Free Metal Monday: Nice Guyz-Propaganda

Self-Release/Independent
2016

"Propaganda" is the second Free Metal Monday offering of the day and this name-your-price release comes from an Israeli four-piece band that is known as Nice Guyz. With seven original compositions and two interesting cover songs, "Propaganda" looks as if it is the first proper full-length album from this hardcore punk metal band and it serves as the natural follow to a late 2015 recording that was fittingly-enough entitled "Demo EP"! Based in Giv'atayim and currently comprised of Liron Elisar (rhythm guitar), Asaf Keefe (lead guitar), Chen Kira (vox), and Alisiya Lavrenova (drums), Nice Guyz has a lot to offer on this rage in the cage recording in spite of what the above-artwork might otherwise suggest. In addition to head-kicking title track, "Propaganda" features such fury-filled gems as "Anarchy In Tel Aviv", "Realishit", "Rampage", and "Testament" and they all go down nice and smooth! Often times these angry cuts come across as if they were a lethal (but delicious!) cocktail of the Sex Pistols and The Exploited* and when you sit them next to covers of "Hurt" (Johnny Cash) and "Rape Me" (Nirvana) you get one damn fun release** that is most-definitely a steal of a deal since it's free! 




*Or at least the early days of The Exploited when they were more hardcore than metal.



**While it's certainly more modern than it is vintage, "Propaganda" did make me think back to the old tape-trading days when punk hardcore and raw garage metal would get together on a sweaty Friday night and bang out some choice material! Usually this was after first consuming a case or two of extremely cheap beer, but the end result was all the same (ie: attitude-filled music that wasn't easy to define genre-wise).

Free Metal Monday: FEDS-Common Enemy

Self-Release/Independent
2014

"Real. Aggressive. Unsatisfied. Hardcore." 

That right there is the self-description of this Akron, Ohio four-piece and damn if that isn't just about spot on! Those four words go a l-o-n-g  way towards cutting to the heart of this collective and with a 2013 (5-track) demo already under wraps (also available on the group's Bandcamp page) the band FEDS (vocalist Frank McGhee, guitarist Dave Burgess, bassist Mike Farris and drummer Brandon Siegenthaler*) went straight into Engine Room Recordings in Kent, Ohio to lay down this tasty slab of unrelenting, pure and (bloody, brass knuckle-covered fists!) in your face hardcore and man freakin' alive if the end results of this long player don't just speak for themselves! If you're tired of the new face of hardcore (Lord knows I man!) and you find yourself longing for the good old days (eighties all the way!) then "Common Enemy" should make for one easy decision on your part! Released this past November, "Common Enemy" makes this writer's cold and wet (Aurora) Ohio day a little easier to cope with all-around even if moshing indoors is seldom a good idea!

"Common Enemy" can be found right here fiends: http://fedsakron.bandcamp.com/album/common-enemy

Meanwhile you can find FEDS online here: https://www.facebook.com/FEDSAKRON

*Drums on "Common Enemy" are credited to Matt Bremkamp and they were recorded separately over at Unclean Railers Studio in the band's hometown. 

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

Dementor-Demo 2014

Self-Release/Independent
2014

Hey, somebody put hardcore in my thrash! Scratch that, somebody put thrash in my hardcore! Never mind the nonsense it's Altoona, PA-based Dementor! And, here's their bio: "Railroad City hardcore. Est. 2014. Bang your head or bang your dick!". Subtle and yet straight to the point right? Granted there is nothing subtle about this two-track demo! "Betrayer" (1:48) and "Chained" (2:04) do the old "wreck your crib, knock about your neighbors" via metallic hardcore influenced as much by Sick Of It All as Slayer! Dementor, featuring Troy and Glenn on vocals (as two mouths are better then one!), Ty on guitar, Noah on guitar and vocals, Shaun on bass and vocals and Rocco on the drums, are offering this one as a name your own price download and friends, it's worth every cent! You can find it here: http://dementorhc.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2014 while you can read all about these raw rockers here: https://www.facebook.com/Dementorhc. And really, despite the early morning "man, I need more coffee if I have any hope of functioning" write-up on this 2-track release, "Demo 2014" is pretty rad in a real, garage metal hardcore/basement metal hardcore kind of way. I'd actually like to hear more from this lot as their almost punk-like, D.I.Y approach to playing and recording is a reminder of the way hardcore used to be!

Riot Acts-Walk Where You Struggle

Self-Release/Independent
2014

As someone who has long embraced the concept of a "well-balanced diet", or at least as it pertains to what I listen to over the course of any particular 24-hour period, I made it a goal early one to try everything at the buffet. That of course means that friends and comrades, in a never ending state of well-meaning affection and appreciation of my "unique" tastes, often times drop the names of random bands in my lap with the usual "Hey, check this band out!" tag boldly proclaimed in the e-mail title. As of late I seem to be running hot and cold when it comes to such "suggestions" although (thankfully) Riot Acts proved to be a case where said suggestion was spot on! With this just-released EP, so fresh in fact that it still has that new car smell (!),  Markham/Stouffville-based Riot Acts continues to showcase the overabundance of talent that comes from our friends to the North. It also ends up further proving the merits of melodic hardcore for those few select individuals who still believe that those two terms should never be applied together! With a line-up that includes Tim Hoar and Matt Locicero on guitars and vocals and a rhythm section of Brahm Van Zeeland & Bryan Klotz (bass and drums respectively) this young (at least as far as how long they've been together as it sounds as if they all bring experience to this 5-track release) act is fairly relentless on opener "What's Left After Taxes" up to and including EP closer, "Bar Fight". And it's that sense of urgent uprising that smashes the senses all the more making the aptly-titled "Walk Where You Struggle" highly worth investing in! With that said I encourage even more suggestions as this life our ours is far too short to keep good music to yourself!   

http://riotacts.bandcamp.com/ 

Free Metal Monday: Lilith-Bloom

Self-Release/Independent
2014

Now signed to 6131 Records (http://6131records.com/site/), and with an upcoming tour in support of this 5-track demo EP being talked about, self-proclaimed "feminist doom punk" Lilith hail from Phoenix, Arizona with the 14-minute "Bloom" serving notice that five-piece is here and that they have no plans of going anywhere anytime soon! The two minute plus "Wolves' Den" serves as Lilith's introduction to the scene at hand (or dare we even say the world!) with lead vocalist Sarah M. demanding the listener's attention as she urgently tackles issues still facing modern day women in a (sadly far too dominated by hard-nosed males who remain misogynists even in this day and age) scene that should be way more tolerating then it is! That's not the only topic that Sarah (with a refreshing with an air of honesty!) takes head on (she also touches on bigotry), but it's obvious by the passion and power in her voice and in her delivery that such issues drive her and her devotion. And why shouldn't they? We are talking about 2014 after all and by now we really should have moved beyond such BS as to whether or not women should have a place in punk, hardcore and metal! Unfortunately there's still work to be done and, with an all-male backing band providing the relevant noise* that's needed for her to deliver these (all too important) message at hand, Sarah rallies the troops on "Bloom" making this 5-track EP more of a battle cry then anything else! Hardcore/punk fanatics (as well as those that love doom-laden "alternative" projects) would be well advised to check "Bloom" out as this 14-minute monster of an EP is a one-punch KNOCK-OUT blow to today's male-dominated scene! It offers up a  real fury of a soundtrack to go with it's sincere message that change is needed and it's needed now! One can tell that for Lilith (Sarah, guitarists Andre R. and Samad A., bassist Mike H. and drummer Make H.) there's so much more to be said even with "Bloom" being as good as it is! In fact it comes across as just the beginning of this band's journey and if I was a betting man I'd throw it all down (every last cent!) that "Bloom" is just the start of what will be one remarkable career!


*"Bloom" is constructed from jagged pieces/parts of old-school/classic punk rock and (street-fighting) hardcore with ample amounts of post-Pentagram doom added into the mix so that the maximum amount of damage possible can be achieved with just one click of the word "Play"!

http://lilithphx.bandcamp.com/

Illustrations-In Vain

Self-Release
2014

Having formed in 2010, San Antonio, Texas act Illustrations first released this one back in the summer of 2013. Featuring 12 tracks of hardcore metal spanning a length of 36:53, with the shortest one, "Die Young", clocking in at just under 2 minutes(!), it is just now seeing a proper launch and for fans of all things hardcore (ie: straight-up hardcore, grindcore and metallic hardcore) this sounds appealing. While not the best piece of (metal leaded) hardcore to come my way this year (whether reviewed or not) it still offers enough gritty moments to band your head to!

http://illustrations.bandcamp.com/album/in-vain 

Mantar-Death By Burning

Svart Records
2014

Don't let that cover art, which is beautiful and mysterious all at once, fool you my friends or even lull you into a false sense of security. This upcoming (self-produced mind you) release (February 7th, 2014 to be exact) from the half German/half Turkish two piece known as Mantar is anything but lovely and divine. Even here at Heavy Metal Time Machine (or in my own words if you want to be technical about it) words like raw and ugly (or even beastly for that matter) are thrown around far too haphazardly. And yet here it is. Raw, ugly and beastly metal which, despite lacking a bass player (as that would just muddle up the process anyway for this drums, guitars and punk/hardcore vocals designed two-piece), out does even Motörhead in the HEAVY rock and roll department! Alongside The Melvins and Darkthron you have your three humble influences for this blackened rock n' metal band and this release, which you'll be able to pick up in just about any format of your choosing (CD, LP, Tape and Digital), adds it all up and (collectively) drops it face down at your feet so that it can stand as a lasting tribute to the enduring power of D.I.Y. projects! All told there's ten tracks atomic-fueled mayhem from two men who sound as if they are on a mission from the dark lord of rock and roll himself! Hail hail rock and roll (especially when it's all twisted up and slapped down in all of it's thick and gooey goodness!) and any band like Mantar who provide proof that (sometimes) all you need is a guitar, one drum set, devilish lead vocals and heavy metal that melt your face off with it's foul breath!

Rattus-Turta

Svart Records
2013

Looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the punk/hardcore fanatic in your life? Does it matter if said band doesn't sing in English? If you answered yes to that first question and no to the second question then have I ever got the right band for you! Finland's Rattus, which was formed in Vilppulathen way back in 1978 (when I was just 5 years old!), is a well-loved and revered punk/hardcore act that has been keeping it real since day one! What does that mean exactly? Well, ever since releasing the privately pressed EP "Khomeini Rock" in1980 this band has been a regular fixture in the Finnish punk scene! Along with Kaaos and Terveet Kädet this band was in on the ground floor when the Finnish punk and hardcore scene exploded around 1982. While Rattus did split-up in 1988 (as all good things must come to an end at one point or another) it would not be the last time that this punk/hardcore band would sound off for all the world to hear. In 2003 they came back together and then they ended up releasing a self-titled album in 2005. Fast forward a few years to the here and now and we find ourselves starring down the barrel of one explosive collection of punk rock fury in the form of "Turta"! On this new 14-track release, which features new vocalist/guitarist Jopo Rantanen, the band sounds as pissed off and angry as any "young" band out there these days and yet this is one "power" trio that comes to the party all armed to the teeth (riff-wise) thanks to countless years of experience! Jopo, who replaced Jake Marjamäki after he decided to leave the group in 2011, has the "rabid grizzly bear gargling rough shards of glass" hardcore vocals down pat on "Turta" and he joins bassist Tomppa Marjamäki and drummer V-P Hyvärinen in creating the kind of street-ready punk/core that makes you fondly smile in remembrance of the scenes heyday! As far as influences the only one this group lists on their Facebook page is the mighty Discharge and that makes for a fair enough starting point I suppose. There's certainly plenty of fueled-up fury in-between the lines of "Turta". The only things is with Rattus there is way more of a pissed-off street punk vibe going on then the edgier, hardcore assault that Discharge was known for. Also, this Finnish group isn't quite as abrasive as Discharge. That's not to say that anything about this bunch is commercialized or sterilized. This trio is every-bit punk in sound, look and (mot likely) lifestyle! Even if Rattus doesn't wallow in the same sort of is corrosive filth that Discharge does this trio is quite noisy in their own right! And they do their best work when they let their fingers bleed into the material and choose to walk along the path of "less is more" three-cord punk! So, even if the lyrics are not in English (which means that some of us are forced to use our imagination as to the subject matter at hand) it's all good thanks to how gritty and hostile the music itself sounds! I would certainly look into this bunch if you prefer old-school punk and hardcore that comes at you like a punch in your face and kick in your gut!

Dirty Shirt-Freak Show

Est Ouest - Est Vest
2013

Released back in February of this year, "Freak Show", which was produced by Mihai Tivadar & Charles "Kallaghan" Massabo, is the third studio album from "rock/metal" band Dirty Shirt. This Romanian act features two vocalists in Dan "Rini" Crăciun and Robi "Metalistu" Rusz  and is rounded out by Mihai Tivadar (guitars, synths, programming), Cristi Bălănean (guitars), Pali Novelli (bass) and Vlad "X" Ţoca (drums). Now, it was actually Mihai Tivadar who sent me a email asking if I'd be willing to give "Freak Show" a listen and review it. I'm always happy to accommodate such requests (especially when bands say please!) although the difference between the email request's title of "Balkan Crossover Metal from Romania" and the actually reality of what Dirty Shirts is all about is a bit striking! On their latest release this band is technically "crossover" if you consider throwing everything and the kitchen sink into your music crossover. Describing the group's actually sound on "Freak Show" would be almost impossible as there is ANYTHING and EVERYTHING going on here and yes friends, it is rather freakin' awesome (and then some!) so sit back and enjoy this wild ride! Check this out. We have the "typical" sounds of rock and roll and heavy metal from what is said to be one of the most original bands in Romania. But then you're also treated to funk, punk, hardcore, thrash, death metal (mostly it comes crashing out in some of the album's sick & twisted vocal deliveries!) elctro, world music, Romanian traditional music, folk rock, rap-like rock and even some nu metal! Oh yeah, you better believe that it is crazy folks, but at it's heart it's still very much a "loud and proud" kind of release from a group that obviously has way more talent in their little individual pinkies then most groups have collectively! Is "Freak Show" the right fit for everyone? Maybe not, but it sure as hell is fun, interesting and very creative! It's one of those rare albums where it keeps you glued to your seat just waiting to see what pops up next. You can hear it yourself at the link below (and trust me you'll want to hear "Freak Show" for yourself as it's just too original to be missed) and maybe even find out what it is exactly that makes this band tick!

http://dirtyshirt.bandcamp.com/album/freak-show-2013

Fuck You Pay Me-2013 Demo

Self-Release
2013

Recorded at Negative Space in Cleveland by John Delzoppo, during which time "Zero fucks were given", this 2-track digital release, which is a pay what you want download, features the kind of still wasted from the night before and still totally pissed-off punk/hardcore that one needs to get through another week of boredom and frustration. Featuring Tony Erba on lead vocals (who may or may not be completely psychotic-you make the judgement call there) the band's personal interests include "Glue huffing,straight edging, race baiting, race mixing, the search for bigfoot, long walks off short piers and wide stances in airport bathrooms". If that sounds like just your poison then be sure to check out the group's bandcamp page and, while you're there, why not throw these crazy maniacs a buck or two? After all, living ain't easy and being in a band (whether as deranged as Fuck Off Pay Me or not) doesn't come cheap!

http://fuckyoupaymeclevo.bandcamp.com/

Tiger Junkies-D-Beat Street Rock 'n' Rollers (Re-Release)

Hells Headbangers
2013

Punk and metal, metal and punk. While you could argue that they are two vastly different genres, with two distinct set of rules, when you hear an album like "D-Beat Street Rock 'n' Rollers" it sure does seem as if their destinies were intertwined from the get-go. It's very likely that they both crawled forth from the same primordial slime given how well they compliment each other. And when it comes to the Tiger Junkies, and this (originally-released in 2008) full-length album, that's exactly what you get-punk and metal happily thrashing along together in marital bliss!  Joel Grind  (Toxic Holocaust) and Yasuyuki Suzuki (Abigail, Barbatos) are the two men behind this band/side-project which was started back in 2004. Back then the two guys bounded over a shared love of old-school punk and hardcore bands with the end result being the release of their 2006 debut EP, "Sick of Tiger" (which is included here as a bonus). On that EP, and every recording that followed, it was just the two musicians who handle all of the instruments and (from the sounds of it) swap of all lead vocals. The "Sick of Tiger" EP was just the start for this pair as there was much more crossover material to follow. After the 2006 release the group recorded this 2008 album, a 2011 split with Blüdwülf and Children of Technology (their two cuts from that split are also included as extras on this re-release) and the 2013 EP, "Green Tea or Die". In addition to their original material, which covers a lot of ground from punk-fueled heavy metal to crossover thrash, the pair choose two covers for this album. The two covers, "Porno Slut" (The Exploited) and "Satanik Metal Fucking Hell" (Abigail) are ideal choices as they perfectly blend in with the overall vibe of this album. Joel Grind remastered this extended version, but (in keeping with the overall spirit of crossover albums) the sound still carries an underground vibe. So, have no fear that it's suddenly some crystal clear modern production. Nope, the production is golden as it gives this album an almost 80's feel while it's also clear enough that it doesn't sound like some third or forth generation tape. You do remember tapes right? And tape trading? If so then this album is custom-fitted to the exact specifications of a time and place when groups like Discharge, Warfare, D.R.I., Agnostic Front, C.O.C, English Dogs, Cro-Mags, Venom ("Welcome To Hell" era), Tank, Cryptic Slaughter, The Exploited and Broken Bones were all the rage and punks and metalheads stood side by side. This album is as good as gold for those who remember the roots of crossover or even those who enjoy their heavy metal punk-flavored. This extended re-release will be in heavy rotation in my small corner of the world as it's just to good to ignore!.

Ghoul-Intermediate Level Hard-Core

Tankcrimes
2013

Men in masks with made-up names playing heavy metal. Now where have we heard that before? In this case it's Oakland, California's Ghoul who have been playing their hybrid combination of death metal, thrash metal, grindcore and punk/hardcore since 2001. In reality I'm not exactly new to this bunch from Creepsylvanian as I covered their 2011 album, "Transmission Zero". This new EP features 5 tracks all of which are covers. In well under 10 minutes, and in true splatterthrash-like form, these mutants (Cremator, Fermentor, Digestor and Dissector) haphazardly tear their way through songs by GWAR, Fearless Iranians From Hell, Willful Neglect, N.O.T.A, and Dayglo Abortions. As these bands are likely early influences for the group, which means I wasn't the only one to have discovered the Fearless Iranians From Hell, the EP serves as a fun, if rather sloppy (in true punk hardcore fashion) history lesson of sorts. It's also a diversion from the (occasional) ho-hum heavy metal scene where some bands seem to blend together. While these kinds of "tribute" releases are not exactly new (see Metallica's  "The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited") the way in which these mutants arranged at least the first cover is. Anyone who is familiar with "Learning English, Lesson One" by Die Toten Hosen will appreciate the irony of this band roping in/kidnapping a guest musician for one track. It's one thing to just cover a bunch of random tracks, but it's another thing altogether when you're able to snag a member of said band that you are covering for the song. With that said, here are the individual tracks and, while they are nothing fancy, they do have a punk rock appeal to them.

1. "Americanized" (GWAR cover featuring Oderus Urungus)
2. "Blow Up the Embassy" (Fearless Iranians From Hell cover)
3. "E.M.S.&D." (Willful Neglect cover)
4. "Propaganda Control" (N.O.T.A cover)
5. "Proud to be Creepsylvanian" (Dayglo Abortions cover originally released as “Proud to Be Canadian”)

 
Available for only three dollars (the digital download version at least) it's worth owning in you're into these sorts of things (cover albums) or are a fan of the band. Meanwhile a vinyl 12" (in solid red nonetheless!) is available as well as a CD version. Oh, and you can even download the first cover track for free (link below) if you so desire. Not too bad all around I'd say! 

Order yours now at THIS LOCATION. 
The vinyl 12”can be found  HERE. 
And the digital Gwar cover of  "Americanized" is FREE HERE.




 
https://www.facebook.com/GhoulunaticsAsylum
http://www.creepsylvania.com
http://www.tankcrimes.com
https://www.facebook.com/tankcrimes

Blind To Faith-Under The Heptagram 12" EP

A389 Recordings
2013

"Lawless", "violent" and "pure". Those are the three distinct words that this Belgium-based band uses to describe themselves and/or their "art". Formed in 2008, and featuring members of Rise And Fall, Reproach and (reported) Dutch "cult legends" Insult (I say reported as I have no idea whether Dutch band Insult is actually a "cult legend" or not), it would be the 2009 full-length "The Seven Fat Years Are Over" that would serve as a sort-of  "How ya doing folks?" moment while it simultaneously raped and pillaged it's way into the hearts of metal maniacs and punks alike. That slab of vile "unadulterated metal punk" (their words not mine) would be followed in 2010 by a split with San Diego's Gehenna and, having slashed, bashed and thrashed many more heads along the way,  all of that brings us back to this three-song, 12" EP. Now, as the band's influences come across as quite deadly themselves (Discharge, Repulsion, Celtic Frost, Eyehategod, Gehenna, Darkthrone, Entombed, Today Is The Day, etc), this short little offering from Blind To Faith comes with a warning. Or at least it should. And no, I'm not talking about some stupid, utterly P.C. shit of a warning label from the ghostly leftovers of the P.M.R.C. Screw that. What I'm talking about is this folks-any band that name checks both Celtic Frost and GG Allin in their promo material is already WAY FAR LEFT of heavy metal's center! And that's just weird on paper right? Now imagine a band that embraces the challenge of combining the elements of punk hardcore, sludge, thrash, street metal and death metal into something new. A new drug for the damned perhaps? Or is it just more music that sets out with the goal to paint the town red by using the blood of the innocents? It's probably all of the above as well as a carefully-crafted play list all about the band's anticipation of the inevitable apocalypse. If you're not prepared ahead of time for the band's "art" then when you get to the title cut, which sort of sounds like Motörhead and Eyehategod getting into a knife fight with Discharge and The Exploited, it's quite likely that your head could explode like a gigantic pimple! Well, either that or you might be left saying "What happened?" after their brand of hellfire, punk-n'drunk, heavy metal kidnaps you and then dumps your bloody and naked body in some back alley.  All signs point towards one or the other happening. So be fair warned brothers and sisters. I close with that warning and a further observation. Blind To Faith embraces the roles they've been offered, which include being doomsday rockers and engineers of metal madness (as an art form no-less!), as is all too evident by the "Under The Heptagram" 12" EP. If you choose to ride along then by all means buckle up!

Hebosagil-Lähtö

Ektro Records
2013

 
Something compelled me to check out "Lähtö" and boy am I ever glad that I did! The latest "full-length" from Finland's Hebosagil is 8-tracks long, but with a mere run-time of 26 minutes it's the old "in and out" these young "rockers". Sung entirely in Finnish, which does not prove to be a problem at all, this is the sound of anger as only a band with both Slayer and The Melvins (and not to mention Unsane) in their promo material can attest to. Even so this bunch isn't just part Slayer, part Melvins and part Unsane as this material is presented in the form of hardcore heavy metal sludge...or something like that. Picture not only the three acts above going at it in a bloody fistfight, but then Eyehategod stops by to deliver a few kicks to the crouch. By the time it's all wrapped up and ready to go it's like you've just seen & heard an interpretative punk rock/crust number performed by the reincarnated members of Superjoint Ritual and The Butthole Surfers.  This is one act I need to work my way back on as this new release hints at a more then promising back catalog!

French Metal Friday: Gang-1993

Self-Released/Independent
1993

As I can't remember off the top of my head when I did the last "French Metal Friday" I figured that I must be about due or even long-overdue. This week's feature though comes with the back-story that I have no idea  when (or even why) I downloaded this album off of iTunes. There must have been something I liked about it though so, with some free time on my hands (which is a rarity for me it to often seems) and curiosity drawing me towards this album, I settled in to listen to this release all the way through. Before I get to what I discovered there is a little bit of information online that I've found about this French act. Oh, for the record it's not a good idea to just type in words like gang and 1993 for a Google search. It might not have been in those exact terms, but either way Google brought up both porn sites and articles on gang violence. Lovely. Not quite what I had in mind folks. Anyway, the band was formed in 1990 in Fismes, Champagne-Ardenne, and originally went by the title Gush X. The oh so cleverly titled album "1993" was their full-length debut from, you guessed it, 1993! Sure, that album art might make you think of something along the lines of hard rock or even traditional heavy metal (it actually makes me think of Alice Cooper's 1974 "Greatest Hits" LP), but not hardcore punk/thrash! And that's just what "1993" is. This album, as well as it's two follow-ups apparently, were part of the "first era" for Gang. From 1990 to 2000 they played music along those lines (hardcore/thrash) before a line-up change saw them move towards a more traditional metal sound (2000-2010). That's what I manged to pick up from their website which I eventually discovered. Anyway, back to "1993" and it's punk thrash mentality. While it's not a mess of an album (as there are some good ideas through-out this 21 minute release) it's an odd kind of release that opens with the sound of a baby crying on the cut "Baby's Killer". Even though there are 8-tracks on this album it's almost more line an EP as it's only around 21 minutes in length! The longest track on "1993" is the heavy-handed, punk thrasher "Breakin' Off" at three minutes and thirty six seconds while the album's closing track, "Goin' Down", only has a run-time of a minute and forty seconds. So, it should really come as no surprise then when I say that none of these numbers overstays it's welcome. On "1993"  it's my guess (as neither the Metal Archives of Gang's website spells it out completely) that Bill (aka Laurent Bocquet) handles lead vocals which are, shall we say, most definitely of the punk or hardcore variety. Steve (aka Sylvain Cotté) handles guitar and backing vocals on "1993" while the pair of  Philty and Pat handles bass and drums respectively. In a way this album could be considered crossover I suppose as it definitely merges gritty hardcore punk with fairly straight-forward thrash metal. At first the album reminded me of  a way more talented Torn Flesh meeting early C.O.C and Jerry's Kids in a dimly lite basement for a late-night jam, but as I listened to it a second time I did find myself thinking that it goes to great lengths to hammer out a more distinct take on hardcore-infused, 80's thrash-inspired heavy metal then such a weird mix up of acts would suggest. That's not to say that it's a brilliant album or frankly even a good album. It's more along the wave length of "above-average" which means it's not a classic or must own or anything like that, but it's also not a stinky turd of a release either. No, if anything at all it's pretty indicative of what happened when crossover suddenly became all the rage only this 8-track release was released way after the fact. That does make sense when you look at how (in some places during the late 80s to early 90s) some scenes were behind the times. It's likely that Gang was exposed to crossover after it had already started to teeter out so "1993" marked their desire to play this all-or-nothing form of thrash metal punk. Given that potential, particular desire then this could be looked at as a decent start, but I left this album hoping (for their sake) that they improved on their sophomore release.

These Hearts-Yours To Take

Victory Records
2013

Pop-punk meets hardcore?  That seems to be the case for Fargo, North Dakota-based These Hearts. Granted the hardcore aspect does make them perfectly suited to be with Victory Records, as all of their bands seem to be hardcore + something, but pop-punk? Yeah, it's odd. The group, which consists of Ryan Saunders on vocals, Daryl Van on lead guitar, Kyle Colby on guitar and backup vocals, Tyler Rice on bass and Isaiah Folk on the drums, are not exactly new to the scene as they were formed back in 2007. And then there's the fact that "Yours To Take" isn't their first trip into the studio. So, what are we to make of them then? Well, first off this is a Christian act although, given the mix of clean singing and hardcore-tinged gruff vocals, it's not like it's easy to follow along with these guys lyric-wise. While their faith is important to them it's not likely to be the deciding factor on whether or not a person is into this kind of groove scene. If it is a factor because you're a Christian then cool, but if one were to automatically write them off because of their faith then that would be lame. Musically that's were it's a with this bunch and, even if I find it really weird to think that this bunch seems as influenced by Blink 182, New Found Glory and Green Day as much as acts like Black Flag, Gang Green, Cro-Mags and the short (as well as potentially Christian hardcore act The Lead), I'm kind of digging what these guys are doing. Make no mistakes about it I'm burned on the op-punk aspect to folks. Sure, I listened to Bad Religion and Social Distortion to (still do) and even had, at one point in my younger days, discs by the pop-punker version of Green Day and Blink 182 (hey, it was about as punk as I could get with my ex wife and still have her listen to it so....), but I like what these guys are about and "Yours To Take" is actually an easy disc to get caught up in. So, pop-punk meets hardcore then? Yeah, I guess I can get down with that....

Suicidal Tendencies-13

Suicidal Records
2013

Despite it's title "13" is actually the band's ninth full-length studio album. That said, it does have 13 tracks, is the band's first new album in 13 years (of new material-the last one was the 2000 album, "Free Your Soul and Save My Mind") and was released in 2013 so....well, it is what it is. "13" is also the first "new" Suicidal Tendencies album I've bought since 1990's "Lights...Camera...Revolution!" (although I have since that time filled in my collection with odds and ends albums when I see them at a reasonable enough price). Why did I buy it? Part of it was that I was compelled to pick it up when I saw it in the display case at one of my local record store haunts and the other was that I had heard that this one was a return to the old "Suicidal Sound" (whatever that might be!). With Mike Muir pretty much the only original member of this band left I was not expecting a lot, but it's better then I thought it would be. I should mention as well that I had swapped out some old CDs of mine as a trade as I found a box of odds and ends while cleaning the one day. So, on to the album and, with Mike Clark gone from the band (he does play on 4 of the albums 13 tracks though), the lead guitar spot is filled in by Dean Pleasants. Of course Dean is no stranger to Mike Muir as he plays in Infectious Grooves. On "13" his leads are really solid and he lays down some nice thrash riffs on occasion. Together with Mike Muir, who still sounds good on tape when it comes to "13", the two of them make a deadly combination. Unfortunately "13" doesn't explode everything around it. It has it's moments when it truly threatens to blow your mind, but it never gos all the way. The band chucks in funk and some grooves and even recalls their early punk/hardcore/crossover days. But is it a return to their prime? For me the answer was no. That said it is a catchy album and hella fun to play loud! It's great background music and will keep your attention even if it does make you miss those early albums. Oh, and at least it's WAY better then Infectious Grooves in my mind. I would take this any day of the week next to that band! If this is the sign of things to come out of Mike Muir and company then there is reason to have hope. Of course that is if the band can manage to put out another album in under 10 years!

Your Demise - Cold Chillin'

Impericon/Pinky Swear Records
2013

Yes, you had me with that cool cover. Seeing as I like anything having to do with monkeys I'm pretty much now just putty in your hands. Shape me as you will guys. All kidding aside I wasn't familiar with Your Demise before hearing this 4-track EP. Apparently this five-piece band was formed in 2003 and started out as a Suicidal Tendencies cover band. Well, it's easy enough to see that their hearts were in the right place. Or at least at one point. In 2005 the band recorded its first demo, "Your Days Are Numbered", with the band's debut album, "You Only Make Us Stronger" being released in 2006 on Zone 6 Records. Along the way the band built up a following and, it's worth noting, manged to share the stage with such bands as Biohazard, Parkway Drive, Comeback Kid, The Devil Wears Prada and Miss May I. Soon enough someone was able to pick up on all the noise they were making in the scene as late 2008 saw these guys being signed to Visible Noise. Moving ahead some it was after the band's second album, 2009's "Ignorance Never Dies", that Your Demise parted ways with vocalist George Noble. Former Centurion front-man Ed McRae took his place. This EP follows 2012's "The Golden Age" which was an album that ended up polarizing fans with the decision to include pop-punk/skate punk elements. The track "Nearly Home" betrays that same pop-punk influence on this EP. Thankfully it's the EP's shortest cut. It's "Karma", the EP's single, that opens up things and truly caught my attention. It manages to be strongest track here and the heaviness. "Karma" is reason enough to buy a copy of this EP. I don't exactly know what it's like in Southern England, where these guys call home, but it must be some kind of place to offer up this furious hardcore number! Like I said, that cut alone would be enough to recommend this one. It's not like the other 3 tracks aren't good or anything. The melodic "A Song To-No One" is solid as is "Just Like The End". Both numbers show a band trying to walk the line between their past work and a new sound. Neither track catches them in a bad light it's just that it's hard to improve upon things when your best cut opens up your release. Whatever the case this 4-track release is recommend people. It has it's own sense of  heaviness and offers up one monumental fury of a hardcore cruncher.  . 

Terveyskeskus-Omat koirat puree

Svart Records
2013

Known for their legendary 1987 debut EP, "Maailmanloppu" (reissued on Svart Records) this Finnish act cam together in 1982, "the year of the big Finnish hardcore punk explosion', as their promo puts it. While not the first Finnish hardcore punk band, as that honor would most likely go to Terveet Kädet ("Healthy Hands"), and despite releasing next to nothing (as far as recorded material), this band maintained a cult status within the scene. It goes without saying that hardcore punk, just like heavy metal, is universal in it's approach. That holds true no matter what language it's sung in. Terveyskeskus, which means "Community Center", offer up for public consumption a short, but ever so sweet, this 11-song album. It's the band's first new material in 20 or so years and, without missing a beat, it's just as raw and real their 87' EP. "Omat koirat puree" ("Your own dogs will bite you") is classic hardcore punk in the truest sense possible. The songs are furious and fast, like little bursts of pent-up rage, and come whirling out at you like a Molotov cocktail! The energy level is nothing short of insane on this 11-song sonic ear assault. It's really quite simple. This is just classic hardcore punk from a classic, if more cult then anything, hardcore punk band.Give Svart Records some credit as they have managed to add a lot of unique bands to their roster over time with Terveyskeskus being yet another check mark in their column. This one reportedly has a very limited run as it's a12-inch vinyl LP. You snooze on this one and, sure enough (just like the fact that the sun will eventually shine in Ohio over the next 12 months), you'll lose out. You'll lose out big-time. If classic hardcore punk gives you a reason to keep on keeping on (an why wouldn't it?) then this Finnish band needs to find it's way into your personal collection at any cost.