There is something rather horrific about this trio of US releases on Southern Lord. Each one seeks to carve deep penetrating auditory scars within your fragile psyche by exuding corrosive and barraging music that sits entrenched within core like manifestations, that’s hardcore and grindcore by the way in case you were wondering.
All Pigs Must Die – Nothing Violates This Nature
All Pigs Must Die start the roundup of the trio and this Boston hardcore troupe boasts the battering drum talents of one Ben Koller (Converge) within its ranks alongside notables from The Hope Conspiracy and Bloodhorse. The moment “Chaos Arise” erupts into life the power and thrusting aggression is enormous, with each vocal line venomously hurled out drenched in stomach acid and puke. Recorded with the help of Kurt Ballou (also of Converge) this is a rampaging slab of vitriolic aural violence that bombards the unsuspecting listener with unfettered primal rage on “Silencer” and just about every single tune recorded here. There is a slaughtering vehemence embedded in every song with “Primitive Fear” being a cracking example of a flawless sonic assault. As with a lot of modern hardcore acts there is the twist here and there and “Bloodlines” has a post hardcore drive exemplified by acts like Kvelertak in places. The atmosphere is still rancorously hostile despite the experimental savagery that is unleashed on “Holy Plague”. “Aqim Siege” is virtually into grindcore territory due to its speed and face smashing intensity. Few bands could match the ferocity of this sophomore making this a monstrous ten song invasion of palpable malice. (8.5/10)
https://www.facebook.com/apmdband
Centuries – Taedium Vitae
Second up is Floridian hardcore crew Centuries with their debut full length which only just makes it past the 20 minute mark. A distorted feedback laden intro has that live feel soaked into it, the build up is terrifying as you await the opening song, which is “Caeruleus” as the first thing to strike is the truly acerbic vocal delivery. This guy sounds like he’s gargling caustic soda through a broken glass filter in his throat. The pace is straight up hardcore but the riffing also has a deft blackened touch which may sound weird but adds considerable befouling anger to the songs. Punctuating their songs is a sludge metal avalanche that saturates the listener in enveloping dread. The sonic vandalism unleashed is frighteningly extreme as the sound is explosive on “Gelu” and “Metus”. In places this reminded me of Coilguns due to the uncontrolled time changes and in your face wrath. “Pessum Ire” starts post hardcore as does “Grave Cordibus” but the aggression lurks ominously around as the former even has blast beats inserted which work marvellously to amplify the bedlam taking place on this murderous album. (8.5/10)
https://www.facebook.com/centuriesfl
Dead In The Dirt – Blind Hole
Final act on this Southern Lord roundup is grindcore exponents Dead In The Dirt who release their debut full length after a flurry of EPs and seven inchers. This is a spiteful album that couples straight hardcore riffing to grindcore blast workouts, sort of like The Afternoon Gentlemen in some respects. The power and sheer blasting terror is manifestly petrifying on the first three songs which are over in less than two minutes. “Strength Through Restraint” has distortion led sludge for you to traipse through before “Idiot Bliss” blasts that sludge into oblivion in a way similar to Coke Bust. “You Bury Me” is inundated with feedback as the vocals are unflinchingly pernicious on “Skullbinding” and “Mask”. Comparatively you could name Wormrot and Insect Warfare for the sheer anarchic terror but I think this has more within its writing such as the massive amounts of hardcore groove on “No Chain”. “Will Is The War” is insane with a cracking bass line and more sludge to wallow around in. With 22 songs to pick at some are over before you’ve even had time to think and one thing I would have liked is the lyrics as I know that DITD has a vegan, straight edge and atheist stance politically and I suspect that hasn’t changed with this release. Every tune here is a sonic brain bombing incendiary device out to cause as much lobotomising damage as possible with mental songs like “Vein”, “The Last Nail” and Two Flames” being the perfect tools to ably perform this function on your withering cranium. (9/10)
https://www.facebook.com/deadinthedirt
(Martin Harris)
Leave a Reply