INTEGRITY - "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME" (2017)

INTEGRITY - "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME"
(Running time: 57:37 minutes; 14 songs)
("Relapse Records"; 2017; CD):

I think I've already mentioned one or two times before that 2017 was a very, very strong year music-wise, at least so in my book, and that it also saw the return of the almighty INTEGRITY is only one more further proof for/of my statement. 'Today' for the first time (ever) via the legendary "RELAPSE RECORDS" the outstanding INTEGRITY released their newest gem "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME" at the 14th of July of 2017 and it is (so I think) the successor album to/of "SUICIDE BLACK SNAKE" from 2013 (don't ask, I still don't know it so far... shame on me) but in my case it is finally my first 'meeting' with them again since their (al)mighty "THE BLACKEST CURSE" killer (from 2010) that I seven years... or so... ago also reviewed up here. Since then a lot of various records in different formats had been released by INTEGRITY but due to 'troublesome real life stuff'n'issues' most of them went under my radar (so far) and I know it (by) myself so you don't have to say it... shame on me... But anyhow, because finally in 2017 I managed to get my hands on INTEGRITY's newest offering "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME" already last summer pretty soon when it was released back then and this totally mindblowing fantastic masterpiece absolutely 'consumed' me, it conquered me and it 'kept me conquered' up to this present day since then. To or for me INTEGRITY were always and still are one of the very best (if not sort of the best) and also one of the most unique and inspiring as well as influential Hardcore bands ever outta there and of an importance of a far wider (out)reaching kind than solely being just a Hardcore 'thing'. They were and still are sort of an absolutely lifechanging importance to/for me in a lot if not (nearly) all ways and meanings. My first experience with INTEGRITY was way, far way back in 1995 with their absolute groundbreakers and total lifechangers "SYSTEMS OVERLOAD" and "HUMANITY IS THE DEVIL", two albums that will forever rank up high on my larger than life albums list, and in 1997 with "SEASONS IN THE SIZE OF DAYS" they absolutely conquered their crown and throne and both they maintain unrivaled up to this day and age and present day. And in 2017 they are finally back again and serve us this outstanding piece of art that "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME" totally is. I am absolutely blown away again and again by this masterpiece every time I put it on, again and again, and all the time. This is once in Cleveland born'n'based'n'raised metallic Hardcore fueled by blasphemic/satanic and nihilstic rage and energy without end and sheer 'atomizingly' harsh exploding dynamics and sheer 'ultra-violent' force that absolutely takes no prisoners, no, not a single bit, not a single one, and that simply conquers everything and anything by storm and that especially outshines all and everything with its tight, dense, very sinister and diabolic and nihilstic atmosphere and its massively mindblowing and worldshattering and definitely larger than life overwhelming intensity that marks it all in a very, very immense and stunning way. All is done and delivered by highest skilled musicians via phenomenal outstanding songwriting that is not only larger than life 'overwhelmigly' intense and mercylessly heavy and tough as nails harsh but also incredible diverse and highly varying and all is also massively 'rich' in every meaning(s) and so on "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME" the almighty INTEGRITY work (and this in an impressive smooth flowing way without any sort of breaks or holes or any blank space/-s in the song-architecture/-s) not only massive(ly) Metal elements and influences and impressions into their absolutely unique metallic Hardcore musick, first and foremost especially Thrash Metal but also Black Metal and Death Metal marks are clearly to be found and also sometimes bigger, sometimes smaller Doom (Metal) inspirations crush right out of the speakers and overwhelm you instantly and totally, but also traditional Heavy Metal and classic Hard Rock elements (especially in the guitar leads and the harmony and melody lines in general this influences very or pretty often shine bright but also in the rhythm structures this impressions can be found) and even Blues and Country just wait to be discovered here on INTEGRITY's "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME", oh bloody hell yeahr, and also the more or less for INTEGRITY typical 'classical/traditional' (slightly) Industrial marks rage one more time again beneath the surface of it all, yes, and also every resistance down hammering Hardcore Punk roots that are still very alive and well you will find en masse on and in it all here. The foundation clearly is very unique and sinister, evil, harsh, heavy, intense, crushing, and fast raging, very fresh and totally alive/lively done metallic Hardcore (some may call it Metalcore, okay, but personally I wouldn't do so, but okay...) but or and from this foundation on so incredible more is happening and going on on here, hell yes, INTEGRITY will leave your mind absouletyl blown (out) and your eyes and mouth wide open while your ears ring in constant excitement and hellish pleasure. All is without regrets and without mercy pushed forward by the intense and absolutely unique and charismatic hellish screamed and throaty'n'harsh shouted 'all-out-war-blasted' lead vocals of/by the legendary Dwid Hellion himself, the devastating crushing guitars, and the smashing and thunderous/thundering rhythm section, yes, and all done on one hell of an impressive level of skills and identity. To name any bands to compare INTEGRITY with makes no real sense after all because INTEGRITY pretty much were the first and still are the best and the greatest of'n'in their style but for example a great band like the mighty RINGWORM (and so many others more) would not exist or would not be around the way they are around without INTEGRITY, point and fact. This is HOLY TERROR HARDCORE of and at its very, very, very best!!! The whole album is incredible rich and more than 'just' great and in all honesty it's (nearly) perfect, yes, from start to finish, yes, and so I spare me the mentioning of any sort of personal favorite tracks because you definitely need to experience INTEGRITY's "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME" in all its larger than life glory. Fantastic lyrics, an outstanding gorgeous artwork, and a blasting'n'bombing production sound finally round it all up, yes, it's (at least nearly/almost) perfect, period. INTEGRITY's "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTNARE SHALL CONSUME" is an absolutely phenomenal and amazing album and one of the very, very best (and most unique) ones of 2017 and surely in years as well as for years to come, oh yes, and if I would have done a more sort of my 'traditional' year-retrospections on 2017 then you would find INTEGRITY's "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME" definitely in my personal top five (if not even in my personal top three) list. Okay, so I think now you should know all what you need to know so far and my last words here and now are that anyone and everybody only slightly into extreme (Hardcore) musick really have to know and own this absolutely mindblowing larger than life masterpiece. HARDCORE!!! FIST!!!
(10 of 10 points)
https://integrity.bandcamp.com/ (- the link to the Bandcamp site of the band)

INTEGRITY - "DIE WITH YOUR BOOTS ON" (2017, "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME")

*** ATF ASSAULT ***

Hey folks, today only a short post and once again you now get INTEGRITY, the almighty ones!!! A short more or less on moved pictures based video clip of their infamous larger-than-life anthem smasher "ATF ASSAULT". You find this great song on the INTEGRITY masterpiece "SEASONS IN THE SIZE OF DAYS" and you should really call this fantastic phenomenal record of this brilliant and legendary band your own. That's all for now, enjoy it, Metallic Hardcore at its damn very best, I love it!!! Honour and respect to Dwid and INTEGRITY, forever 'burning children to mist'...!!!

INTEGRITY - "ATF ASSAULT"

Way far too late... it was my damn fault... but here it finally comes, the review of the current INTEGRITY full length release...

INTEGRITY - "THE BLACKEST CURSE"
("Deathwish Inc."; CD):

Yeahr, one of my all-time favorite bands ever (Hardcore in particular, music in general) is damn finally back on track again. Okay, maybe it's also me that's just back on track again... Several 7'' singles and split releases they used to release over the years but all of that stuff was usually pretty strictly limited and went completly away on me. The last full length I got aware of it and used to listen to was the "CLOSURE" titled one and this was a total dissapointment for me. Had always been a big fan of INTEGRITY (esepcially the three totally larger-than-life groundbreaking and lifechanging albums "SYSTEMS OVERLOAD", "HUMANITY IS THE DEVIL" and "SEASONS IN THE SIZE OF DAYS") and also the INTEGRITY 2000 (or INTEG2000) stuff I always liked very, very much, anyhow, but "CLOSURE" was (and still is) total crap if ya ask me. Then their "TO DIE FOR" release... damn it, I only listened a few times when I was occupying the stereo-stations of friends to it and I can't tell ya why because I've heard always and everywhere that it should finally again be a fucking outstanding strong album and to judge by the very few listening sessions I've had with this one this could all be damn true. Okay, anyway, but now "THE BLACKEST CURSE" I call my own and thank the mighty Buddha for that circumstance. And what shall I say, they managed to take what they've done on their "SEASONS IN THE SIZE OF DAYS" masterpiece and they've freshed-it-all-up and took it over into this very days and made out of it something really very fresh and exciting, something damn interesting and grapping, point and fact. Metallic Hardcore the groundbreaking, lifechanging, challeging and demanding "HOLY TERROR" style of doing this stuff. It's all there, fast raging pace of the songs, all done damn well-versed and multi-layered as fuck, full of great suprising songwriting moments: Quick and short changes in pace and mood of the songs, up-shakin'-moments of the architecture and structure of the rhythm of the songs, a lot of great goodies when it comes to leads and solos, total destroying 'moshy' grooves and down beating phases of every song, each and every single song is also totally packed up full with an incredible intense and tight atmosphere that will give you one shower of goosepimples all over your body followed by the next one just in time, ah, and there's so much more that's waiting to be discovered. And of course we get all what you expect: Bonecracking guitar riffs, incredible atmospheric leads and totally neurotic and psychotic solos, devastating and all smashing drumming, a evil cracking bass, and above all Dwids incredible brutal and charismatic and stand-alone vocals (often copied but never rivaled), and that all breath-taking new and fresh and they really invent themselves somehow new with this one here. Great!!! I love this album!!! That brutal Hardcore is the concrete of INTEGRITYs music that's enriched by clichè-free harsh (Trash) Metal  should be clear for all of you (if not then tell me where the fuck you spend your life over the last one or two decades), and that the songwriting is above all doubts as well as their abilities to play their instruments should now be clear for all of you out there latest after this review as well. Best song is the incredible "BEFORE THE VVORLD WAS YOUNG", just listen to it and learn how things go!!! Pure platinum!!! Outstanding!!! But also all the other tracks are at least absolutely pure gold, if not even more. The production sound is a beauty as well as the sinister artwork, and the lyrics are typical INEGRITY stuff and so better prepare yourself for an abstract and demanding, challenging and uncompromising, exciting and grapping philosophical journey, damn great stuff!!! So, there's no need to say or write more, to call this one your own is nothing else but your damn duty, so get it and get it now (if you still don't have it anyway). Awesome!!! (10 of 10 points)

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

*** SYSTEMS OVERLOADING - FEAR ENVELOPS ME - CRY OUT FOR REDEMPTION - BLIND, FORGOTTEN, SEEN ***

Hey folks, last post for today (and it had already been quite a bit of postings this day) and don't ask me when the next posts will come up here (some-time this week for sure), and now you get a little 'Videos' posting for your enjoyment, and it's one of my all time ever favorite bands that's now featured here and now, the almighty INTEGRITY, and damn it, yeahr HOLY TERROR HARDCORE at its best!!! I FUCKIN' LOVE IT!!! No need for more words, just enjoy the clip of their truly larger-than-life anthem and real classic "SYSTEMS OVERLOAD", and the review of their current release will also finally come up soon here. That's all for now, soon more!!! And never forget: "HUMANITY IS THE DEVIL!!!"

INTEGRITY - "SYSTEMS OVERLOAD"