The Afternoon Gentlemen/OSK - split EP

It's always hard to review a release that features the band of a couple of friends, especially since you're either afraid of telling the truth or your judgement isn't the most objective and you think everything they do is fucking awesome. But when the band is called The Afternoon Gentlemen it's hard not to be excited when they've got a new release out, a split with Canadian grinders OSK this time. And is it good? Yes it is! TAG start of with a rerecorded (I think) song that also can be found on the European Fastness compilation (that also features 4 other cool bands, ahum) and adds 3 other beersoaked grind/thrash anthems, no need to namedrop bands on how TAG sound, they're good and you know it, so that's reason 1 to buy this split. Reason 2 is OSK, because eventhough they sound slightly different, they also how grindcore should be played. Straight forward blastcore with hints of crust and metal might be the correct term to describe them, really. I hadn't heard of the band before, but the vocals remind me of Mudlark, so I wouldn't be surprised if the band consists of some ex-Mudlark members and it would also explain their wickedness. Whatever. Buy this from your local distro or mailorder, many labels from all over the globe released this, so it should be fairly easy to get your hands on a copy!

Disciples Of Christ/Mind As Prison split EP

Fresh blood! Or somewhat fresh at least. DOC might be familiar to people because A) it features Chris of Magrudergrind/Coke Bust fame and B) the demo EP was excellent (and yeah, I also liked the 5 minute intro). Mind As Prison is a new band from Maryland that I hadn't heard of before until I got this slab of vinyl in my hands. What is there to say about this split? Well both bands play fast, both bands add slow. Disciples Of Christ do it noisier/filthier and a bit more power violence oriented, while Mind As Prison sound a bit more metal with hints of crust, but not enough to call it "metallic" or "crusty", so no reason to be afraid! 5 songs each, good stuff from both. I personally like the DOC side the best, but MAP is a close second. Pick this up our you're missing out on 2 good bands and 1 nice split!

The DOC side as available for download here

Raging? RAGING! Torn Apart (uk)

In a scene where attitude and appearance is more important than the music it's always nice to find a band that takes you by the balls for 4 minutes, squeezes them into pesto and only lets go when their side of the 7" is over. Torn Apart from Leeds (United Kingdom) - Moloch member in it! - does that to me.

I first got to know them from a 4 way split with fellow countrymen Mouth, Closure and Bonestorm (check them out as well, well worth your time!) and their side of the double 7" knocked me off my socks completely. I eventually got a hold of their split with Sick-Fucking-O and their full length EP and it's not just a one hit wonder, these lads rage every fucking time! If you're into hyperfast, powerfull hardcore that leans to Crossed Out and Hellnation, this is your band! My personal favourites are the 4-way split tracks and the full length EP, go check!

Deep Shit - Creepin' While You Sleepin' EP

It’s hard to stand out as a power violence band these days. Everybody wants to play it and a lot of bands are good at it too. Yet some just do it better. Deep Shit does it great! This EP is brilliant on many levels. First of all is the cover rated as one of the 25 ugliest covers of 2011, but personally I think it’s more funny than ugly. Second of all they have one of the best intros ever made. You’d think they’d come straight from Compton to bust a cap in yo’ ass if you wouldn’t know they’re actually from the far north of the US of A, or Wisconsin for that matter (yeah, That 70’s area). But most of all the music itself is ball wrecking. The terms “short, fast and loud” have never been more accurate. Good stuff for fans of Spazz and other blunt power violence bands.

Available on a stream and for sale at Give Praise Records

Back among the living...

...eventhough the daily grind makes me feel like being in a coma 24/7.
But I'll be using this blog more often, just to keep me busy on nights when nothing else is there to do, really.
It'll be used for more reviews, opinions, cool new bands I discovered and other nonsense no one will give a damn about.

Let's start with a cool new band I discovered yesterday...

Grieved are from Sweden. Few bad things come from Sweden, except Robyn maybe.
They're young, angry and play heavy, somewhat sludgy hardcore, in the vein of Cursed and the likes and the one EP they have released is pretty intense!
Check a song out here (quality is pretty bad, but you get the point):
Grieved - Cursed Ideals or on their bandcamp page, which is linked above.



The show they played here yesterday was cool, Gold Kids was nice as well (if you don't know them, check 'em here: Gold Kids), but they were supported by one of those deathcrab/crapcore bands, fuck that!

Stino

Lycanthrophy/F.U.B.A.R. split 7"

It's been a while since I've updated this blog, mostly because I now have job and little time to start reviewing, but I haven't bought that much new material, eventhough I now finally have the money for it hehe.

Anyways... What I didn't wait for to pick up was the new Lycanthrophy/F.U.B.A.R. split on Bones Brigade records. Two bands that have been around for a while and with the reputation of delivering top notch grindcore each and every time, can't go wrong with a split of those, now can you?!

Up first is Lycanthrophy, Czech female fronted grind/powerviolence that really started to get attention when the enlisted a (very nice looking) lady on vocals. But they deserve every attention they get because besides the lady-fact they also produce virgin-ass-tight music, and again so on this split. Five songs of stop'n go grindcore, not unlike Yacöpsae and Jesus Cröst. Excellent stuff.

F.U.B.A.R. is on the other side. I have to admit that on the last thing the released (the split with Sylvester Staline) they let me down a bit, it had some songs on it that weren't all up to the level they preformed on previous efforts, like the Splitter split or the full length LP. The bands side on this split however is back on the same level and maybe even topping it. F.U.B.A.R. 's grindcore has never sounded better in my opinion. Great production and - above all - great songs! I'm personally a huge fan of the 3 vocals, as they add only to the furiosity of the band and sound. Can't wait to see these guys live again!

Conclusion? A must have!

www.myspace.com/fubargrind
www.myspace.com/lycanthrophy
www.bonesbrigaderecords.com

Stino

Altar Of Plagues - Tides LP

Life's full of surprises. One day you're relaxing on your apartment, the next day Altar Of Plagues is staying over for a couple of nights because some volcano cancelled their trip to Finland on their European tour in support of their new album "Tides". That same album is now part of my collection and I'm happy to tell you that if you're into ambient "modern" blackmetal, it should be in yours as well! "Tides" is no copy of the band's opus magnus so far: "White Tomb". it is slower, (even) more melancholic and leans more to bands like Shining, Lifelover and Forgotten Tomb, whereas its predecessor was more Wolves In The Throne room alike, though the latter influence is still present in the faster bits of the 2 songs and the EP (yeah EP, eventhough it is in fact 36 minutes long) has the same trancelike effect as aforementioned Cascadian band. The production isn't as good as on "White Tomb" though, it's not as polished and sounds a bit dirtier, which isn't a bad thing, but the drumsound could've sounded better. That however is just a minor flaw. Altar Of Plagues deliver yet again with "Tides" and I'm pretty sure more awesome stuff will follow from these Irish prawns.

www.myspace.com/altarofplagues
www.burningworldrecords.com
Stino