Since 2025 marks the 25th year of existence for Aversionline, I wanted to try and look back on some music that I was spewing words about æons ago. Digging through the archives, it seemed like 2002 slowed down a touch compared to 2001—probably because I was back to balancing Aversionline with a full-time job. Still, I somehow managed to crank out almost 1,000 reviews throughout the year—I actually have memories of taking stacks of CDs to work with me every day so that I could write reviews during my lunch break or if the workload ever eased up. I've omitted some bands below that I was already flipping for in the two years prior—stuff like Isis, Burnt by the Sun, Fall of the Leafe, Killswitch Engage, and so on; not to mention other superb releases from labels such as Bridge Nine, Deathwish, Relapse, Willowtip, etc. Those intentional omissions aside, here's a semi-synopsis of Aversionline v1.0 circa 2002.
Some of What I Loved the Most...
Complete, Adjusting the Perpetual Emotion Machine (Last Effort)
"Here's some nice metallic hardcore from Denmark that's sort of in the vein of Botch combined with something like Shai Hulud and that sort of thing... It took me a while to grasp a full appreciation for what's going on here, but this is indeed an awesome effort and I hope to hear more from Complete in the future. They should definitely be making a name for themselves..."
I probably hadn't spun this in 15+ years, and only ever heard their split with Iscariote afterward. Revisiting the album yesterday, I was re-impressed by Complete's brand of surging metalcore, which is as caustic as it is melodic. Surprisingly, above is the only song I could find online!?
The Dying Light, Survival Guide to the Apocalypse (Hypercube Productions)
"I wasn't sure what to expect from 'em, but holy shit is this one of the best records I've heard in a long time! They sound sort of like a more twisted and creative early-'90s death metal band with completely fucked up vocal screams and a better sense of unusual melody. Musically it's generally precise, raw death metal with a little bit of a classic '80s thrash vibe... but tracks like 'Warstrike' throw in some slower dissonant riffs as well as some technical picking patterns to spice things up."
I'm shocked and embarrassed to admit that it's been quite some time since I've broken out either of The Dying Light albums, and that's a pathetic mistake, to be sure. This will be remedied as soon as possible!
Esicastic, Atman (Self-Released)
"Here's some more highly impressive technical, progressive death metal from Italy. There's definitely a big time Cynic influence happening with some of the riffing and picking patterns, as well as the bass lines, but the vocals are very grating high-pitched sneers with some singing at times. I'm not the biggest fan of the aggressive vocals, but the musicianship is so fucking incredible and the songwriting is so creative and interesting that it doesn't really disturb the overall impact at all."
I was getting a good number of demos like this around that time, and was also excited by others from Exivious, Illogicist, etc. For some reason, Esicastic never went as far, which is unfortunate. I bet they could've put together quite an interesting album had they landed the right opportunity.
Harakiri, Twilight of the Idols (Willowtip)
"This one's a real winner across the board. The music is fucking complete and total death metal just how it should be done: a sense of contemporary flare with old school roots, great changes (and tons of 'em), just the right amount of technicality, a wide range of tempos, solid musicianship and songwriting, and so on. And all of this compressed into songs that almost never stretch past the three-minute mark."
It's been far too long since I've jammed Harakiri, too. One of many herein that I'll be revisiting sooner than later!
Hiretsukan, Invasive//Exotic (G7 Welcoming Committee Records)
"What the...!? This is some of the best shit I've heard in a long, long time! Absolutely raging, dissonant, melodic hardcore with scathing vocal screams out of New York. I'm talking completely unrelenting force, a totally heartfelt delivery, just fucking awesome... it's very rare to hear something this original and sincere these days."
Holds up 100%. Still incredible. Can't recommend it highly enough. 0:36 into "Barrel Roll" still kills me every fuckin' time. The vocalist was later in a short-lived band called These Days, but I'll forever wish that Hiretsukan had done more than two albums. So good.
Misery Index, Overthrow (Anarchos Records)
"Combine grinding mayhem and traditional death metal riffing with brutal, twisted breaks and moderately-paced thrashings. I can definitely hear some similarities to the speed and dissonance of Napalm Death circa Utopia Banished, but this has its own way of approaching things with more changes and constant tempo variations."
Again, it's been an inexplicably long time since I've thrown on some Misery Index. I recall being a huge fan, and think I was even quoted on the hype sticker for Discordia!? I need to get these early releases back into the mix ASAP!
Penfold, Our First Taste of Escape (Milligram Records)
"This is an absolutely brilliant piece of work... Penfold plays an incredibly dark, incredibly textured form of what I must negligently call "emo/indie rock," for lack of a better term... I don't know what else to say. If you're a fan of related genres this is essential. I wish it were more often that I found a release this emotionally forceful and fascinating. This comes very, very highly recommended.
Masterpiece. To this day, I tend to argue that Our First Taste of Escape just might be the single most underrated emo/indie album of all time. Crucial listening for fans of the genre. Crucial.
The Red Chord, Fused Together in Revolving Doors (Robotic Empire)
"Damn, this blows up immediately with unexpected bursts of blasting chaotic grindcore, full-blown death metal, a little bit of metalcore, and some eerily dissonant melodies... Musically, I'd loosely compare this to Suffocation and Cryptopsy at their best with some Deadguy-type action thrown in, as well as a lot of innovative nuances and intelligent lyrical themes that really make an immense difference."
Like Nora from the 2001 rewind, imagine my disappointment with myself when I went to grab this off the shelf and found... no Red Chord at all!? Why!? What the fuck is wrong with me!? Back to the Discogs Marketplace I go!
The Unlucky Few, The Unlucky Few (Self-Released)
"Here's an excellent demo CD-R from this Connecticut band. I guess their music is best described as a frantic, modern take on something similar to what Burn was doing on their first EP. There's a good dose of melody and technicality, some chunky post-hardcore heaviness, complex time changes (with start/stop rhythms on occasion), interesting screamed/shouted vocal arrangements, etc... If this band doesn't end up signed within about a month or two, I'm going to be fucking pissed at the severe injustice perpetrated..."
One of many demo-only bands that I flipped for back in the day. I couldn't find anything online, so I had to throw one track up on SoundCloud. I'd take that Burn reference on the lighter side, but otherwise what I wrote still feels pretty accurate to me sound-wise. It absolutely would've been nice to see this band scooped up for a full-length. I'm glad I've managed to hang onto this CD-R for over two decades...
Virulence, A Conflict Scenario (Morbid Records)
"This is some awesome, frantic grindcore with all sorts of wild and crazy jazz breaks and a wealth of technicality, as well as your usual balance between speed and crushing mosh parts. The musicianship is definitely top notch, exemplified through fluid and creative percussion, tight and crisp guitar riffs that sway from blazing metal to clean chord progressions, and solid bass lines that effortlessly keep up with the guitar parts as well as venturing off on their own twisted paths from time to time."
Still underrated. A really killer disc. If you're at all intrigued by the description above, I very much encourage you to seek out A Conflict Scenario. I don't think you'll regret it...
Other Stuff That Got Me Hyped...
As Friends Rust, A Young Trophy Band... (Equal Vision Records)
"There's some pop-punk, some straight rock, some great dual guitar melodies (very Iron Maidenly, if I do say so myself), a few forceful solos, some heavier rhythms, catchy choruses, etc... This is awesome stuff. If their other records are this good, then my dumbass has been missing out."
My dumbass had been missing out. Severely. Obviously I now enjoy and support their entire discography, but I will say that this EP remains my absolute favorite As Friends Rust release. Just awesome.
At War With Shadows, Healing is Not an Option (Hater of God)
"Holy shit! This crushes what I had previously heard from At War With Shadows on their split CD with Lariat! The writing is still very metallic with a great sense of melody and some lightly chaotic arrangements, but everything is a thousand times more intense! The riffing is tighter and a bit more technical, not to mention incredibly creative, and the song structures themselves are so fucking powerful!"
Hater of God. Hell of a label. This EP smokes, and is far from the only incredible gem tucked away amidst the Hater of God roster. Man, I miss that label...
Burst, In Coveting Ways (Chrome Saint Magnus)
"...this is fucking amazing. Their full-length that came out last year was rad, and this is even better. Intense, emotional, melodic, and fierce metallic hardcore from Sweden. Burst is one of the most diverse and impressive bands I've heard in a long time. They've got the dissonance and heaviness of His Hero is Gone, as well as noisier post-hardcore textures, but they also throw in some rhythmic chord progressions, technical riffing that borders on death metal, and some passionate harmonies or clean passages."
All true, now and forever. Absolutely unstoppable EP, and still my favorite release from the Burst catalog. If you've somehow never heard this release, get to it. Like, now!
Count Me Out, Permanent (Indecision Records)
"...these guys just keep getting better and better. I've yet to be disappointed by anything they've released, and every record is just a little bit better than the one before, adding in just the right amount of progression without abandoning their total old school hardcore roots... This time around it's absolutely amazing tracks like 'Against the World' that infuse a great sense of melody with powerful chord progressions and some post-hardcore dissonance in an instantly memorable fashion that stand out the most."
Great album, and this song in particular still catches my ear right off the bat. Melodic hardcore with oomph, and a traditional side that expertly avoids genericism.
Daylight Dies, No Reply (Relapse Records)
"This time around Daylight Dies continues to build on their base of heavily early Katatonia-inspired metal. Like their last release, this material sounds uncannily similar to Brave Murder Day era Katatonia with a slightly more polished sound and a bit more variety. The songs are long and moderately paced (most clocking in at well over six minutes), the distorted rhythms are simple and often layered with clean guitars and melodic lead lines, the vocals are consistent high-pitched screams, etc."
I certainly don't want to reduce Daylight Dies to "Katatonia worship," but I'll still take high-level early Katatonia/October Tide-type metal any day of the week—especially when it's this well-executed! Man, I really miss Jesse Haff's Darkdose website, too...
The Great Deceiver, A Venom Well Designed (Peaceville)
"Amazing. That's the only word for this record. Absolutely amazing. This time around the destructively heavy rhythms remain, but the post-hardcore vibe has diminished in favor of much darker textures... Very fucking nice work—an excellent mesh of the bluntly aggressive and the subtly melodic, all in what I would call a very experimental type of framework that somehow still retains memorable (if not catchy) choruses."
In the years that followed, I lost interest in The Great Deceiver for no clear reason. That being said, about two years ago I came back around and revisited their entire discography. I'm pleased to report that everything has held up very, very well.
Green Carnation, Light of Day, Day of Darkness (The End Records)
"Wow, this is breathtaking... the pitfalls of their debut have been erased, and the band's potential has been fully realized in this epic piece of work: one song that clocks in at just over an hour long! ...there is still a healthy balance between aggressive and calm passages, but the writing is far smoother and more intricate, not to mention stronger as a whole. The music is more progressive in nature, relying on subtle layering and carefully placed instrumentation that will take numerous listens to fully recognize and appreciate."
It looks like I parted ways with my Green Carnation albums at some point over the years (this is why I almost never sell anything anymore), so I'll be curious to properly look back when able. This continues to sound pretty damn interesting 20-some years after the fact...
Hatebreed, Perseverance (Universal Records)
"Perseverance is a damn solid record, regardless of whose money is behind it or where the band might end up as a result. Hatebreed releases are never really surprising, you pretty much know exactly what you're going to get, and the band delivers on cue... The songs are short, heavy as fuck, and the message is bitter and vengeful. Nothing is complicated—in fact, the simplicity of it all is where the band has always succeeded. They just churn out the power chords and the pits go fucking wild."
What more needs to be said, really? Legends.
Kontrovers, Kontrovers (Putrid Filth Conspiracy)
"Fuck yeah... this is excellent, vicious Swedish hardcore. It's got the heaviness of Skitsystem with a slightly rawer edge, and mixed in with the brutally heavy crust/hardcore approach is some His Hero is Gone-sounding dissonance at times. There are tons of tempo changes, too, from blistering speed to pounding slow breaks, so overall there's a lot of diversity crammed into compact little tracks... I wish I had heard this sooner. Highly recommended for fans of the glorious Swedish hardcore scene."
Face-shredding Swedish crust that remains underrated as far as I'm concerned. Putrid Filth Conspiracy had quite some heavy-hitters in their midst!
Knut, Challenger (Hydra Head Records)
"Once again, Knut returns with a new record that takes their past and builds an angrier, more intricate monster from its framework. Challenger is their most extreme and diverse effort yet. Drastic tempo changes, unusual time signatures, plodding rhythms, grinding speeds, complete discordance, long songs, short songs... it's all here."
Gnashing and mathy excellence from these Swiss bruisers. And, hey, Roderic, thanks for turning me on to Calhoun Conquer and other amazing music!
Mastodon, Remission (Relapse Records)
"Well, damn... the Lifesblood EP was good, but this totally destroys it! ...there's a great deal of intensity, precise technicality, a whole lot of dissonance and frantic time changes, etc. But there's also a lot more melody, some pure rock fury, chunky grooves, more fluid writing, and a general sense of cohesion. These guys really cover all the fucking bases. There's some death/grind action, a little bit of an Iron Maiden meets '70s rock dual guitar harmony thing... just an immense amount of shit going on here."
I sometimes forget how much I loved Mastodon in those early years. I ended up "taking a break" from 'em around 2009 until roughly 2017, but I've been back in the fold and could argue that despite my adoration of their Relapse years, they've probably released some of their finest work during the Reprise era.
Shadows Fall, The Art of Balance (Century Media)
"Holy shit... the first time I listened to this I thought I had thrown in an old thrash CD and forgotten about it. The opening riff is so '80s thrash it hurts! This is even better than their last album. It's the same general style, combining straight up thrash metal with some modern metalcore, but the influences are far more diverse now, yet they've somehow managed to make the writing more cohesive and consistently strong."
More so than many of their contemporaries, Shadows Fall's progression and growth—especially from 1997 to 2004—was pretty mind-blowing to follow, and this album was a noticeable step up in terms of the musicianship. I appreciate all of the band's work, but those first three albums with Brian Fair on vocals just kept getting better and better!
Sinners & Saints, The Sky is Falling (Bridge Nine Records)
"...this kicks so much ass, and it's not at all what you'd expect from former members of Blood for Blood, The Ducky Boys, and In My Eyes... some of these songs could make this band huge. The writing is insanely catchy and memorable, but it's as honest as you would expect it to be considering the source, so it's not some copout bullshit. It's not generic radio rock, they're not trying to sell five million records... it's just good fucking music that happens to be based more in rock 'n' roll than their previous outfits were."
Rob Lind is a musical genius. It's a fact. (Mark's no slouch, either!)
Soilwork, Natural Born Chaos (Nuclear Blast)
"From the moment you throw this one on, you realize immediately that this is an enormous advancement from their past efforts. It still sounds like Soilwork, but less like the typical melodic Swedish death metal sound and more like something of its own—a bit more progressive, refined songwriting, perfect production, etc... From a writing standpoint there's a good amount of changes, but everything is perfectly pieced together with smooth transitions and the songs are completely infectious and still intensely melodic."
I haven't listened to Soilwork in a very long time, and have had a handful of their CDs sitting in a "maybe sell" pile for years. Right about now, I'm glad I never went through with it, 'cause this is sounding killer. Natural Born Chaos won't be the only Soilwork disc finding its way back into my stereo soon!
Whenwedie, Digital Angel (Self-Released)
"...this is the last release from New Jersey's Whenwedie... I guess I'll never get the chance to see what might've happened if they'd gotten signed, because most hardcore labels are too busy with their heads up their asses throwing away their money advertising in Alternative Press and shit... this is their best EP yet... All you'll need for proof is the last track, starting out with a fairly melodic passage that sounds almost like Grade to me... And contrast that with the frantic speed and dissonant hardcore of 'Kleine Beaujean'..."
Another band obscure enough to not have music online, so I added one track to SoundCloud. It looks like I wrote about three Whenwedie releases way back when, but Digital Angel happened to be the only one that I could now find in my collection. The packaging is fantastic and it remains a curious outing—I wish I could find the other two releases to get a better overall picture!
