Deviated Instinct- Liberty Crawls to the Sanctuary of Slaves LP review

Deviated Instinct- Liberty Crawls to the Sanctuary of Slaves LP review

Contrary to most crusty albums I listen to, this one starts off kind of slow, almost like a British version of Xibalba.  The intro to “Blunt Instrument” is absolutely pounding, almost sounding like a hardcore band.  As the song progresses, deep growls are uttered over metallic riffs that ring almost like a cooler, non-hick version of Pantera.  Slap a west-coast hardcore band name on this and kids will go nuts- even as Deviated Instinct, it’s killer, and people should mosh to this.  “Architect of Misery” is definitely more along traditional crusty lines- galloping riffs, downtuned guitars, and ominous vocals.  The slower pace is better for the band, as some of the intensity is much more accented because of it.  “Thorn in Your Flesh” has the heavy hardcore feel once again, and despite my constantly comparing this band to modern hardcore band that are really, really heavy, these guys were doing this in the late 80s, so it would be no surprise if Harm’s Way or Xibalba jammed some Deviated Instinct at least once in the band members’ lives.  This band puts more energy into the guitars, however; the modern heavy hardcore bands put the oomph of their sound into the drums and the vocals.  “Blandscape Slavebait” begins with a splice of an audio snippet that sounds like a busy train or subway station and a distant acoustic guitar, then a melodic guitar strums away before the singer grunts and growls through a mid-tempo punky tune.  For the chorus, an alternate vocalist snaps in as well.  This song really only has two parts- not a very captivating song, and a confusing one as well.  “End Times” has a slightly faster pace and crunchier guitar, almost like the anarcho/ crust version of “Ain’t It Fun”- this was a real punisher.  Closing out this crusty record was “Judas Cancer”, a hardcore-sounding song that is not unlike Axegrinder, but actually enjoyable.  There are multiple instruments playing their own parts here- I really dug this track.

Not the most explosive release of the year, but a fair LP for the average punk.  Crusties will eat this up, hardcore kids will make fun of them for it, and the world spins ‘round.  A respectable release- not time wasted.

-Aunty Social

Dresden- Extinguish the Cross 7" review

Dresden- Extinguish the Cross 7” review

This record is a certified ripper of a single- so much energy mixed in with the epicness of crust churns out an unstoppable mix of great music.  “Extinguish the Cross” has a decent intro that builds up lots of energy and unleashed it in a very quick burst of anger and rage that comes from singer Eric “Bitty” Hammers in a raspy, rigid howl.  Proving that even crust is subject to breakdowns, Dresden comes in and puts a killer breakdown right in the middle of the song, still finishing it with raspy fury.  “Shallow Grave”, though similar in style, packs a much stronger punch.  The chorus is what does it; the back-up singer has a haunting bark that is a great companion to Bitty’s shrill howl.  Though it sucks that there were but two songs on this record, these are two punishing crust tunes that nobody should pass up.

-Aunty Social

Lungs- 10" record review

Lungs- Sermon on the Plain b/w The Pith 10” review

Something about this album is fucking menacing.  It’s hardly even mid-tempo, but goddamn if the notes rung out don’t send an eerie chill down my spine and through my brain.  This crust-influenced doom metal moves like a tank- slow, but unstoppable, powerful, and murderously intimidating.  If these songs had more lyrics, I imagine they would be apocalyptic and hopelessly bleak, because this music has not one shred of hope in its sound- this is the younger cousin of Black Flag.  This punch takes seven and a half minutes to hit you, but it’s deadly.  Only the likes of the Twin Cities could spawn something so unexpectedly awesome.  The place that gave birth to Havoc and Profane Existence, anarcho and crust labels from the start, churns out something like this… and it works.  This is music to scratch your skin off to and scream at the top of your lungs.  Gnarly!

-Aunty Social

Embrace the Kill/ Hellmouth/ In Defence/ Opposition Rising 4 way split 7" review

Embrace the Kill/ Hellmouth/ In Defence/ Opposition Rising 4-way split 7” review

I want to like this record; I really, really do.  Four stellar bands on the same piece of wax and some artwork by Alex Awn is a recipe that sounds like it will churn out a tasty recipe of a record.  However, the result, while not bad, by any means, is a bit underwhelming. It starts off well enough, with Embrace the Kill’s track “Blacklisted” pushing its way along, delivering a heavy, hard, hopeless and bleak black metal-influenced crust tune.  The song rules, and Embrace the Kill further solidifies itself as a killer west coast crust band (among who include Tragedy, From Ashes Rise, Asymmetric Warfare, Short Changed, and loads more).  Next is Hellmouth’s “Amen Assholes”, a favorite song by a notably popular Detroit group that most in the area familiar with.  However, this song was apparently an earlier tracking of the song, and with it is a lesser level of quality.  Nothing is wrong with the song, but the levels, the mix, the sound quality… something is just not right.
Following this is the In Defence track “United Farces”, again earlier tracking of a song that would later be renamed and slightly reworked to “Corporate Bailout”.  This one suffers from the same problems as the Hellmouth track, although I liked this track of Ben Crew’s vocals better than the one used on “Corporate Bailout”.  The saving grace of this record would come in the Opposition Rising track “F.T.W.”, an oft-used acronym for a feeling that resonates in many of us.  Before deviating this into another populist misanthropic rant, I’ll return to the record:  Opposition Rising puts out probably the best track of theirs on this split (best compared to the rest of the songs on their Aftermathematics LP, which too rules).  Formed from the intact remains of Mouth Sewn Shut, the band is essentially the next chapter in the Toxic Narcotic saga.  While Mouth Sewn Shut (and Opposition Rising as well, for that matter) is known mostly for their blends of crust, hardcore, and reggae, this track is more of a hardcore track, but still retains the traditional M.S.S./ O.R. aura.

Even though I was not wowed by the two earlier tracking of these later-to-be excellent songs, there were okay, and the stellar tracks by Embrace the Kill and Opposition Rising makes this album worthwhile.

-Aunty Social

In Defence- Party Lines & Politics LP review

In Defence- Party Lines and Politics LP review

How I do enjoy this band… it’s hardcore and crossover thrash for those who can take a joke.  However, I most definitely didn’t expect as much thrash from the band as I got; I love thrash too, but I expected an LP of pit-bull vocaled, chugging, pummeling hardcore skate punk.  What I received was different than that, to a very great extent.  With high expectations amended, the band could have been like Cryptic Slaughter, and gotten better, or like S.S.D., and gotten worse…

Neither one occurred; instead, it was just as good as their previous releases (specifically Don’t Know How to Breakdance), but for entirely different reasons.  This record, much more thrash-y and heavier than ever, still has that gut-busting, jaw-breaking hardcore flow I adore, all differences and changes aside.  A song that praises The Police, on a Profane Existence album!?  They’ve got my vote.  Even when they aren’t joking, they have a very party punk, think-for-yourself vibe in their lyrics, all the while bashing out some heavy and fast crossover jams.  In three words:  This band rules.  The main thing (I believe the only thing) I can complain about is that this is a band that should be big on the Bridge Nine forums (a.k.a. 4chan’s b/ board for hardcore), and somehow, they aren’t.  Oh well, trolls naturally have bad taste.

Now you have NO EXCUSE:  Thrash-tards, b/ posters, hardcore dancers, 80s hardcore kids, unite (for) In Defence!

-Aunty Social