Kriegs Legion- War Bastard LP review

Kriegs Legion- War Bastard LP review

This is real old school shit, crossover the way it was made before hardcore influenced it in the 90s.  Utilizing the two guitar sound in an almost Iron Maiden-esque way (that is, with the use of simultaneous harmonies and an individual sound for each guitar), it is the plentiful riffs that seem to drive these songs forward.  The drums are metronomic, damn near flawless; bass is bumpin’, following the high end of the riffs with a mirrored, low-sounding rhythm; the vocals are gruff, mid-pitch yells with all the youthful angst and nervousness boiled out in favor of a righteous urgency (given the lyrics, it makes more sense to be this way).  Lyrics cover a wide range of topics, most of ‘em related to the shrinking level of freedom the powers that be allow the common man, the proletariat of today.  Propaganda, bribe, coercion, or a violent end is what seems to be the accepted norm for combating oppositional individuality in this day and age, and Krieg’s Legion is unafraid to say it.

The layout of the insert for the record is smooth yet simple, the recording quality is clean but not spotless (as all metal and punk should be), and there’s some room left to headbang.  A fine piece of Motor City metal and/or punk.

-Aunty Social

Krang- Sounds of Death LP review

Krang- Sounds of Death LP review

“Black Standards” starts off with a moody, lengthy intro, before kicking into a crusty black speed metal punk kind of sound.  Unlike the band’s old incarnation, Expendable Youth, this band/ record is largely apolitical, focusing instead on the occult- a much wiser choice on their part, as stereotypical left-wing political rhetoric has long grown dull for me.  As a song, this one bored me.  However, “Sounds of Death” makes up for it a little, since it’s kind of catchy and crusty-sounding.  This is a crusty’s drinking song, and for good reason- it’s good, not just musically, but technically as well.  The level of talent in this band is simultaneously surprising and welcoming.  It is at the beginning of the track “The Earth Was Blue, But There Was No God” that I’ve realized that this is a phenomenal mixing job- all the instruments and vocals are equally audible.  This really helps the songs sound a lot more crisp.  Even for the songs I might not otherwise like, a great mixing job can make a mediocre song sound good, and a good song great.  The song itself here was good, too.  Not a standout, but good.  “The Unbearable Weight of Knowing” sounds like a crust punk band playing a song after learning how to play their instruments.  Yes, it IS a good thing- this record gets better and better with each passing listen.  “Acceptance: Here at the End of All Things” is an instrumental track with sound bites picked from unknown sources dubbed atop a slower, more musical composition.  I’m not sure of the meaning behind the sound bites, but the composition itself is well-though out and pretty well-written.  Not particularly memorable, but good in its own right.  “Death of Sound” closes out the LP, being a more dreary mid-90s crusty song that’s mid-tempo instead of fast.  Didn’t like this last song much- oh well, the four in between are reasonably good.  Stay to the middle.  Still, the few good songs are all pretty decent- worth streaming, maybe buying if you like noise or write for a zine/ magazine.  Not bad.

-Aunty Social

Band profile: Hash Blazer

Hash Blazer hails from the culturally rich, poverty-stricken wasteland of Detroit, following yet surpassing former local heavyweights Halloween, Ugly But Proud, and Heresy.  While most often a three-piece, they are amidst toying with a quartet, sharing vocal duties between the two mainstays, drummer Louie and guitarist Kyle.  The band started in mid to late 2010, just months after the demise of former sludge band Stabbed in the Face.  This time, these two former members of that band decided to take a brand new direction musically- they went towards metal; more specifically, a mix between New Wave of British Heavy Metal and traditional thrash.  Little over one year after their formation, the band has opened for the likes of Destruction, Hellbastard, and Upsidedown Cross, not to mention having recorded a stellar demo, now this…

The band is a perfect example of moderation between influences and originality in music; yes, traces of many bands come to mind listening to Hash Blazer, but they don’t sound like a single one of them.  Coming from the perspective of a 80s hardcore and peace punk worshipper, I really respect a band capable of effectively walking this line.

Still, influences play a part in the lives of the ‘Blazer.  In the drums, one can hear traces of Motorhead, Sodom, very early black metal, and Hellbastard; lots of double bass, consistent energy, and a few metal breakdowns.  No two songs sound the same with these drums.  In the guitars, there’s a considerably wider spectrum:  Diamond Head, Iron Maiden, Teutonic thrash, Megadeth, Painkiller-era Judas Priest, Exodus, Armored Saint, and even a little Slayer.  There’s no limit to the array of riffs and licks that can be used, and the band uses many of them to create a sound to call their own.  The vocals are not so easily pinned down; primarily melodic and clear-sounding, this is a breath of fresh air in an era of barks, growls, and annoying cacophonous screams and utterances seemingly dominant in today’s metal and punk bands.  Both singers/ band members take from the sounds of Armored Saint/ John Bush, Diamond Head/ Sean Harris, Iron Maiden (both Paul and Bruce), Megadeth/ Dave Mustaine, and even from cheesy 80s hair metal bands a la W.A.S.P., Motley Crue, Dokken, and the like.  In short, the band is that very evasive mix between melody/ rhythm and natural aggression in singing.  In this age of indecipherable singing, the band takes an undeniable step outside the box, for the better.

Though it’s impossible to pinpoint exactly what Hash Blazer sounds like and there’s no one band to offer a near perfect or side-by-side comparison, they certainly fit well with a number of bands, all the while carving a unique path.  However, imagine Megadeth circa 1985-1992, playing Sodom’s music with a unique tinge, with John Bush in the early days of Armored Saint.  Even that is only a shell of what Hash Blazer is and represents.

They hash, they thrash, and goddamn it, your head will whiplash!
Full length album “Welcome to Detroit Destruction” to be released on Pirated Records in late 2011/ early 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnZNrZwfSnA&feature=feedf