Inconvenience Store-Katabasis Epoch: Enter The 2nd Chapter of Hell

Braindead Media
2015

What's this? Two albums of covers in one day? You betcha! First we had Austin, Texas heavy/power metal band Ignitor with their "Mix Tape '85" and now we have Needham, Massachusetts' (experimental) punk/post-hardcore group Inconvenience Store with their latest release, "Katabasis Epoch: Enter The 2nd Chapter of Hell". Even if it's been awhile (the Summer of 2013 to be specific) Inconvenience Store are not exactly strangers to this site so it was a happy occurrence when I got word that not only did they have new music to share, but they were now signed to Boston's Braindead Media! That just goes to show you how good things come to those who persevere. Especially when you put in years of hard work like this experimental punk/post-hardcore band did! For those who don't know the story it goes a little something like this. Initially formed in the fall of 2011 by Non-GMO Meth and Kcutnief Rehsa Hanoj, Inconvenience Store started off as more of an idea than an actual band before fully becoming flesh and blood in March of 2012. Early on the group was comprised of teenage kids with high hopes (and more than enough talent to go around!) and (long story short) as the musicians have grown up and matured so has the actual music. Now rounded out by Mica Headphones, Inconvenience Store gives us their second studio offering with this extended-EP serving as the progressive follow-up to 2013's "Our Ambivalent Everything". Released this past summer on July 19th (8 days after my birthday in fact!), "Katabasis Epoch: Enter The 2nd Chapter of Hell" provides insight into the vast array of influences that this three piece band holds dear with groups like Black Flag, The Melvins and Naked Raygun finding common ground with The Buggles and Masafumi Takada of all people! It's a unique listening experience to be sure, but a rewarding one all the same. I'll stay away from any major spoilers other than to say that it all leads up to the 12 minute plus "Amezce No Reh Seulg". For the members of this Needham-based band things are obviously looking up so be sure to venture on over to their bandcamp page to see what all the fuse is about.

Bloodsoaked-Religious Apocalypse

Comatose Music 
2014 

After three years of (studio) silence one-man death metal band Bloodsoaked will make it's return on September 2nd. For fans of Death, Morbid Angel, Obituary, Decide and Cannibal Corpse that should be an important date as this Raleigh, North Carolina project has recorded an album that covers all the bases. New studio material? Yep. That would be "Devouring" , "Abomination" and the title cut. Live material? But of course! How about a few cover tracks to sweeten the deal? Well now, that is where this one really gets interesting! OK, make that awesome! You see Bloodsoaked, a "band" that was formed in 2006 and has three additional full-length releases to it's name, throws in not one, but TWO gems from the hard rock scene of yesterday! Getting the royal (brutal death metal) treatment are Cinderella's "Shake Me" and (a personal favorite of mine) Ratt's "You're In Love"! And for that sole reason I ENTHUSIASTICALLY recommend this upcoming release from Bloodsoaked! That's not to say that the original music that comes from Bloodsoaked is anything but enjoyable. The Brainchild of Peter Hasselbrack* (ex-Archaic Winter, ex-Deslok), Bloodsoaked does brutal death metal just about as well as anyone else. Scratch that. Bloodsoaked does a solid to the death metal scene and then some! As a vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Peter Hasselbrack is in fine form here as he is equally skilled in both areas. The original material offered here falls right in line with the above mentioned acts as Peter does a smash-up job at balancing technical death metal with the more extreme side of the genre. Ending with live versions of "Suicide" , "No God" , "Infestation" and "Grinding Your Guts" (all of which prove this band's ability to pull off it's sound in a live setting!) the new album "Religious Apocalypse" was a pleasant surprise and one that should appease both old fans and new!

*On a side note Peter looks a lot like "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff!

You can pre-order "Religious Apocalypse" here:

http://www.comatosemusic.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4892&osCsid=f5hcceibti223spq0q6de4cb03