ALBUM REVIEW: A Pale Horse Named Death, “When The World Becomes Undone"

By: Elliot Paisley


Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 18/01/2019
Label: Long Branch Records

A bold and defiant display of the group’s collective talents, “When The World Becomes Undone” highlights the strengths of his band – atmospheric build, riffs and conviction in performances.

“When The World Becomes Undone” CD//DD//LP track listing:

. As It Begins

2. When The World Becomes Undone

3. Love The Ones You Hate

4. Fell In My Hole

5. Succumbing To The Event Horizon

6. Vultures

7. End Of Days

8. The Woods

9. We All Break Down
10. Lay With The Wicked

11. Splinters

12. Dreams Of The End

13. Closure

The Review:

Formed in Brooklyn by one Sal Abruscato, A Pale Horse Named Death have come to be viewed as the spiritual successor to Type O Negative, one of the finest metal bands of the 1990s. The primary purveyors of sexual synth-laden gothic doom metal, they released a string of classic albums, complete with sludgy pop-covers and 11 minute odes to hair dye. Their career was tragically cut short by the untimely death of their enigmatic frontman, Peter Steele, following the release of their splendid, but unintended and absurdly underrated swan-song “Dead Again”. The band rightly saw no future without him, and they ultimately dissolved. A Pale Horse Named Death have been hoping to carry on the legacy of the legendary group who preceded them, and “When The World Becomes Undone” is their first effort in 6 years.

Despite being only present for the early days of Type O Negative, Abruscato had an immense impact. On 1991’s savage and menacing “Slow, Deep and Hard” and the follow-up, 1992’s delightful faux-live album “The Origin Of The Feces”, complete with fake boos from the crowd and the production credit for notorious 19^th century freak-show ringleader P.T. Barnum, the unmistakeable groove of Abruscato propelled this New-York gothic-doom four-piece. He was essential in turbo-charging their music to its explosive limits. They were certainly a curious commodity, but it was only with the release of 1993’s “Bloody Kisses”, a wildly inventive breakout album, that the band reached their final form. It would prove to be the final album to serve Abruscato, who would go on to be replaced by Johnny Kelly (although the band, rather insultingly, would often employ a drum machine in the studio).

It is a surprising turn of events then that Abruscato and Kelly have joined forces, with the former taking vocal and guitar duties while the latter remains behind the kit. The remaining line up has seemingly been a revolving of accomplished but obscure musicians, and perhaps it is for this reason that A Pale Horse Named Death are seen as the successor of Type O, for it certainly isn’t the music.

There are some similarities; the music is not short of riffs, they are unafraid of the use of the synths, and the band are happy to take their time reaching their destination. However, even within these common links, there are differences which make themselves immediately clear. Type O’s unmistakeable chamber synths have been traded for more organic, authentic lavishes of instrumentation, as shown most effectively on the title-track. Furthermore, the riffs present on “When The World Becomes Undone” lumber more than they slam, and individually, the songs present less variety. The band are likely to take an idea to its logical conclusion rather than surprise the listener. This is by no means a negative trait, in fact this is often the norm in doom metal, and in this case it even shows APHND stretching their wings.

The album highlight, “Splinters”, calls upon the more recent work of Amebix as well as Danzig’s classic era. A bold and defiant display of the group’s collective talents, it highlights the strengths of his band – atmospheric build, riffs and conviction in performances. This is a key example of them playing to their strengths, and it would be wise of this group to continue to experiment in this realm in the future. By diluting the direct Sabbath influences with punk and gothic influences, the band distinguish themselves from their countless and often unremarkable peers.

The album does suffer some fatal flaws however. Vocally, the band are lacking all the necessary charisma. Despite all the best will in the world, people are always going to compare this group to Type O Negative, who boasted one of the most alluring frontmen of the decade in Peter Steele. Boasting an irresistible dry wit and knack for language, often delivered in his haunting baritone, his charm was one of the primary factors for their success; one need only watch his now infamous appearance on Jerry Springer, where he manages to seduce a crowd of conservative women itching to boo him, to see how potent he was in this regard. This may seem a miniature aspect to the band, but it was the root of much of their appeal. Here however, Abruscato doesn’t have nearly the same talent. He’s a passable frontman, but it does prove a sore point for both the band and the album.

The band suffer their lack of charisma when compared to Type O Negative, but even when analysed as their own entity without the weight of history on their shoulders, the band don’t stand out in the way they ought to. Despite boasting decades of experience among them, the band struggle to establish a personal identity, and in a style of music seemingly as stagnant as this, it proves to be problematic. The band are a perfectly functional supergroup, but they never do enough to escape the shadow of their history, and it does often taint the listening experience.

A Pale Horse Named Death are unlikely to ever be held up as an extraordinary, or even significant, band, but perhaps that’s not their purpose. Perhaps they are to be remembered as a perfectly functional doom-metal supergroup who possess moments of true greatness. There’s enough on “When The World Comes Undone” to suggest they have room to grow, and that’s an admirable trait. The band also show sustained conviction, a quality often rare in super-groups. The band sound hungry, and that takes them a long way. While the final product is a mildly underwhelming presentation this time around, there is still hope they will capitalize on their cumulative talents in the future.

“When The World Becomes Undone” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Soilwork, “Verkligheten”

By: Elliot Paisley

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 11/01/2019

Label: Nuclear Blast

 

“Verkligheten” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Verkligheten
2. Arrival
3. Bleeder Despoiler
4. Full Moon Shoals

5. The Nurturing Glance
6. When The Universe Spoke
7. Stålfågel (feat. Alissa White-Gluz)
8. The Wolves Are Back In Town
9. Witan
10. The Ageless Whisper
11. Needles And Kin (feat. Tomi Joutsen)
12. You Aquiver (feat. Dave Sheldon)

The Review:  

Soilwork are a key example of a band being in the wrong place but at the right time. Their native Helsingborg is a small town in Sweden, closer to Copenhagen, Denmark than it is to melo-death mecca Gothenburg. Forming in late 1995, they were in prime position to take the place of At The Gates, frontrunners of the scene soon to disband and join the ranks among Dark Tranquillity and In Flames. However, this ultimately failed to manifest.

The band were never held in the same esteem as their contemporaries, and the reason why is curious. Could it be geography? Were they late to the party? Nevertheless, since their inception, the band have remained outsiders.

Their influence however must not be underestimated. Perhaps more than any other melodic death metal band, they have also had a remarkably apparent influence on the boom of American metalcore in the early 2000s, with such bands as Killswitch Engage, Unearth and particularly Trivium taking direct influence and appropriating the band’s flair for juddering rhythms and electrifying melody. Their work has even infiltrated the mainstream, as commercial heavyweights such as Avenged Sevenfold and Bullet for My Valentine have taken direct influence. They may not have been the originators, but Soilwork managed to wrangle a complex and whirling form of extreme metal and given it life in the limelight, despite not entirely enjoying such commercial success themselves.

Despite this, Soilwork could never boast about their consistency. While “Natural Born Chaos”, “Figure Number Five” and “Stabbing the Drama” each helped establish them as one of the leading lights of melodic death metal, the two following albums showed Soilwork making a beeline for the mainstream. Perhaps following in the footsteps of Dark Tranquillity, who embraced clean vocals and a gothic sheen, and In Flames, who explored alternative metal like that of Deftones, Soilwork began to take from the metalcore bands they had previously influenced. Both “Sworn to a Great Divide” and “The Panic Broadcast” felt derivative rather than defiant, and there was a worry that Soilwork were to fade from former glories, much like their contemporaries.

However, 2013 saw a tremendous return to form with the ambitious double-record “The Living Infinite”. Embracing their early victories and taking that formula into exciting new territory, the 20-song set helped establish Soilwork as a great band once again and quashed all doubt of their quality. It remains as one of the finest albums in their career Soilwork in good stead for the future. This campaign was furthered with the excellent 2016 effort “The Ride Majestic”, which was a leaner, meaner release than its predecessor and was welcomed by fans and critics alike. Improving on the progress made on “The Living Infinite”, the band made what was perhaps their most effective and successful album to date.

This has put “Verkligheten” in a curious position; on one hand, the band are in a strong position, having earnt back the trust of fans with the preceding two releases, but on the other, they now have a reputation to live up to. It is a relief to report that “Verkligheten” suffers no downfall, and instead further establishes Soilwork as perhaps a sole truly reliable band in melodic death metal.

The performances on this album are absolutely superb, from the opening moments of the instrumental title track, with it’s curious slide-guitar over tribal-drums aesthetic to the glorious string-bends which close the album, the band are on astounding form. This is the first album with Bastian Thusgaard, who has inherited the drum stool following the departure of Dirk Verbeuren who has recently become the full-time drummer for Megadeth, and he proves himself with an exceptional performance. Fiery and fluid, the percussion on this album mercifully swerves the traps that often laid within this style of music of feeling contrived and repetitive. It bolsters the album along and gives it a sense of pace that allows the album to feel light on its feet while also accenting the heavier passages.

The instrumentation is well-performed and tastefully composed, but perhaps the most impressive work on this album comes from vocalist Bjorn Strid, who has continued to improve album-on-album, with “Verkligheten” perhaps being his most accomplished performance yet. In a 20+ year career, to see a vocalist (particularly in metal) continuing to improve his craft is a rare thing. His screeches are furious and his cleans serene; it’s not a new formula, but when it is done to a high standard it remains refreshing.

The guitar-work is also electrifying, with soaring Maiden lead-wails providing a superb juxtaposition to the rhythm guitar’s punishing grunt. The album’s stand-out track “Witan” is a perfect example of this, with the low-end at its heaviest and the lead work at its most heavenly. Again, it’s not an entirely original formula, but when it is done with such conviction, it is still irresistible.

However, the album isn’t flawless. Perhaps most interestingly though, the primary flaws of this album are not really the fault of the band. The production job on the album, while complimenting the sweeter, more melodic passages of the album, can’t help but make certain passages feel less savage than they ought to. It’s far cleaner than it ought to be, and this is a pandemic among these types of bands; many of them appear afraid to embrace gritty production jobs, despite the fact that they would be far improved for it.

The band are their most electrifying when they let themselves off the leash and sound positively rabid, and at times it feels as though the band are restraining themselves. Closing track “You Aquiver”, while boasting some joyous melodies, does occasionally stray too far into Final-Fantasy territory, which is far from Soilwork playing to their strengths. It’s a markedly less-heavy album than what the band have put out recently, which isn’t inherently a bad thing, but it does show Soilwork moving away from the sweet-spot ever so slightly.

Despite these flaws, “Verkligheten” is still a great album. Soilwork may never be as good as In Flames, Dark Tranquillity or At The Gates at their heights; even their finest works don’t match up with “Clayman”, “The Gallery” or “Slaughter Of The Soul”, but in 2019, they are certainly one of the finest commodities within this style of music. Were it not for last year’s excellent “To Drink From The Night Itself”, a superb return to form by At The Gates, it would be difficult to find a peer for Soilwork in the modern age. “Verkligheten” may not be quite as exceptional as the preceding two albums, but it does more than enough to establish their dependability over 20 years in.

“Verkligheten” is available HERE

Band info: facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Terrorizer, "Caustic Attack"

By: Elliot Paisley


Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 12/10/2018

Label: The End Records

On “Caustic Attack” Terrorizer at times sound positively apocalyptic.

“Caustic Attack” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Turbulence
2. Invasion
3. Conflict And Despair
4. Devastate

5. Crisis
6. Infiltration
7. The Downtrodden
8. Trench Of Corruption
9. Sharp Knives
10. Failed Assassin
11. Caustic Attack
12. Poison Gas Tsunami
13. Terror Cycles
14. Wasteland

The Review:

There are few bands in the history of grindcore as significant as Terrorizer, and yet they remain unsung heroes. Napalm Death lay the foundations, alongside contemporaries such as Extreme Noise Terror and Repulsion, but one could argue Terrorizer’s work has seen more of a direct influence.

The band is perhaps most acclaimed for their wildly savage debut, 1989’s “World Downfall”, which famously featured extreme metal demigods, David Vincent of Morbid Angel and Jesse Pintado, who would later join Napalm Death. With the incorporation of a more guttural vocal style as well as more technically accomplished riff work, while still maintaining the necessary socio-political aspect, this interpretation of the style has shown longevity, present in bands such as Wormrot, Nasum, and Insect Warfare. The album was more arcane and menacing than any grindcore album that had come before, and tragically, for 17 years it appeared to be the sole, defiant statement this band would make.

The band has since reformed twice. Firstly, in 2005 to release the so-so “Darker Days Ahead”, which displayed the band performing in a more linear fashion, instead of performing more of the straight-forward death metal Sandoval had been producing with his long-time day-job, Morbid Angel. The album would prove to be the final release featuring Jesse Pintado to be released in his lifetime, and while many look back on it as a fairly unimpressive swansong for an extraordinary character, the album still had moments which would please any fan anticipating their return. The 2012 follow-up

“Hordes of Zombies” proved to be a further disappointment, virtually disregarding the savage hardcore that is so vital to impressive grindcore, and instead striving for a sluggish take on death metal. All hopes appeared dashed in relation to Terrorizer, as many began to forgivably disregard interest in their future.

When a long-standing band releases an album, fans often struggle to resist comparing it to their classic works, for better or for worse. In most cases, it is a valid comparison to make.  However, in the case of Terrorizer, it is important to make such a distinction; on “Caustic Attack”, they are down to just a single original member. With the exception of Sandoval, everyone on this album is making a debut performance. This could lead one to question the chemistry of this group; a band with a 30-year legacy ought to have remarkable chemistry, and this could prove difficult when 2/3rds of the band joined in 2013. However, it immediately becomes clear this is not an issue for Terrorizer, as “Caustic Attack” proves to be their most artistically successful album since their 2005 reformation.

It appears Terrorizer (or perhaps just Sandoval) have acknowledged they are a far more impressive grindcore band than they are a death metal band, and for the first time since coming back, they are leaning on that crutch. This provides an immediate refreshing quality to the album; gone is the continuous dirge of low-energy death metal the band have been pedalling for years, and present instead is a more violent, splintered attack. While still not as savage as the band's contemporaries, with Napalm Death and Pig Destroyer still proving they can be more menacing and grotesque than ever, there is an obvious improvement here. The band is clearly superior when they focus on 1-minute displays of brutality, highlights of the album including “Turbulence”, “Invasion”, “Poison Gas Tsunami”, and the intoxicating title-track.

The album is by no means flawless; firstly, some of the tracks are still overly long. Numerous tracks approach 5 minutes, and all of them prove to be the most tiresome moments on the record. The attacks feel dulled when they’re stretched out in this nature and these longer songs are simply not warranted.  The production is also a curiosity; it sounds more sharp and well-shaped than any of their past albums, and yet it feels lacking in the low-end and, in some moments, almost sparse. Were this given a production job courtesy of Kurt Ballou, Will Yip or Arthur Risk, this album would see an immediate improvement, and perhaps the tiresome ‘long songs’ would feel more digestible.

Overall, Terrorizer and their fans can call “Caustic Attack” a success; the band has cured some of the glaring ills present on their post-reunion works, as well as writing some songs that fans can genuinely look forward to hearing live and have earnt a place in their set list on merit alone. Grindcore is at its best when it feels like a disaster and on “Caustic Attack”, even if only for brief moments, Terrorizer sound positively apocalyptic.

“Caustic Attack” is available now

Band info: facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Ultha, "The Inextricable Wandering"

By: Elliot Paisley

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 05/10/2018

Label: Century Media Records

On “The Inextricable Wandering”, Ultha have shown both potential for the future and a mastery of what they have already achieved.

“The Inextricable Wandering” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. The Avarist (Eyes Of A Tragedy)
2. With Knives To The Throat And Hell In Your Heart

3. There Is No Love, High Up In The Gallows
4. Cyanide Lips
5. We Only Speak In Darkness
6. I’m Afraid To Follow You There

The Review: 

While having a well-renowned pedigree for producing exceptional heavy metal, Germany has scarcely produced a black metal outfit who can compete with their Scandinavian and North American competition. It’s a curious blemish; thrash metal, power metal, classic heavy metal and even death metal all have Teutonic titans. Yet, there isn’t a German black metal band who can be held in the same regard as Wolves In The Throne Room or Altar Of Plagues, much less Burzum, Bathory and Emperor. However, while Ultha are still in what is, comparably, the embryonic of their career (having only formed in 2014), the potential displayed on their 3^rd studio effort “The Inextricable Wandering” more than makes them worthy of attention.

It is vocally where the album stands out in its more defiant form. The stereotypical vocal employed in black-metal has, over the decades, developed into a fairly limiting art form. With seemingly either a banshee-wail or a demonic rasp being the two options one can employ, it is wildly refreshing when bands strive into unexplored territory. The vocals present on this album, while sparse, provide a more guttural, avant-garde counterpart to the chilling instrumentation. With a duelling vocal dynamic that owes more to both Douglas Pearce and Nick Holmes than to Ihsahn and Cronos, the band explore peculiar frontiers, and makes for a welcome, refreshing listen. Black metal, to those who care less for it, is often described as a limiting art form. While it is true that there are key tropes commonly adopted by countless black metal outfits, this can also be part of the charm. Like fans of slasher films, those who worship this style of music often enjoy the rules and boundaries, seeing them as guidance rather than restrictions. While there is something to be said about tunnel-vision allegiance to the rules of a bygone era, it is far more refreshing to hear deviation, especially of such a high standard.

Musically, admittedly, there isn’t a great deal to report; Ultha play atmospheric black metal, a genre which has suffered from overpopulation, but it is performed to a standard of brilliance. While the genre has indeed grown saturated and many dedicated black-metal fans have accused it of expiration, it is performed with quality and conviction that it is impossible to resist. It provides a stark, monochrome backdrop to the superb vocal performances, and allows the songs to breathe in the way they warrant.

The production job on this album is also something to behold. In the last decade, it has become more acceptable for black metal artists to opt for more professional production. Both major-label players like Dimmu Borgir or Cradle of Filth as well as cult icons such as Forteresse and Agalloch have encouraged the presence of clean, lavish instrumentation, and that effect can be felt on this album. “The Inextricable Wandering” would not be half the album it is if the material was quashed with a sub-par production, and this is the finest Ultha have sounded so far. On past albums, they’ve shown ambition in this regard but failed to do justice to their capabilities but now, perhaps with the backing of Century Media, they have the tools available and the know-how needed to improve their art and it’s made all the more tremendous for it.

Ultha are still new to the world; they’ve not even been a band for five years. Yet, on “The Inextricable Wandering”, they have shown both potential for the future and a mastery of what they have already achieved. With three albums now under their belt, it is clear that they have progressed at an extraordinary rate, and they’ve finally released an album that justifies their talents. It’s exciting to ponder at where this band may go next. All we know for sure is that we can trust them.

“The Inextricable Wandering” is available HERE

 

Band info: facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Author & Punisher, "Beastland"

By: Elliot Paisley


Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 05/10/2018

Label: Relapse Records

The savagery does not dilute in the presence of melody, and instead, it complements the moments of pure mayhem that are indeed present throughout.

“Beastland” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Pharmacide
2. Nihil Strength
3. Ode to Bedlam
4. The Speaker is Systematically Blown

5. Nazarene
6. Apparition
7. Night Terror
8. Beastland

The Review:

There is no artist in the world quite like Author & Punisher. One may accuse such a statement of hyperbole or ignorance, but when one analyses the character of the man and the nature of his work, it is clear such art is being made without relevant precedent. Aesthetically there is influence from Godflesh, Nine Inch Nails and Throbbing Gristle, but even those bands feel entirely distant from what Stone is producing. While the project can be loosely defined as a ‘one-man industrial doom metal band’, when one discovers the story behind it and the music being produced, this feels woefully lacking.

Tristan Stone, the brainchild ofA&P , is not just a musician, but also a mechanical engineer. This may sound like unnecessary trivia, but it is important to bear in mind when listening to this album. The majority of the instrumentation and controllers he uses, affectionally labeled "Dub Machines" and "Drone Machines", are designed and constructed by Shone from raw materials and electronic circuitry. This level of individualism scares off pretenders, who are simply incapable of recreating it. His live performances employ the same tools, and visually it barelen resembles a musical recital.

“Beastland” is his 6th studio album, but it was only on his album “Melk En Honing” when the music world at large appeared to finally take notice. While it is evident that the metal community has been far more welcoming of Author & Punisher than experimental music circles, he is just at home in both. A guest appearance on Cattle Decapitation’s 2015 effort “The Anthropocene Extinction” endeared him and signing to Phil Anselmo’s Housecore Records endeared him further to metal fans, to the point where Relapse Records took notice and employed him on their roster 2 years ago. Following up “Melk En Honing” was no easy task, and many feared that A&P, like their influences, was doomed to fall into repetition and not explore the necessary frontiers

However, on this album, perhaps with the confidence that comes with the backing of a cult fanbase, Author & Punisher has strode into even more experimental territory. This is the most wildly diverse album he’s released thus far, and for that reason, it is also his finest achievement. Music of this nature can wear on one’s psyche upon repeated, unrelenting listens. However, “Beastland”, with its refreshing experimentation and unwillingness to compromise, cures this ill. While there are plenty of ‘home comforts’ (for lack of a better term) present here, with such songs as “Pharmacide”, “Nihil Strength” and “Night Terror” providing the unrelenting, atonal bludgeoning fans have grown so dependent on, A&P remains unafraid to explore new horizons. “Apparition” and “The System Has Systematically Blown” sees Stone channelling his inner Trent Reznor, as his will for arcane melody bleeds through to the surface. This is the closest they have come to replicating the style of another band, and it would possibly prove problematic to fans, was it not done to such a marvellous standard. The savagery does not dilute in the presence of melody, and instead, it complements the moments of pure mayhem that are indeed present throughout.


This album is also the most complete work in his discography: never before has he released a collection as all-encompassing with as an impressive a scope as here. From the opening crushing moments of “Pharmacide”, likely to liquidize your teeth if listened to at too unforgiving a volume, to the closing moments of the title track, an angular and alluring finale, the album drags you through a merciless nightmare, meticulously engineered by Stone. In the past, he has shown promise of such accomplished creativity, but all his past works pale in comparison to what has been done here.

Author & Punisher remain one of the most exciting acts in underground music, and it is only a matter of time before the world at large acknowledges the importance of his work. Whether it be in our lifetime or simply in the coming years, let it be known that Tristan Stone will receive the praise he deserves beyond his existing community, and “Beastland” is all the proof necessary.

“Beastland” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Erosion, "Maximum Suffering"

 By: Elliot Paisley


Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 19/10/2018

Label: Hydra Head Records

 

“Maximum Suffering” is a blistering portrayal of tunnel vision brutality and is far more hateful and savage than you could have ever assumed

 

“Maximum Suffering” DD//LP track listing:

1) Maximum Suffering
2) Everything Is Fucked
3) Need For Death
4) Human Error
5) Serpent Lust
6) The Crone
7) Deep In Hell
8) We Have Failed Us
9) Scorched Earth
10) Black Waves
11) Storm Of Steel
12) Dusted
13) Consumed

The Review:

In 2012, it was reported that Hydra Head would be closing their doors. Founded in 1993 by Aaron Turner, who would eventually go on to form Isis (or Celestial, for all intents and purposes), the label would be home to such heavyweights as Cave In, Xasthur, Jesu and Botch. It was a stamp of approval you could trust; they scarcely put out anything which was less than tremendous, and they provided a haven for those who had fallen out of love with the major-label metal being pedalled at the time – Limp Bizkit were topping the charts and Xasthur was a glorious antidote.

When news spread of the label’s closure in 2012, it was a day of mourning for all fans of underground metal. However, it would eventually prove to have been a slight exaggeration. Turner announced that the label would continue to release and reissue their past releases, and eventually it was decided they would continue to release music on a case-by-case basis. While not quite what we had all hoped for, it was a compromise we could accept.

In this case, the band is Erosion. A ‘supergroup’ of sorts, formed by 3 members of Vancouver’s favourite unsung crusty-hardcore heroes Baptists, with vocals provided by Jamie Hooper, perhaps most famous for at one time providing the harsh-vocals in the sadly-defunct heavy metal revivalists 3 Inches of Blood. On paper, this is a peculiar and curious combination – Baptists are famed for their unforgiving meld of d-beat, crust and hardcore with a black metal bleaching, whereas 3 Inches Of Blood were a triumphant tribute to old-school heavy metal, unflinching in their willingness to recreate the tropes which many mock the genre for adopting.. One would be forgiven for assuming “Maximum Suffering” could limp out of the speakers as a crude mess which lacks emulsion.

The resulting album, however, is a blistering portrayal of tunnel vision brutality and is far more hateful and savage than you could have ever assumed. One glimpse at the track-list and one is confronted with a mission statement: “Everything Is Fucked”, “Need For Death”, “Human Error”, “Deep In Hell”, “We Have Failed Us”. It is abundantly clear what the socio-political outlook of this band is, and they remain unapologetic of this stance throughout the 13 tracks.

Musically, the album is more than simply an amalgam of 3 Inches of Blood and Baptists. A wretched combination of Trap Them, Entombed, Brutal Truth, Darkthrone and Infest, the sheer sound of what they produce is totally arresting. The performances on this album are all superb, with Hooper’s vocals finally able to tear in the way they threatened to while in 3 Inches of Blood, now more untamed than ever before. In his old-band, he was sharing vocal duties with Cam Pipes, whose Halford-esque wail providing a startling offset to Hooper’s shriek. Here, he is the sole vocalist, and the pressure is on to capture the audience’s attention and man the mission solo,  and it is a joy to announce he has more than stepped up to the plate and given what is perhaps the most accomplished performance of his career.

 The band is on similarity savage form, with the apocalyptic rhythm section underpinning the chaotic guitar-work. The production accents the attack, the songs aren’t written with a gentle touch, nor are they strokes of genius, but when performed with such conviction, this hardly matters at all.

The only shame of this album is timing, and that’s hardly the band’s fault. 2018, as a year, has proven the most difficult time for hardcore bands, solely due to competition and the ensuing struggle to stand out. Code Orange have popularized the genre and achieved Grammy nods by incorporating elements of IDM, industrial music and 90s alternative metal like that of Type O Negative and Pantera.

Turnstile have become the hottest commodity in the scene with their absolutely astounding sophomore effort “Time & Space”, a joyous amalgam of Trapped Under Ice, Metallica, Helmet and Jane’s Addiction. Outfits such as Employed To Serve, Palm Reader, Jesus Piece and Harm’s Way have all released diverse and critically-acclaimed albums in the last two years and so for many people, the no-frills hardcore presented on “Maximum Suffering” may fall short of the mark. 

Those people are doing themselves a disservice, as this album is one of the finest examples of pure blistering hardcore to be released in some time. By no means are Erosion reinventing the wheel, they are instead fashioning it into a buzz-saw.

If Hydra Head are going to continue being highly selective in their releases, fans are only going to remain loyal to the label if the quality is maintained. With “Maximum Suffering”, it is clear that Turner maintains his keen ear for outstanding, uncompromising music and Erosion ought to be very proud of what they have accomplished here.

“Maximum Suffering” is available HERE

Band info: facebook || bandcamp