Album Type:
Full-Length
Date
Released: 24/03/2015
Label:
Housecore Records
‘Stratagem’
CD//LP//DD track listing:
1. Source
2. Splinter
3. Risen
4. Artifice
5. Design
6. Crutch
7. Meridian
Fulgora is:
B. L. LaMew | Guitar, Vocals
John Jarvis | Bass
Adam Jarvis | Drums
Sparky Voyles | Guitar (live)
Review:
Fulgora is likely to get some extra ears and
eyeballs even before anyone hears it, with Adam and John Jarvis of Pig
Destroyer being the rhythm section of the band, even if Fulgora is pretty
different from Pig Destroyer musically. In reality, aside from sharing a
bassist and drummer, the only connections Fulgora and Pig Destroyer share are
being thoroughly pissed off and being flush with savage riffs. ‘Stratagem’
has a considerable hardcore influence, most strongly represented in
guitarist/vocalist B.L. LaMew’s throat-grating shout. Musically, Fulgora
are a frenzied blend of grind, death metal and hardcore, splicing the musical
DNA of Nostromo, Napalm Death and Cryptopsy circa ‘Whisper Supremacy’. With
‘Stratagem’ clocking in at nineteen minutes, Fulgora don’t waste any time.
While this is listed as a full length, it’s only a full length in the way that
Assück’s ‘Misery Index’ is considered a full length.
The short run time might be to Fulgora’s
advantage, as there’s a lot to take in, even in such a short period of time.
Taking ‘Artifice’ as an example for the whole album, you’ll hear a mixture of
convulsive drums and guitar bends, blistering grindcore blasts, hacking palm
muted guitar riffs and even more besides. There are brief doses of atmosphere
and melody to serve as reprieve here and there, but otherwise you’re largely in
for variations on similar musical themes over the the 7 tracks on offer.
What Fulgora do, they do as well as anyone going
right now, but I’d be dishonest if I didn’t admit that I’m hoping for a bit
more variety from future releases. Whether that comes in the form of wider
variation in tempo, or expanding the different emotional tones the guitars work
with, or maybe trying some different vocal techniques would do the trick,
though traditional singing would likely be a bad fit. ‘Stratagem’ is an excellent
foundation to build from though, make no mistake about it.
Words by:
Daniel Jackson
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