From Hell- Heresy 12" review

From Hell- Heresy 12” review

Imagine if Tragedy has been more influenced by hardcore bands rather than punk bands- this band shares the same evil, despondent, swansong vibe, but it’s heavier and gruffer than Tragedy, not to mention that it has the quality of being somewhat unique.  While it certainly sounds like a few particular bands, it eclipses the boundaries of the sounds set by their influences.

The record starts off with an intro, somewhat melancholic and unraveling in its nature.  The version I received has an audio clip from Richard Kuklinski, known in popular culture as “The Iceman”, about his reflections on life, which adds to the uneasy, creepy, evil vibe.  As the intro ends, the song “Terror” kicks in, slugging its way through the quiet of the night with a brutally rough exterior powered by a small, albeit powerful soft core.  This is a demolition song.  “No Place Like Hell” is next, and even before the song starts, I’m liking it; the title is suggestive of hell being more comfortable than some kind of eternal bliss and happiness, and in many cases, it indeed is (home being the idealistic comfort zone of the mind).  The song does not disappoint; the rough, gruff attitude persists as the gravelly voice of singer Chris briskly rips away any semblance of hope, happiness, and redemption, planting a seed of unhappiness and discomfort to grow into a poisoned flower, never wilting but always inflicting pain.  “Unholy” reminds me of Sub-Zero from Mortal Kombat, in that the songs rips with both hands right through your chest, into your heart on its way to your spine, and with every bit of beautiful agony, tears you apart, leaving you a shell of a person, dead inside and unable to recover.  “Crucifix in a Deathhand” is an instrumental with a voiceover telling the story of a man whose soul has withered away to its foundation, a perfect tale for the wailing violins and soft but desperate guitar waves weeping for the protagonist as his tragedy is told.  “Holy War” is another hard hitter, paralyzing in its purity of sound, even if that sound can’t be precisely defined.  “Empty and Hollow” is the final act of this play, a fitting end to this epic, as it is a longer song and wreaks devastation on the mind, pointed and conclusive.

This music is what you hear only in your nightmares and your sadomasochistic dreams.  If you have these visions, you’ll enjoy this quite a bit.  Even if you don’t, this is the darkest of the dark side.  No future, no hope, no happy endings.

-Aunty Social

Heresy- The Final Hour 7" review

Heresy- The Final Hour 7” review

This EP starts with a galloping bass, almost as strong as a guitar’s typical presence.  It definitely drives the song at first, though vocalist Tim King does begin to put in his rapid-fire words that act as the knight to the galloping horse.  The guitars are a traditional buzzsaw, not as driving as most guitar sounds, but not lacking in their contribution.  The drums are a very d-beat styled hardcore punk, definitely influenced by the likes of Discharge, Totalitar, and GBH- however, it seems to be a little more complicated than that.  It helps drive the song well enough, though.  The lyrics are anti-war, anti-system, anti-religion punk rock stuff- the words are not a huge vehicle for the band, rather it is the vocal delivery serving as the vehicle for the music.  Overall, it is low-fi raw cassette tape hardcore, the kind that ruled the 80s underground music scene everywhere, Detroit included.  Some metal influenced leaked in (in the form of short lead breaks), but make no mistake- this is Detroit punk rock.

-Aunty Social