Grate-You Should Be

Social Blasphemy Records
2017

The brainchild of vocalist/guitarist Nick Holmquists (Aisumasen), Grate is a Gothenburg, Sweden-based outfit that was formed in 2001 and is now on album number three with "You Should Be". At first Grate was a solo project for Chris. Over time though new band members were introduced. With new members and new albums the group slowly but surely evolved into the beast that stands before us now. These days the band's influences seem to run the gamut from Godflesh, Fudge Tunnel, and Killing Joke all the way up to Prong and Helmet. Not quite industrial metal, noise rock, hardcore heavy metal, or even raw metal, Grate is a little bit of all of the above and then a whole hell of a lot more! While it was actually released over the summer of 2017, "You Should Be" is as hot and dangerous now as it has ever been!! Thanks to it's bleak industrial edge and hard as hell attitude, Grate's latest recording should appeal to a wide array of metal fans.

Vile Display Of Humanity-Vile Display Of Humanity

Forever Autumn Records
2015


Born in Chicago, IL in the summer of 2007 (with Seattle, Wash. serving as their current base of operations) Vile Display of Humanity is a socially-active & politically-charged thrash-punk band that is lead by Doug Mitchell and (at least on this 20-track album!) rounded out by David Foster (lead guitar), Jake Youngberg (vocals, guitar), Marty Petric (bass), and Aaron Hatch (drums). Heavily influenced by bands like The Exploited, Leftover Crack, The Misfits, Born Against, M.D.C. and Discharge, Vile Display Of Humanity approaches life with a D.I.Y. mentality in mind and that includes this self-titled album which was recorded on guitarist David Foster's laptop! Despite how that sounds, "Vile Display Of Humanity" is actually a solid release through and through and there is hardly a sour note to be found on this hardcore-leaning follow-up to 2013's "Beaten, Bandaged, & Ready". It should go without saying (as I do this same rant over and over!), but this kind of socially-conscious "crossover" is sorely missed in this day and age. There are hardly any group's left these days that know how to properly merge the meatiness of punk and hardcore with a proper message and that makes this highly pissed-off recording all the more comforting to this old punk/metal rocker. As the album also comes armed with some seriously sick raw metal riffs and it boasts a bottom-end heaviness that would make Motörhead's Lemmy smile in delight there is more than enough heavy metal love to go around when it comes to this buzz-worthy release! So, whether you are a punk or a headbanger (or somewhere in between like yours truly!) there is something here to enjoy! Just released this past May, "Vile Display Of Humanity" should pick up steam as more people start to hear about it and for the sake of our all too boring and tragically predicable scene I really do hope that is the case.

Hay Perro-Desert Of Nowhere

Self-Release/Independent
2014

Formed back in 2006, Chicago, Illinois's own Hay Perro first appeared on our site back in March of 2011 thanks to their bad ass debut album, "Eastern Ideas of Death"*, before taking part in an excellent interview with site founder Metal Mark the following month (http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2011/04/interview-with-brian-and-chris-of-hay.html). It was that very interview which peaked my interest in this Chicago "crossover" band and now (after three long years of waiting) we finally get to hear the band's sophomore output "Desert Of Nowhere". Released earlier this month, and unfortunately only available as a digital download at the moment, "Desert Of Nowhere" is (sadly) Hay Perro's swansong. That unfortunate announcement (and indeed it is one once you've had a chance to let this punk/hardcore/heavy metal band rampage you're body like some crazed, meth-fueled grizzly bear freaking the freak out!) was included with the e-mail inquiring as to whether or not we would be interested in covering this release (the obvious answer was HELL FUCKING YES). Still, if this 10-track fist punch to the face album (one which sets the pace early on thanks to the two minute plus opener "Upheaval Dome" before running you over with the kick in the head cut "Arm The Children") is to be the last we hear from Hay Perro then by all that is Hell Fucking Bent For Heavy Metal it's a good way to call it quits! On their second (and now last) release, which again one perfect cocktail featuring all of this band's numerous influences (Black Flag, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Metallica, Voivod, Minutemen, Husker Du, Thin Lizzy, Minor Threat and Black Sabbath) and more (Ramones, Discharge, Jesus Lizard and The Misfits) we have a line-up of Chris Grubbs (guitar, bass, vocals), Brian Gonas (guitar) and Emily Agosto (drums). With Nate Perry providing additional vocals on "Arm The Children" and "Spirals Of Wire" (two cut throat numbers!) and the members of Hay Perro (https://www.facebook.com/HayPerro) doing their utmost best to redefine the term "crossover" (as a point of reference check out "Aflame In The Sun" which combines old school punk rock, metallic hardcore and some smashing garage rock and roll of yesteryear into one killer closing track!) things have never looked so promising fro this Chicago act. All of which makes their announcement to split up that much more puzzling, but sometimes bad things happen to good bands and there's nothing that can be done about it. Available for a measly $5, "Desert Of Nowhere" comes with my stamp of approval and it will be "topping the charts" when it gets to be that time of the year when "Best Off" lists start rolling out!


http://hayperro.bandcamp.com/album/desert-of-nowhere



Metal Mark's spot-on review of  "Eastern Ideas of Death"
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2011/03/hay-perro-eastern-ideas-of-death.html

Ferium-Reflections

Transcend Music
2014 

"Reflections" is the full-length debut release from Ferium. Having formed in 2006, Ferium has an additional EP and demo to their name and the band, which incidentally hails from Israel, features a rhythm section made of former members of the melodic death metal band Kna'an (bassist Yoni Biton  and drummer Ron Amar) and has a beast of a front-man/growler on the mic by way of Tiran Ezra, offers a streamlined (if not more then a little lethal) take on extreme (modern) metal. With (thrash) guitars dutifully handled by the pair of Guy Goldenberg & Elram Boxer and that previously mentioned rhythm section anchoring Ferium's back end in death metal territory the band works their mojo on these twelve tracks all while offering the listener a 52 minutes sampling of all things extreme. A but more variety on their end might help Ferium take the next logical step needed if they are to make it to the next stage (more moments like "The Black Keys" would have been nice), but it is hard to argue the fact that "Reflections" is anything but explosive! By combining hardcore, metalcore, death metal and thrash into one new element this Israel five-piece does do what the album art of "Reflections" merely teases. These five do slay the beast and they do it with more reflective lyrics then one might expect by looking at the cover. For tackling more personally issues Farium get's an extra nod of approval from my end and even if I cannot say how inventive or completely original "Reflections" is it's still a damn fine collection of drop-dead serious extreme metal and one that I would most certainly recommend to fans of said genre!

Lionheart-Welcome to the West Coast

FastBreak! Records
2014

Longing for the days when hardcore was still real, street-wise and honest to a fault? Well then how about we have a look-see at West Coast bangers Lionheart. Lead by Rob Watson, and calling Northern California home, this five-piece cuts straight to the point on opening "The Truth" and, in 16 minutes flat(!), proceeds to drill seven metal-laced hardcore tracks right into the base of your skull! What they do next to your skull I will leave up to your imagination, but needless to say on cuts like "Rat" these California natives do not mince words! Paying tribute to their scene on "Lhhc" we find the band (Watson, guitarists Nick Warner & Evan Krejci, bassist Brandon Wells and drummer Jay Scott) outdoing the likes of Hatebreed as they throw down the gauntlet! Less an album then a total shout-out to their hardcore posse, "Welcome to the West Coast" rattles heavy metal's cages on "I Am Forever" and "Hail Mary" by delivering crushing riffs and brutal beat-downs! When "Wasteland" shows up to finish the job once and for all you find yourself left wondering "What the HELL was that?". Swapping out Madball guitar solos for Motörhead-like bass riffs (all while reflecting back on what made the hardcore scene of the nineties so legit to begin with!) Lionheart, who have a (half-crazed and hellbent for flesh and blood!!!) pit bull with a solid-gold heart in front-man Rob Watson, prove that it's still possible to find bands with street cred even in this day and age! Hardcore with a message, and the muscle to back it up, "Welcome to the West Coast" is the real thing in a scene filled to overflowing with pathetic imitators