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Terror, Unholy, and To This Day…

Terror - Always the Hard WayI really liked "One With the Underdogs" a lot when it came out, but for some reason it hasn't really stood up as well for me over time, so I'm pretty pleased that Terror's latest Trustkill release, "Always the Hard Way", is a much more pissed off sounding album. Make no mistake, it's basically the same form of textbook metallic hardcore for which the band is known, but the recording, while not perfect, is much stronger and more immediate than that of "...Underdogs"; so when you couple that with an angrier sounding vocal performance and a musical base that brings in more of a driving, churning crunch to the grooves... it definitely works. They plow through 14 tracks in less than a half-hour, and the more I listen to it, the more I dig it. Upon first listen you can miss some of the minor little variances that offer a smidge more diversity than the band's past efforts, but I really dig how they balance those Madball-esque midpaced rhythms with a borderline thrashy take on the speeds and chord progressions of traditional hardcore. Plus, there are a couple of quick segments herein that almost come across as a heavier, more modern take on some of the throbbing pulses found in early Cro-Mags classics (check that intro to "Hardship Belongs to Me")... so how can you go wrong!? Oh, and a guest vocal spot from Leeway's Eddie Sutton? Awesome. Enough said.

Terror "Hardship Belongs to Me"
Terror "Strike You Down"

If you dig the tunes, make the purchase:

Trustkill
RevHQ
@ Very Distribution

While on the subject of "Always the Hard Way", I highly recommend this hilarious "interpretation" of the album's title track. Someone really needs to create an entire website based around this concept. That's just good comedy, man...

Unholy - Awaken the SleepAs mentioned a couple of weeks ago, the European pressing of Unholy's "Awaken the Sleep" is out now on Germany's Silentstagnation Records. Read my write-up of the American pressing for my take on this ragingly awesome EP , but I can now note more specifically that this version of the release is packaged in a great looking digipack with cool alternate cover art—and the bonus track, "Scales From a Leper", is indeed fuckin' great. A worthy addition, indeed. It sounds like this pressing may have a slightly different mastering job as well? I'm not entirely sure. If you've been under a god damn rock, this band features current and former members of Another Victim, Blood Runs Black, Godbelow, The Promise, Santa Sangre, and When Tigers Fight, among others. So... yeah. This shit rules and you should fuckin' look into it. If you live in Europe or are interested in scoring this pressing for the added track, make the grab from the label's website:

@ Silentstagnation Records

See Closed Casket Activities for the American edition of this release.

To This Day - Chapter 1: Between the Bridges"Chapter 1: Between the Bridges" is the debut full-length from New York-based metalcore act To This Day, and it's also the first release on 1981 Records, a relatively new straightedge label. One might think based on the label's name and penchant for the edge that this would be a relatively straightforward, traditional sounding old school hardcore record, but that's actually quite far from the truth. There are indeed a few faster and more typical hardcore chord progressions from time to time, but for the most part the bulk of the disc is dominated by a 90's-ish form of metalcore made up of hoarse yelling over super chunky mosh breaks. The density of the recording combined with a few more discordant or blatantly grinding metal riffs lends a much more contemporary edge to the band's approach, but to be honest with you I'd rather hear them shed those occasional blasts of tremolo picking and whatnot in favor of sticking with the tried and true formula of bludgeoning midpaced breakdown grooves. I'm also not really clear on why they go from standard song titles like "Choking" and "Nameless" to weird "sarcastic" song names like "Danny Fresh & Ruffle Skirts" or "Texas Funerals and Flapjacks", since the lyrics are all basically the same kind of bitter, in your face attacks. The result of all these variances is that album is a little inconsistent as a whole, so I'm certainly not floored, but it seems like these guys might still be getting a footing for where they're going to take their sound. The release definitely looks and sound pro as fuck (it seems like the label must have some pretty damn slick resources in place for a startup), and it shows potential, so I guess time will tell...

To This Day "Choking"
To This Day "Pieces"

I'll be curious to see what unfolds for both the band the label. This one's only $10 right from the source, so make the grab if this is your thing:

@ 1981 Records

Comments

  1. That interpretation is fucking great! Did see the interpretation of a Trivium song? hahha…

    8.29.2006 | By Anonymous

  2. What are your thoughts on the Shai Hulud reissues? I’m still debating whether or not I’ll pick them up. I heard the remastered version of “A Profound Hatred of Man” and it sounded a lot different, and a bit better in some aspects. I don’t know. Who am I kidding? I’ll probably pick ‘em up.

    8.29.2006 | By Tyrone

  3. I haven’t heard the Shai Hulud reissues yet.  I’m curious, and they’re one of my favorite bands ever, so I’ll more than likely grab them at some point, but I’m not in any great rush since I already have all that stuff, of course, so… who knows!?

    8.29.2006 | By Andrew Aversionline

  4. Terror is so fuckin’ burly.

    8.29.2006 | By Anonymous

  5. Andrew I would recommend checking out the Shai Hulud reissues. They sound massive in comparison to the originals. They really did a nice job. I would also recommend the new Spawn Of Possession full length.

    8.30.2006 | By chinaski

  6. I agree that is terror is one on the most burlyiest bands out there.  The people that make all the rules up about hardcore music should invent a new genre called burlycore.  25 years down the road after all the naysayers that said burlycore would not last will have no choice but to respect terror and the band that started it all. One for the burly dogs.

    8.31.2006 | By Anonymous

  7. I also think everyone is terror should grow a beard.  That would make them even more burly then before.  Always the beard way.

    8.31.2006 | By Anonymous

  8. that terror “interpretation” was some funny shit.


    check this out as well:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg5_mlQOsUQ

    9.3.2006 | By Anonymous

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