"My Soul for His Glory" is the third full-length from longstanding Finnish black metal crew Behexen (on Hammer of Hate), who I had never heard much from in the past. Apparently this album's been getting mixed reviews from some of the band's more "hardcore" fans, but… I don't understand where all the complaints are coming from at all. The compositions offer up a wide variety of black metal aesthetics, from the usual doses of blazing tremolo picking and blasting percussion to forays into that more discordant and cold, crawling riffing style, as well as a number of surprisingly stripped down and simplistically pounding "old school" black metal rhythms - to the point of flirting with an almost hardcore/punk edge to some of the chord progressions in rare instances. But everything's nice and consistent overall, it's not one of those situations where each song sounds like it should be from a different album or something like that. All of the varying approaches share common ground, and the songwriting's pretty damn forceful, too. Plus the recording's nice and balanced, with a good bass presence, natural sounding drum tones, and a shitload of texture to the guitars; the cover art looks cool (I don't have the complete package)… it's all solid in my book. I don't know what the hell some people are complaining about, but fuck 'em.

Behexen "Born in the Serpent of the Abyss"

This one's now distributed digitally through MetalHit.com for a mere $7.20, and will probably be more widely available on CD later this year as I think Moribund Records will be doing an "official" US release. But The End already has the CD in stock as well, so… either way you should be set.

Purchase:

@ MetalHit.com (mp3)
@ Amazon.com (mp3)
@ eMusic (mp3)
@ iTunes (mp3)
@ The End Records (CD)

"Virgin Sails" is the latest three-track EP from Connecticut act My Heart to Joy at the Same Tone (on Triumph of Life Records), and my first exposure to the band's work. There's a predominantly emo/indie rock vibe going on, but the aggression level does lean more towards the "screamo" side of things - just without any of the negative connotations that can sometimes follow that particular tag. There's a good mix of more-distorted-than-average chord progressions and almost frantic percussive bursts alongside loosely delivered melodies and occasional clean breaks, while the vocals are more of a shouting/yelling style (with some singing) than screaming. I guess what I'm trying to say is that they fall into that category of bands that plays a little wilder and looser and kicks things up a little more in terms of overall intensity, but they're not chaotic or grating (at least not on this EP, some of their earlier work sounds a touch harsher, but still very strong). The songs are well written and focused, and it's an enjoyable listen that piques your interest in where they'll go next.

My Heart to Joy at the Same Tone "The Hours Change So We Don't Have To"

I'm not sure I fully understand why (though I certainly appreciate it), but this one's available as a free download or an actual 7" release. A mere eight-and-a-half minutes of material damn sure leaves you wanting more, but thankfully you can download some (All?) of the band's prior work to check out as well! If you prefer vinyl/physical copies, make the grab from the band or label below for about $4. Otherwise, hit up the band's MySpace page for complete downloads…

Purchase:

@ My Heart to Joy at the Same Tone
@ Triumph of Life Records

It's interesting that Norwegian grind unit Parlamentarisk Sodomi was mentioned a few times in the comments of my "Most underrated albums of all time?" post a couple weeks ago, as the band was kind enough to send me a copy of the "Har du Sagt 'A' Får du si 'Nal'" CD (on No Escape Records) a month or two ago, and I just hadn't gotten around to writing it up yet. In the band's own words, "This CD compiles the long out of print 2006 and 2007 Parlamentarisk Sodomi demos, excluding a few shit songs which have been replaced by three new, less shit songs." I actually wrote about one of the band's demos early last year and referred to it as "classic, textbook grind", and that statement still stands today, as this disc collects 15 tracks of absolutely fierce, raging, no nonsense grindcore in less than a half-hour. No song hits three minutes and they just tear through track after track of high-speed attack with forcefully growled vocals and a sense of energy that really makes the songs much more memorable than many comparable acts within this realm. The playing's not at all sloppy, the recording quality's efficient (and consistent, all three recording sessions sound extremely similar to one another, which is awesome)… what more can you ask for? I can't read a damn word of Norwegian, so I really have no idea what the song titles or lyrics might contain, but I can say that it's blatantly obvious from even a cursory glance through the CD booklet or the band's MySpace content that they do indeed have an excellent sense of humor, though their music sounds 100% fucking serious and they do seem to have a sincere socio-political message wrapped up in there as well.

Parlamentarisk Sodomi "Vakl, Folkevalgt"
Parlamentarisk Sodomi "Kinky Lobbyvirksomhet"

Purchase:

@ Parlamentarisk Sodomi
@ No Escape Records
@ Crimes Against Humanity Records
@ Razorback Records

I just discovered this band this morning thanks to Am I Mean? (by way of Zen and the Art of Face Punching), who described it dead on the fucking money as "the UK's answer to Mayday". Then I did some searching and learned that they had a semi-discography CD called "Ecstatic Ritual" out on Lifeforce Records way back when, but it's out of print and apparently hard as shit to find now. Yet I must have it. How the hell I never heard of this band before today is inconceivable to me. Just… wrong. If anyone has this CD and can hit me up with quality mp3's… please. Please. Thank you.

I've been raving about how fucking great Memphis, TN's Dead City is ever since I first heard 'em two years ago, and that fact has only been continually solidified with each subsequent recording they've sent me. Now they've finally got a full-length album, "Goddamn the 21st Century" (12 tracks, 51 minutes), pretty much ready to roll, and they need a label to help 'em get the job done right. And with all of the bands out there these days getting massive hype for unloading solid tracks that are heavily influenced by the classic 90's niche of metallic hardcore, I simply can't fathom why the hell Dead City is still flying under the radar without getting more well-deserved appreciation. Because rather than falling back on all of the NY staples that everyone knows and loves, they're dirtying things up (in the best possible way) with more interesting and atypical influences more along the lines of what bands like Bloodlet and Cutthroat were doing "back in the day", right alongside some 1993 styled Entombed and Crowbar to add some texture and dimension. So the end result is still largely along the lines of early- to mid-90's "metalcore" (remember kids, it wasn't always a dirty word), but the fucking songwriting is far darker, more pissed, and more powerful than the vast majority of the aforementioned bands out there right now reaping some serious benefits from the hype factor. I've always been one for championing the "little guys", but I'm still fucking tired of seeing all these "little guys" that crush the competition getting set aside or ignored because of insignificant (often aesthetic) bullshit that has nothing to do with musical quality! This is easily Dead City's strongest recording to date, and I sincerely hope to see this shit get a proper release before year's end. Spread the fucking word if you're among those who agree with me. If not… well… I don't fucking get it. I just don't fucking get it.

Dead City "Saint of Killers" (unmastered)

Dead inside. I feel nothing. I don't fucking care. For those I loved an absent stare. Sick of playing games. Day after day, nothing's at stake…

And… if anyone reading this is interested in releasing this absolutely fucking awesome material, or knows someone else who might be, please either pass the word along or get in touch with the band on MySpace and see if you can make it happen!

Poughkeepsie, NY's Dissolve originally recorded "Caveman of the Future" way back in 2000, at which time it was supposed to be released by M.I.A. Records. Sadly the label closed its doors and the album was shelved while the band carried on for a year or two, playing shows and trying to find a home for the record, but it never happened. Apparently they never really broke up, though, they just kind of went away - playing a couple of shows in 2004 and 2005, and now playing a couple of shows to celebrate this long overdue release. I assume that means they're not really looking to do new material, but that's cool: It just makes me sick that there's so much unheard music out there just sitting around collecting dust like this, so it's very fucking cool that Trip Machine Laboratories made this happen eight years after the fact!

I actually wasn't into these guys in the 90's when they were fully active, but that's not because I disliked 'em, I just never really encountered their material. I've heard the name many times over the years, and have since heard some of their earlier work on compilations and such, but this is my first true exposure to their work. I'm sure this is all around more developed than the band's prior releases, but there's definitely a nice foundation of the crushing and rhythmically-centered pre-"dirty word" metalcore of the mid- to late-90's, based around thick power chords and shouted, screamed, and half-spoken vocals (some of which sort of remind me of V.O.D. back in the day). But then there are some pretty whacked out types of noisy, discordant guitar textures and leads going on that really twist things up a bit - giving the material a more metal-influenced style, but not one that really comes across as particularly "metal", you know? We're not talkin' tremolo picking and blast beats or tech'd out note flurries. There's a very fuckin' solid rhythm section (though the bass work is admittedly hard to pick out, granted that doesn't really detract from the listen), with lots of jazzy cymbal work and shifts from straightforward patterns to much more colorful fare. So there's certainly some complexity in there, but… despite similarities to select acts from comparable scenes within that general 1990 - 2000 time frame… the end result here has a weirdly unusual sort of aesthetic hovering over it, and I can't really put my finger on it. And that's not a bad thing! I mean, anyone who's been into this kind of music over the years will hear familiarities in this material, but I think you'll agree that (at least on this album) Dissolve just had something a little more… peculiar going on. Very interesting…

Dissolve "The Ultimate Nullifier"
Dissolve "Weakling"

Purchase:

@ The End Records
@ Interpunk
@ RevHQ
@ Very Distribution

I'm not sure if they're "officially" considering it a full-length or an EP (four lengthy tracks in 31 minutes), but "Vantage" is the first proper release from UK quartet Analysis of Bison Kills - who were formerly known under the equally unusual banner of Tear Gas and Plate Glass - on Sound Devastation Records. I believe this is the band's first recorded output since Tear Gas and Plate Glass' "The Sea Stranded Whipjack" demo four years ago, and they've certainly undergone a good deal of growth since that time. The sludgy textures are a little more subdued these days, and the band is forming their own kind of approach with lots of slides and pull-off riffs. Their restrained technicality and occasional use of subtly twisted time signatures creates a strangely melodic "math metal" type of vibe, which, when combined with the killer dissonant chord phrasings and sneering vocals, can be somewhat reminiscent of Intronaut's stronger moments. There's a nice, clear mix (which really accentuates the jazzy drum work), and most of the tones are pretty dry, which lends a warm, natural sense of spaciousness to everything. Very cool looking cover art, too. Unfortunately the release date has been pushed back to a couple of months from now, so I haven't seen the complete packaging, but the cover art looks great. Now that the band seems to have settled into their overall development and really nailed down an extremely solid core, I'm really looking forward to hearing more, so… hopefully it won't be another four years before a new half-hour of material surfaces! This is great shit…

Analysis of Bison Kills "Depth is Earned" (excerpt)

As briefly touched on above, this one won't be out until around September, so if you like what you hear make a note to check back at the links above from time to time and keep an eye out for ordering information and all that. I generally don't write about stuff so far in advance, but I didn't realize the disc wasn't already available for purchase until I had already finished this write-up, so… I figured I'd just start spreading the word now rather than sitting on it for two months or so!

With killer tattoo-themed artwork extremely similar to that of their last album, "Stronger" is the fourth full-length from prolific Dutch hardcore act No Turning Back (on Reflections Records), and "stronger" it is indeed, representing somewhat of a return to form for the band. Of course things continue in that same vein of straightforward NYHC-styled material, but with a more balanced set of memorable, energetic songs. The 14 tracks in 31 minutes range from short, fast, 30-second blasts of traditionally oriented hardcore to your usual two- to three-minute compositions with killer breakdowns and some more of that Madball-ish groove that the band started to stray away from on 2006's "Holding On". Are there a shitload of bands that sound like this across the globe? Yeah, pretty much, as there have been for well over a decade now. But when it's done right, it's done right, and that's just all there is to it. No Turning Back's been on the right track for 11 years now, and despite a few minor falters along the way, when they hit the mark, there's no doubt about it, and this album is arguably their finest to date. Slick artwork, solid songs, great vocal performance, strong recording… good stuff. That's all there is to it.

No Turning Back "Push Comes to Shove"
No Turning Back "Same Sad Song"

Purchase:

@ Interpunk
@ RevHQ
@ Very Distribution

Orthrus is another Virginia-based duo that I had never heard of before that's now releasing material through digital label MetalHit.com, and "Tyrants of Deception" is their debut EP. Now, any band whose cited influences range from Immortal and Watain to Racer X and Skid Row (among many others) is going to get my attention right off the bat, but thankfully these two are actually fusing their diverse musical interests into a rather efficient brand of "blackened melodic death/thrash", or whatever such combination of metal styles you'd care to throw at 'em. While rooted much deeper in black metal and not yet as developed as fellow Virginia-based masters Arsis, there are certainly some comparable moments herein, thanks in large part to the band's penchant for emphatic melodies and killer little shredding guitar leads thrown around all over the place. There's a little room for improvement in terms of the tightness of the performances and the overall sound quality, but this is a very fucking promising start, especially for a duo utilizing a session drummer. It's really strange that they're able to basically come across as a black metal band, because those "80's metal" influences really do come through in the quality of the guitar playing. There's just a great sense of energy amidst the totally badass dual guitar harmonies, sleek solos, and super powerful melodies to be found throughout. Fuckin' great cover art, too. Definitely catches the eye. Very cool. I'm really looking forward to hearing more from these guys. They've got a very unique approach, and you just don't get to hear guitar work of this caliber very often anymore.

Orthrus "The Summoning"

Like the Wolfsschanze EP I wrote about last week, this one should be filtering out to eMusic, iTunes, Amazon, etc. in the coming weeks, but it's only available from the label right now. $7.20 ain't bad for a half-hour of material, and this is very promising work, so… give 'em a shot if you like what you're hearing above.

Purchase:

@ MetalHit.com

"Blue Room" is the latest (and greatest, it seems) from Baltimore, MD grinders Triac (a split release between Forcefield Records and Reptilian Records). Their first recorded output with new vocalist Noel Danger, the EP tears through seven tracks in 13 minutes and is actually a hint more controlled and diverse than some of the band's past efforts, which is actually pretty damn cool. I've been a fan of everything these guys have done to date, but this time out the tracks seem to rein in some of the noisier and more chaotic elements in favor of a more energetic and blasting form of straight up crossover-influenced grindcore - pumped up with some surging, pounding bursts of scraping, dissonant sludge to mix things up and keep it interesting. The tracks range from 40 seconds to four minutes, too, so… that just goes to show you the type of ground they're covering here. It all fits, though. It's a consistent listen with a thick, perfectly raw recording that's got a balanced mix and just the right style of warm, dirty texture to keep the wall of sound raging onward. Very cool. I'll certainly be looking forward to more, as always…

Triac "I Wish the Worst for You"

This one's uniquely packaged in a glossy gatefold 7" sleeve (hand-numbered out of 500) with the CD version housed between two slots in the left inner panel, while the black and white splattered vinyl 7" and a little xeroxed booklet are inside the right half. The 7" contains the first five tracks and the CD contains all seven. Awesome. Killer artwork throughout as well, in the band's trademark old school, high-contrast black and white style. Simple yet effective!

Purchase:

@ Forcefield Records
@ Reptilian Records
@ Robotic Empire
@ Very Distribution

Back in the "still listening to cassettes" days of 1994 (which were also the "pop-punk is sorta kinda popular" days), a young me played the shit outta my "Trashed" tape on a very regular basis (oddly enough interspersed with plenty of Earth Crisis, I'm sure). The second album from Lagwagon (on Fat Wreck Chords, of course), "Trashed" is the only Lagwagon album that I still enjoy to this day. (Edit: False. "Duh" still totally kicks ass, and "Hoss" is decent, too. What the hell was wrong with me!?) And make no mistake: I still really fuckin' enjoy it. Sure, they've released a ton of records since then, most of which I've never even heard in full, but something about the planets must have aligned back in the day when these songs were being put together, 'cause this is an absolute classic of that coveted age of pop-punk. Yeah, over the years I started to find the production (especially the guitar tone) to be a little thin and weird, but… that never really did any damage as far as enjoying the album goes, 'cause the fucking songs, man! Gold. Just ridiculously catchy, poppy tunes with all these crazy (and fairly technical, mind you) metal riffs all over the place amidst a load of zippy, energetic tempos, incredible vocal melodies and harmonies, the works. Plus, they were somehow able to change it up from goofy songs about, well, getting trashed, to much more serious and emotional tracks that were actually pretty god damn powerful considering the lighthearted fare for which the band is probably most known. While some of this kind of stuff really didn't hold up for me over time, "Trashed" is right up there with the early Propagandhi albums in my book as far as still kicking some serious ass well over a decade later. You just can't fuck with a good song, and this record's jam packed with fuckin' incredible songwriting. No joke. I'm not the least bit ashamed to admit that I still listen to this disc quite often… and still oddly interspersed with Earth Crisis on occasion, too.

Lagwagon "Dis'chords"
Lagwagon "No One"
Lagwagon "Rust"

This one's still readily available on CD and apparently LP as well, so… if for some insane reason you never encountered this gem in the past, absolutely pick one up if you like what you hear. You won't regret it. It's just not possible.

Purchase:

@ Fat Wreck Chords
@ Amazon.com
@ Interpunk
@ RevHQ
@ iTunes (mp3)

It feels like it's been a really long time since the last full-length from Denmark 's mighty The Psyke Project hit the streets - so long, in fact, that I actually thought I might have missed an album or an EP somewhere in there! Thankfully I was mistaken, and the just-released "Apnea" (their debut for Lifeforce Records) is indeed the band's follow-up to 2005's most impressive "Daikini". And while the "post-" influences are a little more prevalent here (mildly unfortunate only due to the rest of the world's inexplicably growing obsession with the more boring and unnecessary facets of said sounds), the bulk of the material still follows a similar path: Loads of crushingly jarring rhythms and chaotic, caustic guitar tones, absolutely scathing vocals, plodding low-end throbs, hammering percussion, and so on. Plus, this time it's all delivered with a more "polished" (in a good way) sound that keeps the mix as clear as can be expected when it comes to oft-noisy jaunts through hurried time changes and churning, mangled rhythmic shifts in tracks that range from barely past three minutes to damn near 10. While the aforementioned "post-" accoutrements do occasionally yield some interesting melodic properties, it's generally the more aggressive moments that turn up the most force throughout - especially when focused into some of those shorter and more in your face running times (granted the aptly titled "Jugganata", at the other end of the spectrum, does unload some chilling feedback drones and hit on some cool uses of almost hypnotic repetition). The band certainly continues to impress, and there's so much potential still ahead - I could imagine them venturing more towards any number of the directions hinted at within their array of sounds with devastating (again, in a good way) results. Hopefully it won't take another three years or so to see where they'll take things from here!

The Psyke Project "Panic"
The Psyke Project "Love Shown in a Handful of Dirt"

Purchase:

@ Lifeforce Records (CD)
@ Amazon.com (CD)
@ Amazon.com (mp3)

"Axis" is the debut full-length from German act Goldust (on True Till Deaf), offering up nine new tracks (in 26 minutes on the dot) plus the songs from their split 10" with Blade tacked on as a bonus. If you didn't read about these cats when I first wrote about 'em late last year, this is straight up, no bullshit metallic hardcore the way it should be: Chunky power chord rhythms and tactfully groove-laden midpaced breaks, powerfully shouted vocals, short tracks, etc. Where Goldust keeps it interesting is in deviating from the standards just enough, so that there's a subtle variation in the character of the vocal delivery here and there, a hint more metal tossed in from time to time with some darker clean riffing or melodic leads, and just a general sense of uniqueness to a lot of the chord phrasings and arrangements that sort of steps aside from the simplistic nature of the genre without losing sight of its roots in any way. Goldust seems to be working at a very productive pace, so hopefully they can continue at this rate without burning out (as all too many promising hardcore acts seem to do). They've yet to disappoint, and tend to leave me hungry for more, so I'll look forward to whatever they keep dishing out! Well done.

Goldust "In Obedience"

We are in an eternal war, just stand accused and confess. The darkness in my mind is never-ending. Our time is slipping away. I saw the visions, I have foreseen this destiny. When I close my eyes, I see this world in flames…

This one just hit the streets, so it's only available from the label at the moment. I assume the band will have copies on hand within a week or two, and hopefully it'll start spreading around to international distros in the coming months as well. Keep an eye out…

Purchase:

@ True Till Deaf

Having issued a few demos and a self-released EP since their formation in 2004, "Transcend the Flesh" is the debut mp3 release from Virginia duo Wolfsschanze, through the MetalHit.com label. Included are three rather lengthy tracks of impressive doom-laden black metal in about 20 minutes, easing in and out of the sneering vocal work and cold, dissonant note combinations and speedier picking patterns for which the genre is generally noted, as well as loads of atmospheric dual guitar work and slow, pounding tempos. Hell, there's even a slick acoustic passage during opener "Transcendence (The Nativity)", so… there's a lot of cool shit happening here. I wouldn't necessarily refer to any of it as particularly inventive, but the manner in which the influences are combined here is extremely efficient, and certainly keeps things more interesting than marginally comparable acts who lean more towards a tediously slow delivery, you know? The recording is nice and crisp, there are some incredible riffs present, and the overall vibe of the material conjures a wider range of feeling than a lot of the black metal that I encounter. Very cool, actually. I'm really into this. My only "complaint" is that I damn sure want more, ha! I certainly hope a proper full-length outing's on the way…

Wolfsschanze "Transcendence (The Nativity)" (excerpt)

This one's only available from the label at the moment, but if you prefer, it should filter out to eMusic, iTunes, Amazon, etc. within the next month or so, I'd imagine. I know a lot of people hate all-digital releases, but I'm so over it now. It's fast and cheap, and this is a great EP, so make the grab if you like what you hear in the snippet above!

Purchase:

@ MetalHit.com

"Toothless & Fanged" is the latest EP from crusty Polish hardcore outfit Daymares (on Get By Records), which busts out six tracks in just under 14 minutes and ranges from driving, straightforward hardcore/punk force to the sludgy "death 'n' roll" styled riffing of "Words One Loves to Hate", and even an old school Neurosis cover to close things out ("Life on Your Knees"). For the most part the tracks are short and to the point, with pounding rhythms and burly vocals, but the recording definitely adds to their overall aesthetic with loads of absolutely awesome grit 'n' grime that provides a lot of texture to the guitar work and ends up being a great match for the vocal approach and the overall vibe of the band's take on this style of hardcore. Innovative? Nah, not really, but who gives a shit? Like many other bands they know what they're doing and they do it well. Solid songs, killer recording, slick and unique artwork… there's nothing to complain about here. I hate to keep it so short, but… hey, that's life. Good stuff.

Daymares "Annuit Coeptis"

Unfortunately I can't seem to find this one for sale anywhere in the US (or at many online locations at all, for that matter) at the moment, so it might not have filtered out to distros yet. I'd contact the band or the label at the links above to see about getting your hands on a copy.

Hey Mercedes was the far too short-lived (2000 - 2005) outfit formed by Bob Nanna after Braid broke up. Now, I was never into Braid back in the day (and in fact I've revisited their material since becoming a huge Hey Mercedes fan, and I still just don't "get it"), so I had absolutely no idea who the hell Hey Mercedes was in the beginning. I got into the band about four years ago, oddly enough the same way and at the same time as I discovered their Vagrant Records labelmates No Motiv: I saw their 2001 full-length debut, "Everynight Fire Works", in a pile of used CD's for like $2 or $3, thought it looked interesting, and bought it on a whim. Big win there, 'cause this is definitely their finest release, and all 43 minutes are absolute perfection on every possible level. 11 tracks of catchy yet musically proficient emo/indie rock with super unique singing and an overall sound that's very much rooted in the type of aesthetic the genre carried throughout the 90's, but with enough forward-thinking sense to keep it sounding fresh and original. I could (and probably should) go on and on, but this shit will totally speak for itself. Awesome songs, awesome artwork, awesome production… you can't lose, man. For immense music nerds like me there's absolutely nothing better than randomly buying some CD you've never heard of and having it kick the shit out of you right off the bat, and there's no doubt this album was just one of those instances for me. I fully recommend everything the band released in their time together, but this is definitely "the one". Love this stuff. Love it.

Hey Mercedes "The Frowning of a Lifetime"
Hey Mercedes "What You're Up Against"
Hey Mercedes "A-List Actress"

Monday, this is what you're up against. Your head rings to the rhythm of the alarm clock. Time in, breathe in, time out, breathe out. I doubt that this is what you're all about. Tuesday, this is what you're up against. The television and your version of aversion. The car, the candy, and the shower curtain, blurting out the answers you didn't even ask for. But it's bound to get better. It better. Slow motion replay, day in, day out. We came all this way now, we'll fire up just to push them down…

It looks like the label's selling this one for a mere $5 these days, so there's really no excuse. If you like what you hear (How the hell could you not!?), fuckin' buy one.

Purchase:

@ Vagrant Records

Originally self-released by the band last year, "I Carry…" is the debut five-song EP from Denver, CO duo Adai (now being re-released by Radar Recordings). All five tracks flow seamlessly together, and the bulk of the EP is instrumental, fluidly transitioning from soft clean passages through an array of "post-rock" or "post-metal" types of playing (and I really don't care for those terms, but if I use them people tend to actually know what types of riffs I'm referring to, so… you know) and a few sludgy sort of rocked out little riffs to thicker, nastier rhythms that better accentuate the absolutely vicious vocals - which, when they do appear, tend to be buried deep in the mix so as not to overpower (though there's actually some really cool singing back there from time to time as well). Recorded at the mighty Godcity by Kurt Ballou, of course everything sounds fucking great - from the warm, resonant percussion to the massively textured walls of guitars and effects that thicken things up and really give you no indication that there are only two dudes responsible for all of this. Several of the tracks are rather short "interludes" of sorts, so the 24-minute running time is actually a little shorter than you'd expect given the length of the two core compositions, but you easily get a feel for what the band's capable of. It may not be the most original approach in the world, but it's certainly quality, and I'd be quite curious to hear a full-length outing from Adai (hopefully in the near future).

Adai "Home" (excerpt)

Unfortunately I just found out the other day that this disc isn't being officially released until September, and had I known that sooner I would've held off on posting about this until then (I think advance promotion is sort of pointless, to be honest). But I do have the actual physical CD in my hands right now, so… maybe if you contact the band or label at the links above you'll be able to buy one ahead of time. Otherwise… I guess the wait is on!

"Metal of Death/The Advocation of Murder and Suicide" is the recently released two-part EP from California's Gravehill (on Enucleation Records). I'm not entirely sure how seriously you can take a band with members' names like Bodybag Bob and a lineup that's probably wearing thousands of bullets and spikes between the four of 'em, so there's probably a little good ol' fun involved here, but nonetheless this is a very solid five tracks in just 20 minutes. Included are re-recordings of all three songs from last year's self-released "Metal of Death" EP as well as two new tracks: "Murder" and "Suicide", obviously. As you'd probably expect, the bulk of the influences are drawn from raw, thrashy, old school death metal - occasionally smattered with very subtly blackened runs or even some killer hardcore/punk infused breakdowns that really emphasize some of the crude classics from which the band may be drawing inspiration. There's a great balance of tempos, as well as a solid mix of all-out aggressive riffing and more memorable, feel-based playing - plus quick little melodic leads or more chaotic bursts. So, while fairly straightforward, there are actually a lot of different characteristics swirling around in there that do basically amount to an admirably forceful (and not one-sided) "metal of death". Good stuff…

Gravehill "Murder"

The disc's only $6, so… that's a bargain, people.

Purchase:

@ Enucleation Records

Also from Enucleation Records is this US pressing of "Purifying Consecrated Ground", the 2005 debut EP from Greek death metal outfit Dead Congregation. Formed from the ashes of the awesome Nuclear Winter, Dead Congregation follows a similar path of burly, powerful death metal that still seems to be inspired by a lot of the early-90's classics. The sick, meaty guitar tone makes for some totally killer chugging, churning tremolo picking runs that ease into plenty of those twisted "Covenant" era Morbid Angel breaks with lots of mangled chord phrasings and bends, as well as some pinch harmonics and weird little melodic twists ala mid-period Gorguts or something. I don't know, man, the songs kick ass, the recording's really cool, I love the consistent aesthetic of the band's artwork… they've got it all down. Five tracks in just 20 minutes definitely leaves you wanting more, but the band did just recently release their first full-length offering, so I'll definitely have to keep an eye out for that. I have absolutely no problem with bands looking to the past when they nail it so completely like this, especially when there's somewhat of a gap to be filled with regard to quality representations of a certain niche of metal from the days of yore. Awesome.

Dead Congregation "Vomitchrist"

This one's only $6, too - digipack and all. So don't download this shit, you know?

Purchase:

@ Enucleation Records

The latest from the always awesome Reaper Records is the "Stay Cold" EP from Baltimore, MD's Trapped Under Ice, by far one of the best new metallic hardcore bands out there these days. And I've been eagerly awaiting the CD release of this EP 'cause it also contains their 2007 demo as bonus tracks (as well as a handful of live tracks and a dub version of "Evelyn" by Black Ark, but it's basically the studio material that I'm all about). Utilizing straightforward hardcore power chord rhythms and chunky NYHC styled breakdowns with tiny little doses of added metallic flare, quick lead breaks, and occasional flirtations with sparse melody (think Betrayed) doesn't exactly appear innovative on paper, and I'm not really saying these guys are rewriting the book or anything, but they're not so typical either. I'm not entirely sure what it is about 'em, but it's more of a big picture thing: The vocal approach and the lyrics, the way they keep the metal influence way under control, the sense of groove and its balance with the melodic undercurrents, and also the fact that all of the songs are so short - leaving no room for senseless repetition or noodling around. So, yeah, I don't need to analyze this shit. It's great material and there's a reason this band's getting a decent amount of "hype" or whatever, so… if you've never heard 'em before, absolutely check 'em out. I can't wait to hear more from these cats…

Trapped Under Ice "Skeleton Heads"

Return to the point of no return. You can't clean the slate, you can't wash away the dirt. Now my patience is fleeting, I can't escape the feeling. Brain waves, like a vortex in your mind. Absolutely, your time is coming. It's coming. It's coming. I'm going to be there to see the death of your desires, as your life expires to the guillotine.

It's also available on vinyl if you're old school like that (or via iTunes if you're on the other end of the spectrum), but I fully recommend the CD itself for the bonus material, obviously, so… make the grab one way or another if you like what you hear.

Purchase:

@ Reaper Records (CD)
@ Reaper Records (7", no bonus material)
@ iTunes (mp3, no bonus material)

What are they? In your opinions? Post some comments letting me know. I'm feeling like discovering some new (old) shit.

Thanks.

"Oneiromantical War", the sixth (and most widely available to date) release from the always intriguing Wrnlrd is also the first release for sure-to-be-curious new label Flingco Sound System. In many ways no two Wrnlrd releases are particularly alike, but right off the bat with this one (which comes hot on the heels of "Pentagon") things feel more pointed and powerful to me. Numerous twisted abstractions are still in place from the start - from rumbling dark ambient tones to sprawling layers of chaotic guitars over sparse percussive bursts - but the recording is obviously more defined this time around, with a very crisp guitar tone and a relatively clear mix, which really pays off. It's not until the third track, "Silent Command", that obscured vocals make their first appearance - gurgling forth from beneath a mass of blasting drums and raging guitar riffs - but just a few minutes later they're gone; and by the time "Haxanic Stairway" rolls around you're treated to some unexpectedly bright snippets of acoustic guitar over some of the most eerily moving (in an emotional sense) dark ambient textures I've heard in years (seriously). Quite awesome. And then there's the epic 20-minute closer, "War", which kind of traverses through all of the other elements of the album in its own fluid manner. You can never quite be sure what you're in for with Wrnlrd, but that admirable unpredictability doesn't seem to have hampered him thus far in the eyes of listeners. That being said, if you've not been impressed by what you're heard from the project in the past, I'd always encourage you to keep checking in from time to time, because there are true moments of brilliance tucked away in releases like this that really raise the bar. I'm confident in stating that "Oneiromantical War" is Wrnlrd's finest work to date - musically, sonically, visually, etc. Nicely done…

Wrnlrd "Silent Command"

This one's only available on limited edition LP (a one-time pressing of 500 on 180 gram vinyl, no less) or as mp3 downloads (and the LP's come with a download code, so you'll get both if you buy the LP), though I'm not entirely sure if anyone other than the band/label has physical LP's in stock just yet. The price for a single LP seems a little steep, but I believe the label's going to be offering some cool package deals or something along those lines, so you might want to wait until they get their website fully up and running in the next week or so to check into that. I'm guessing you could buy one off the man himself for a decent rate as well, should you take the time to do some digging.

Purchase:

@ Flingco Sound System (LP/mp3)
@ The End Records (LP/mp3, though not yet in stock)
@ Amazon.com (mp3)
@ eMusic (mp3)
@ iTunes (mp3)

Melodic Swedish death metal may have been pretty played out for some time now, but back in the mid- to late-90's there were some really incredible bands out there, and I still feel like Gardenian kind of got the shaft, especially compared to many of the other bands associated with the Gothenburg scene and all that jazz. Maybe it was partly due to the fact that they were fairly young and didn't get together until 1996, I don't know, but their first two albums still hold up extremely well today, and their 1997 debut, "Two Feet Stand" (Listenable Records), seems to have become a little rarer than I would've expected. Sure, their style was quite similar to the likes of In Flames and such acts, what with plenty of those zippy dual guitar harmonies and slick acoustic passages, but I always felt like their songwriting had a hell of a lot more character to it than a lot of the bands that sort of came up right in the middle of the whole "melodic Swedish death metal boom". There was a little more of a chunky heaviness to some of their rhythms, the melodies were a bit more emphatic and intense than those of many of their contemporaries, the songs themselves tended to be very catchy and memorable without any of form of the cheesy "power metal pep" that sometimes follows certain characteristics of hooky songwriting (and in fact they often managed to succeed in such areas even when their compositions became rather dark), etc. I randomly picked this disc up in a used bin a year or two after it hit the streets, and I've been a fan ever since. If you've never heard 'em, I'm sure you have a ballpark idea of what to expect, but I highly recommend both "Two Feet Stand" and "Soulburner" (the latter of which is much easier to find, and even better, I just happened to feel like writing about this album for whatever reason), so… if you like what you hear below, definitely dig a little further.

Gardenian "Awake of Abuse"
Gardenian "The Downfall"
Gardenian "Murder…"

To my surprise, I can't really find this disc for purchase out there. There's a whopping one copy on eBay right now, and Amazon has a few for ridiculous "import" prices that no one will ever pay, but… other than that? I'm not really seeing it. Very strange, and rather unfortunate, too. This really is a great record.

Recently released in the US by Enucleation Records is the debut EP from Finnish outfit Sacrilegious Impalement, offering up four relatively lengthy tracks of raging black metal in a little under a half-hour. There's nothing inventive here (and I have absolutely no problem with that when it comes to tried and true black metal): Lots of tactfully employed tremolo picking, blasting percussion, distantly thudding basslines, pulsing midpaced breaks, and of course some of those crawling, discordant riffs that any fan of this genre should know and love - with sneering/snarling/growling vocals along the way. The recording's got a great bite to it, with just the right amount of grating texture over the guitars, as well as surprisingly crisp sounding percussion and fluid low-end tones. There's just a fiery warmth to the whole thing that really benefits the overall delivery well. I hate to keep it so brief, but I really don't know what more to say. Like I said, when it comes to black metal, I tend to prefer it when bands stick to the basics, and that's exactly what you can expect here. It's quality material, I have no complaints.

Sacrilegious Impalement "Eternal Agonies" (excerpt)

The EP's only $6, so pick one up if you like what you hear.

Purchase:

@ Enucleation Records

"No Consequences" is the debut full-length from New Jersey/Pennsylvania hardcore act Braindead (released by the band and Burn Bridges), who I had never heard of before, but holy shit is this an absolutely awesome record. 10 energetic tracks of contemporary melodic hardcore with a great balance of speedy bursts with plenty of those octave chord accents and sweet little arpeggiated riffs that always grab my attention, as well as slower breaks that never really let up on at least some sort of subtly melodic undercurrent. I haven't heard much in the way of this niche of hardcore in awhile, so this shit's really hitting the spot, 'cause the tracks are catchy without lacking force, and they're not "poppy" either (although, "Guilt and Shame", the one track that flirts with singing, is actually among my favorites). The vocals are pretty much straightforward shouting/yelling, which adds some intensity and actually matches the emotional type of tone of the music quite well. The recording's a touch too muddy, but the super dense bass tone and overall heaviness that are bringing some of that on are definitely nice flourishes that tend to give these types of bands that extra kick, especially given the melodic nature of the songwriting. Is what they're doing terribly innovative? Nope. But every god damn song's a keeper. These dudes know exactly what the fuck they're doing, and they do a great job of it. I'm all over this. Highly recommended…

Braindead "An Exercise in Bad Taste"

Purchase:

@ Burn Bridges (CD)
@ Burn Bridges (LP)
@ Interpunk (CD)
@ RevHQ (CD)

"Among Wolves" is the self-released debut full-length from intriguing French trio Appollonia, and I know I've used this line before, but this really is another band that would fit in well with the overall sounds of French labels like Basement Apes and Radar Swarm. Combining a foundation of roaming, plodding basslines and colorful percussion amidst dense guitars that shift from pounding rhythms to looser, dissonant waves of texture, what does separate these guys from the pack of similar artists in their particular scene is their penchant for frequently adding space to their material - either through peculiar riffing shifts, unique clean/acoustic passages, or utilizing influences generally deemed "post-rock" or "post-metal". What's interesting, though, is that they do all of this in a rather atypical fashion, so they never start to come across as commonplace. Similarly, while they rarely stay in one place for very long, the material doesn't feel chaotic at all. The songwriting could stand for a little more focus when all is said and done, but you can tell that they're keeping a tight hold on where things are going. The recording is also insanely crisp and clear - perhaps in part because the band's a trio - so you can really hear the different interactions between the instruments and get a real feel for the band's use of space and texture. I don't know, there's just a really cool sort of strangeness hovering over the album, you know? There are enough influences swirling around and commingling to where you can't really classify the end result with any blanket genre classification: It's heavy and subdued, abrasive and melodic, rhythmic and abstract, flowing and noisy… all over the place without falling off the map, basically. They also seem to have a strong, consistent visual aesthetic, and from what I can tell the lyrics are a solid mix of the personal and tastefully political, so they're clearly putting thought and effort into every aspect of the band, which means they should only improve over time. It should be interesting to see what the future holds…

Appollonia "In Virgin Dirt"
Appollonia "Passing Lights"

Purchase:

@ Appollonia

Weird band name, weird album title, weird artwork, weird song titles… but this shit is fucking awesome. "Spirit of the Stairwell" is the debut full-length from UK trio The Death of Her Money (released by the band, SuperFi Records, and Rat Patrol Records), which drops a mere six tracks in a whopping 50 minutes. This is seriously some of the most uniquely monolithic material I've ever heard. Sure, you could point to a few similarities or influences here and there, but the end result is pretty damn creative. There's some nasty feedback and a dense, destructive, fucking massive sense of crushing heaviness, but most of the riffs and rhythms are colored up with bizarre chord phrasings and incredible uses of abstract melody that really kick into some powerful, emotional surges throughout. I'd say the bulk of most of the tracks is made up of drawn out instrumental passages, but the occasional absence of the distant, hoarsely shouted vocals does little to deter the band's intensity or sense of feeling. The recording kicks ass, too. The bass is, of course, super dense - fluidly pulsing about beneath the surface - while the percussion is crisp and warm, and the guitars range from grungy, harshly overdriven textures to looser, jangly sounding clean tones (obviously accented by some of the looser playing/picking patterns) or swirling layering effects with dissonant swells of movement. I had no idea what to expect from this album whatsoever, but I was hooked in right off the bat. Great work, and definitely one to watch. I'm really impressed…

The Death of Her Money "Scandinavian Accent"

Purchase:

@ The Death of Her Money
@ Rat Patrol Records
@ SuperFi Records

I was never a big fan of now legendary Dutch death metal outfit Asphyx as a kid 'cause for some insane reason Martin Van Drunen's vocals bugged me. But years later I eventually found a few of their CD's for dirt cheap and came to the realization that, yes, Martin Van Drunen is fucking awesome, and at least the early Asphyx material (I never really paid attention to their post-Van Drunen work) - especially their 1991 debut, "The Rack" (on Century Media) - contains some absolutely classic material. I mean, shit, one listen to "Vermin" (the first "real" song after one of those silly "eerie" intros) should hook you in, as that shit's pure fucking energy - one of the greatest death metal tunes ever written. There's just something about the band's filthy guitar tones (a great match for Van Drunen's patented snarl) and penchant for jumping from thrashy, straight ahead death metal to dingily pounding, discordant, doom-laden rhythms and melodic leads that just does the trick, you know?

I don't even know that much about the band's history, since it took me so long to wake up and start appreciating their heyday. They formed in 1987, had a bunch of lineup changes throughout the recording sessions for a handful of demos, hooked up with Van Drunen after he left Pestilence, recorded two albums and an EP with him, then continued on through the mid-90's - and I don't think any single founding member consistently appeared on every Asphyx release. Then they kinda-sorta changed their name to Soulburn in the late-90's, but by 2000 had released another Asphyx album. Now Van Drunen's back in the band with founding drummer Bob Bagchus, and, well… who knows!? Like I said, I haven't really kept up, to be honest with you. What's important, at least for the purposes of this post, is checking out a couple of these early jams:

Asphyx "Vermin"
Asphyx "Pages in Blood"

This one's still available in reissued form, and if you're not averse to buying mp3's you can get the entire album (plus live bonus tracks) for pretty damn cheap all around, so… enjoy.

Purchase:

@ Amazon.com (CD)
@ Relapse Records (CD)
@ Amazon.com (mp3)
@ eMusic (mp3)
@ iTunes (mp3)

I'm not entirely sure when Cospe Fogo Gravações released this self-titled full-length debut from Brazil's Ruina (The dates on MySpace say 2006, but the label's website and such seem to indicate that it's a newer release from this year?), but I was quite impressed by the band's three-song demo in 2004, and this material continues in a similar vein: Thick, driving metallic hardcore/punk with that His Hero is Gone/Tragedy sort of edge to it, and perhaps a hint more variety these days in terms of utilizing some drawn out instrumental passages that slow down a bit and get into some darker uses of plodding basslines and feedback, more spacious rhythms, occasional clean breaks, and some melodic lead lines to contrast the more explosive solos heard elsewhere. The recording is nice and warm, with efficiently dry tones and a very cohesive mix that keeps all of the elements closely bound without losing any detail, and while the overall approach here isn't exactly breaking new ground, that still doesn't hinder them in the least. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and Ruina has had a firm grasp on this niche of hardcore for several years now. They write powerful songs that carry a sense of emotion and feeling and cover just the right amount of stylistic ground to keep things interesting, and you can't complain about that. Good stuff…

Ruina "De Olhos Vendados"

Unfortunately I'm not seeing this CD around at any distros here in the US right now, though the label is supposed to have some distro through Crimes Against Humanity Records, so… you might try checking back there from time to time. Otherwise I'd go straight to the source and see about buying one from the band or label directly using any of the links provided here.

Purchase:

@ Cospe Fogo Gravações

After two obscure limited edition runs starting in 2006, what is technically the debut full-length from Germany's self-described "depressive and melancholic black metal" outfit Wedard was re-released a third time last year, in somewhat wider scale (and with far superior artwork, which looks absolutely awesome), by Regimental Records, and I just happened to pick it up last week when the label was running one of their ever-popular $5 CD sales. I refer to this as the band's "debut" because their other 2006 full-length was just a proper release of their final demo (of which their were many during the band's early years). The overall approach here isn't particularly unexpected in terms of utilizing discordant melodies through lots of moderately paced tremolo picking, sparse clean breaks, and driving percussion - at times accenting the guitar parts with generally tactful (though still unnecessary, in my opinion) keyboards - while the vocals sway from distant shrieks or somewhat hushed screams (if that makes sense) to flirting with some borderline annoying wails here and there - though for the most part things do thankfully remain fairly tolerable in that realm. All of the lyrics are in German (and aren't included in the booklet), but with song titles that translate to phrases like "Winds of Despair" and "Walking Along the River of Time", not to mention occasional intro samples of howling winds and rain, etc., it would seem that the not uncommon themes of nature play a role in inspiring the general tone of the contents here (which also makes sense given the "grim"-looking winter landscapes throughout the packaging). The recording's pretty cool, though. It can take some getting used to on occasion, but something about the blatantly muffled distance of the drumming and the reverb lingering over the guitars and vocals creates some very fitting atmospheric characteristics. There's room for tightening up here and there (with regard to both the mix and the performances), but overall I find this to be an enjoyable listen that does indeed meet the "depressive and melancholic black metal" tag. Main member Sternenfrost is now handling all Wedard duties himself (I believe a session drummer was utilized during these recordings), and a new album is due out soon, so it should be interesting to see how the project progresses moving forward.

Wedard "Winterdepression" (excerpt)

Purchase:

@ Regimental Records

"Ride the Relapse" is the debut full-length from peculiar Norwegian outfit Haust (on Fysisk Format), who lists amongst their incredibly diverse list of influences Darkthrone, The Locust, David Bowie, Rudimentary Peni, and The Jesus Lizard. And that rather twisted range of artists actually makes some sense after you experience Haust's own brand of mangled, well… "rock", for lack of a better term. They blaze through 13 relatively brief tracks in just about 24 minutes, and the overall backbone is made up of massive, pounding basslines and energetic chord progressions, but there's just a shitload of filthy, gritty distortion all over the place. And the vocals… the vocals really do sound like some kind of fucked up, Converge-esque take on weird, noise rocked black metal - just twisted, maniacally scathing sneers, yells, and wails with - yet again - some faint distortion hovering above. And that's just the beginning! Where things get really interesting is in the more discordantly textured riffs, which shift from looser and more indie-ish little twists to crisper, darker takes on the types of winding riffs more associated with the black metal of Haust's home country - granted all of these characteristics often tend to be delivered in a tightly rhythmic, subtly technical manner that tosses in yet another dimension to the band's overflowing melting pot of sounds. It's definitely a heavier, more explosive, wholly different take on this particular leaning, and the unique nuances that they're exploring certainly pay off, 'cause this is a really cool album that certainly leaves you wanting more. See for yourself:

Haust "The Filth"
Haust "Desperate Living"

Unfortunately this one's not distributed outside of Norway just yet, so you'll have to see about getting a copy straight from the band or the label (try them at the MySpace links above, or the online shop linked below). This one literally just hit the streets, though, so hopefully it'll start filtering out to more distro sources in the coming months.

Purchase:

@ Tiger Records

The CD pressing of "Elil", the second full-length from UK act Fall of Efrafa, was released late last year by a trio of international labels: Halo of Flies (US), Sound Devastation Records (UK), and Alerta Antifascista (Germany). This is my first exposure to the band's work, which is apparently "based loosely around a re-imagining of the mythological and political overtones in the book 'Watership Down', by Richard Adams". I'm not familiar with the book, but the band's bio outlines more specifically how their records (which are part of a trilogy called "The Warren of Snares") are tied into some of its concepts.

There are only three songs on the entire album, but be not misled, because each track surpasses the 20-minute mark, and the band certainly has it right when stating that they "write very long, epic, heavy, melancholic, melodic songs; taking influence from post-rock, post-metal, D-beat hardcore, etc." It takes nearly seven minutes for distortion to kick in for the first time, and they really do transition effortlessly from driving His Hero is Gone-esque hardcore/punk rhythms to more dissonant and spacious twists ala Cult of Luna or more recent Burst, etc. - and from there to softer clean breaks or plodding, bass-centric runs, the occasional use of samples, and even a few beautiful acoustic passages. There are definitely quite a few lengthy instrumental segments in the tracks, but I have to say that the songwriting is far stronger than you'd expect given the sheer length of each composition. They make great use of the time, and manage to keep things interesting throughout - and they generally do so without making each 20-minute song feel like just a bunch of shorter songs strung together, you know? There's obviously a lot of thought and effort being put into how all of the different atmospheric elements piece together, and thankfully they stray from most of the typical characteristics of "post-" genre influences. You can certainly pick up on some of those elements, but the band keeps most of their tones warm and stripped down, favoring a more natural sense of texture and space as opposed to dousing everything in effects or what have you. And it is pretty epic shit, I must say. There are some really powerful buildups and I'm really liking what's going on here as a whole. This is an intelligent band that has something to say, and they're doing so in a pretty curious manner.

Fall of Efrafa "For el Ahrairah to Cry" (excerpt)

Man built god creates the veil. It hangs before us all and waits. Those who choose its warm caress, dignify this empty fate. Angelic mythos cracked in the kiln. Shards embedded in the mouths of liars. Charged nature as unfit, disfigured the sanctity of love, tore down all that is good, all that is whole…

The disc is packaged in a simple gatefold digipack that includes the lyrics and song explanations, as well as a decent-sized foldout "poster" of sorts, and is also available on double-LP (with alternate artwork, I believe). Very cool. I'll have to keep an eye out for more from these guys for sure…

Purchase:

@ Halo of Flies
@ Sound Devastation Records
@ Alerta Antifascista

Full Court Press was a relatively short-lived Belgian act that existed from 1998 - 2004 (though their final release was back in 2002) and was constantly referred to as "the European E.Town Concrete", which isn't exactly a comprehensive assessment of what the band had to offer, but it's probably safe to assume that most any fan of E.Town should definitely be down with these cats, too. And anyone who's been reading my site since those days should recognize the name, 'cause I definitely had many a kind word to say about Full Court Press when I first got my hands on "Live Life Large", their lone full-length, in early-2003, probably six months or so after it hit the streets. And to this day I still think this is an absolutely awesome, totally underrated record, and had these dudes been from the US I bet they'd have been way more popular. (I'm not saying that's how it should be, but unfortunately that's the reality of the situation sometimes…)

After 1999's "Ghetto Style Fiction" demo, the band officially debuted with more of a straightforward, almost "beatdown" style of metallic hardcore in 2000 on "The Art of Warfare" split with Crawlspace, followed by four songs on the "Step to the Plate" compilation the following year (I never did get my hands on this compilation, so if anyone can hit me up with high-quality mp3's of that shit, please do let me know. Thanks!), but by the time this record came out in 2002 their delivery had grown quite a bit. The hip-hop influences in the vocal patterns had definitely become more obvious (though still pretty subdued, especially when held up against a band like E.Town Concrete), but the music was far more intricate and melodic - while still retaining plenty of the simplistic, chugging midpaced breakdowns and straightforward aggression of their earlier days. What always killed me about this disc, though, was just the sheer quality of the riffs and songwriting. Every song's a keeper, and more than half the album's just jammed with incredibly powerful - not to mention memorable - guitar parts and vocal arrangements, in addition to the types of impressive rhythm section flourishes you'd expect when even a marginal hip-hop influence is present. I mean, shit, the chorus to "Lesson Learned" is just fuckin' sick, while "All That Remains" is just all-out for six minutes straight. It's rare that bands of this nature actually hit on such an emotional type of feeling, as opposed to just outright aggression and rage or whatever. I don't know. Great band, great record… and I wish they were still around.

Full Court Press "Lesson Learned"
Full Court Press "All That Remains"
Full Court Press "Broken"

This one's not as easy to grab as I thought it would be, but there are a handful of used copies on Amazon right now, and it looks like you can still get it (from Europe) from the label as well if you dig through their online catalog.

Purchase:

@ Amazon.com
@ GSR Music