Metal still just pure Death Metal the way a lot of guys would say that it once was meant to be then you will surely love this stuff here. Better get it, will be worth your time and effort. (8 of 10 points)

(http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cruciamentum/285239791946 - PS: But I really hope that the band wasn't anyhow influenced by this ridiculous and silly 1990's T.V. series of the name of "BUFFY - THE VAMPIRE SLAYER" when they've chosen their name... because then this would still be a somehow succesful try, but not a serious try but instead of this an ironical try- at least if ya ask me-... that can't be taken anyhow serious that much after all...)

SWEET WEAPONS - "DEMO 2011" (Emo Punkrock from Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A.)

SWEET WEAPONS - "DEMO 2011"
("D.I.Y."; MP3-Download):

Okay, I've lost a little bit the focus (you may can say also the energy, motivation and the free-time, too) over the last months to do so much up here and that's why a lot of stuff remained undone up to this very present day here and now. And so now with me being more or less back on track again I'm also working the things up that I've missed out so far, and also this (for all what I know debut) release of SWEET WEAPONS needs to be worked up finally up here. First of all I received this demo months ago via an e-mail but I truly have totally lost my contact datas and totally forgot about the circumstances. So if the guy who sent it to me is reading this here and now then thanks a lot for sending it to me and sorry that it took so long with the review being up and ready to read up here. So, next problem, I have no clue if this demo was solely released as an MP3-Download or if it also was released on CD/CD-R/Vinyl/Tape. I've found a download-it-for-free link on the web when searching it through for it and this link I will give ya all at the end of this review. But I don't know if the download is officially by the band authorized and so on, so if anyone out of the band is reding this and wants that the link is deleted then just leave a comment, send me a message or what ever and I will asap take care of it. So, okay, enough of the introduction words and talk, straight onward into this review: SWEET WEAPONS are a fresh young band from Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. and they play a somehow weird mixture out of Emo Rock/Core, (emotional) Punkrock, Melodic Hardcore and also some typical 1990's progressive early Post Core stuff, so let us call it emotional Punkrock or something like this, and what's so weird about it is the fact that the music of SWEET WEAPONS somehow tumbles in between fresh and dynamic, grapping and interesting stuff on the one side of the ocean, and boring and marked by a giant lack of own and fresh and new ideas 1990's retro ripp off Hardcore-Punkrock stuff. In the stronger moments we'll find here great and suprising twists and turns in the songwriting and in the structure of the songs, with interesting arrangements of the vocal lines as well as the guitar playing and a suprisingly spontaneous rhythm section, while in the weaker momnts it all sounds like a mixture out of LIFETIME, REFUSED, IGNITE and SAMIAM and all the various components it is made out of are know to us and heard for far more than over a thousand times (and often- far- better) before. So, that's the problem with this one, the consequent quality and direction of the material is lacking quite a bit. If you like your Punkrock cultivated with some Hardcore and all done very emotional (which means Emo) and melodic and if you like also not that much ordinary or better clichè changes and turn-overs in the structure of the songs then you should definitely risk an ear (or download it anyway after it is for free), even you should maybe not expect too much greatness coming at you. And if you've grown up like me in the 1990's (and I still love this period and all the great music it gave to us) and that also with the above mentioned bands, you should be very soon pretty familiar with the music of SWEET WEAPONS, and if you are- unlike me- a fan or nerd of retro music and bands then you will love them anyhow. But okay, I currently recognize that this sounds all in all far too negative. Because especially the guitar playing is most of the time really and truly great, very often even something pretty fascinating, with all the suddenly changing riffs and the grapping lead and melodies, and when then also the clear and emotional lead vocals do join the dance with the guitars it's all getting pretty often really a 'goosepimples-affair-thing', and the not-nervous but very tight and well-versed by any means in every cases fast and quick playing rhythm section is also very often some sort of an 'ear-opener' (instead of an eye-opener, after we talk about music), and that the guys know how to play we don't need to discuss anyway. I now would just wish that they work out more a identity of their own, that they work more intense on their songwriting and that they cut themselves off loose of all the retro 'charme' bullshit and then we all can be pretty curious about what will be coming up next of them. So far, this here remains a solid good release and not because it's a debut release (for all what I know), but because it is exactly this with a lot of potential that's waiting to be used and out-worked by SWEET WEAPONS the next time they come around. Lyrically we get some also pretty emotional stuff (the lyrics weren't send to me and if they are a part of the download I don't know, but you get them when you're listening to it), also pretty good, no doubt about it, the transparent yet heavy production sound is more than 'just' damn good and the artwork (only the above to be seen cover picture I got, don't kno if the download offers more to you) is a very sad one but got a decent look anyway. All in all we get five songs and especially the opener track, "SO PLEASING", as well as "HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME" are great shit. So, yes, give this band a try, could be worth your time, and we should maybe all have an open eye (and ear) for them in the future. (7 of 10 points)

(Download Link:  http://www.mediafire.com/?hi2z1686m56du1m)

(Contact: http://sweetweapons.tumblr.com/)

KING OF CLUBZ & PROVIDENCE - Beatdown Hardcore Split 2011

KING OF CLUBZ & PROVIDENCE - "TIME OF GRIEVANCE (SPLIT)"
("Ratel Records"; CD):

Yeahr, finally some great split CD stuff that's crossing the starting line here again. If you're not a total nutjob than I would bet that you know both bands or at least the almighty KING OF CLUBZ already (if not, hm, then where the fuck did you lived the last years... at least if you say about yourself that you would be into Hardcore...), and that for some good reasons. And KING OF CLUBZ also start things off here. And how they do it? Fucking great! Mosh Tough Guy Beatdown Hardcore (with some but only very few metallic notes to it all) packed up full with great brutal and pretty diverse and more then 'just' well-versed guitar work, a pure gold and totally bulldozer going rampage rhythm section, incredible fat crew shouts, great lead vocals by two different singers (one brutal grunting shouter, one aggressive "Fuck you all! screaming shouter), spoken word samples, to the point tight and direct played breaks and beatdowns, suprising and demolishing grooves and mosh parts, fist in the air chorus/refrain parts, grapping songwriting with interesting and just great changes of rhythm, pace and structure of the songs, and truly damn fucking good technical skills of the musicians. It's all here, and that's really just awesome! To compare KING OF CLUBZ with other bands would be ridiculous, I mean, this band became some sort of a role model for a huge bunch of other bands like CIRCLE OF DEATH and many, many more, but like the old story goes the original (which means KING OF CLUBZ) remains unbeaten and still stands stronger than all, so they've left their giant mark on a whole style and scene and so I think I don't need to say any word more. If you've still did not got it: This is great! The lyrics rock and rule also, about standing your ground, not giving in to anyone or anything, keep up the fight, living by your own rules, and yes, also on the lyrical front everything is fine. The production sound is a monster, like the music, like the songs, like the lyrics... like the whole damn fucking band: KING OF CLUBZ, period. KING OF CLUBZ (btw, two songs they do give us here) do get ten out of ten points here, point and fact. Next up are PROVIDENCE. I'm not sure, I mean that I pretty much think that I've never listened to anything of them before is true and I'm pretty sure about this, but somehow the name of the band says something to me anyway... Okay, anhow, what we get from PROVIDENCE here? Exactly, Beatdown Hardcore with big Tough Guy guts, some metallic marks to it and some few Mosh potential in it, and down paced Beatdowns over down paced Beatdowns. And exactly here's what's going wrong with PROVIDENCE (as well as with a lot of other Beatdown Hardcore bands of today), they simply just didn't understand that songwriting means more than just row Beatdowns and Gangshouts on Beatdwons and Gangshouts and so on and on, and just some short a little bit up tempo going parts aren't enough to loosen it all up and to give the Beatdowns back their full power, force and potential. But okay, so bad like it now may sound PROVIDENCE aren't anyhow but they aren't also anyway some sort of a 'rival' or so for KING OF CLUBZ. But the forceful pushing guitar riffing, the tight and ultra-hard rhythm section, the brutal lead vocal shouts and also often the beatdowns and gangshouts work at least okay if not a good dose better than that. But it's just your ordinary Beatdown Hardcore band of today, really not bad and truly definitely solid good stuff, but also nothing that would make you start to think that you desperately need to have it anyhow. We get also two songs from them, lyrically your good old Beatdown Hardcore stuff, and the production sound is a nice little dirty gem. All in all PROVIDENCE get seven out of ten points. With the CD and the artwork (but why all the guys on the cover seem to be some sort of a local KKK chapter going nuts and/or rampage, haha;-)...?!?) "RATEL RECORDS" done a great job, period. So, anyhow, at least because of the almighty KING OF CLUBZ stuff you need to call this pretty great 7'' here your damn fucking own (but don't overlook PROVIDENCE" for so long), so go and get it asap. Great! (8,5 of 10 points)

(PS: Ah, and there's also an 7'' version of this release floaing around that I've totally missed out on, but maybe you're search will be a little bit more succesful... And it's prett cool that there's also a CD version of this split is floating around- add for all what I know it was released earlier than the CD version- beause you know my opinion, that split records should be first and foremost be released via vinyl, period. But, okay, at least get the CD version, if you have the same luck like me with getting your hands on the 7'', period, too.)

(http://www.ratelrecords.com/)
(http://www.myspace.com/kingofclubz)
(http://www.myspace.com/xprovidencex)

ACTIVATOR - "UNFORTUNATE LOVELY" (Metallic Hardcore in 2011 on "AFRO PUNK RECORDS")

ACTIVATOR - "UNFORTUNATE LOVELY EP"

("Afro Punk Records"; MP3-Download):

Whoa, that's a great band and release. For all what I know this album was recorded some few years ago and was meant to be released on a different label but that all didn't work(ed) out and so it's now finally in 2011 released via "AFRO PUNK RECORDS" and for all what I know solely as a MP3-Download and that offically and for free authorized by the band as well as the label (you can download it at the Bandcamp site of ACTIVATOR, you just have to get registered by "AFRO PUNK RECORDS" which means that they ask to save your e-mail-contact-data in their system and that's all, and I can calm your mood down, since I was registered there was no spam or what so ever by "AFRO PUNK RECORDS" contaminating my e-mail-systems), and like you know it in cases like this I will give you the link at the end of this review. ACTIVATOR are a great band that was totally unknown to me before this one here (and thanks to the almighty "AVERSIONLINE" blog that I stumbled upon them while I was searching through the web a while ago - http://www.aversionline.com/blahg) and what shall I say: They totally rule!!! Late 1990's metallic Hardcore full of crunchy and destructive riffs, full of force and power, a massive and full rhythm section at work, awesome heavy emotional scream-shout vocals, devastating grooves and mosh parts, atomizing up tempo high speed parts, truck loads full of atmosphere and spirit, passion and dynamic-energy, amazing songwriting (damn grapping and interesting) and really great technical skills. That's all so damn great, period. And it's all so fresh, young, dynamic and new done, no boring retro shit on it, even if this is so great that it could have also been recorded back then some-time around in between 1997 to 1999. Awesome!!! What's making this band so even far more great is how brilliant they work totally suprising stuff into their songs as very marking elements, like brutal Death Metal riffs, catchy Melodic Death Metal leads, anthemic straight and 'punky' and fluffy forward rockin' arrangements and parts, aggressive sawing Black Metal guitars, old school Thrash Metal riffs and solos, and downward taking hypnotical Doom Metal grooves, here you'll find so much what's just damn great that you'll go nuts (in every positive way of going nuts), just great!!! To talk about the artwork... okay, no real artwork as a part of this download, just the picture you can see above at the left. But a nice picture anyhow, pretty free of your typical Hardcore clichès, cool. The production sound is raw and earthy, dirty and heavy, just a brilliant done production job, point and fact. The lyrics are pretty cool stuff, take some intense listening sessions and you'll get it. So, all in all, hopefully much more stuff of ACTIVATOR will soon see the light of the day and maybe then it will be also a proper physical release. Until(l) this day, don't think twice, just get this one here!!! Awesome shit, just damn fucking great!!! (9 of 10 points)

(Okay, okay, not the Bandcamp site of ACTIVATOR- I was wrong with that- but the Bandcamp site of "AFRO PUNK RECORDS", but who cares, right?!? = http://downloads.afropunk.com/album/activator-unfortunate-lovely-ep)

(http://www.myspace.com/activatorwins)

(Note: I've changed the picture of this post and now you see- what I would say- is the real artwork of this album- and it's btw a truly cool motif- and I've also will after this words add two official bandpictures and THANKS a lot for Jared for posting them here and the damn good informations he'd given me and you and us here in the comment section, THANKS man, and I can't wait for your new album to come out!!! A great band!!! All the best from Germany to you guys and keep in touch, Andy!!!)