Review: Fuck The Facts - Amer

Fuck The Facts

Amer

Self-Released/Relapse

Everyone in metal should probably sit down and take notes from Fuck the Facts.  This group of Ottawa/Gatineau-based bastardized grinders have been putting out some of the best ear-splitting music around for over a decade, and do so without half of the praise they deserve.  Beginning as Topon Daz’s one-man brainchild, FTF has somehow become one of the most well-respected and hard-working bands in metal.  I’ve seen them play in some of the dingiest, dirtiest, shittiest venues in Ontario, and they always put on a fuckin’ show, even if it was only to 20 people. 

Fuck the Facts are a band I’ve long respected and appreciated, largely in part because of their ability to stay fresh and interesting in a genre that is all too often guilty of rehashing old riffs and refusing to think outside the box.  Recent albums Disgorge Mexico and Die Miserable moved the band away from pure-blistering grind and into darker, more ethereal territory.  Luckily, each new evolution of this band has been more interesting, mature, and more enjoyable than the one before. 

Their new EP, Amer, is no different.  Blending elements of grind, death, and even groove metal, this record is damn near accessible.  Now, using a term like that for Fuck the Facts barely makes any sense, but it’s oddly applicable here.  The songs are full of well-thought out dynamics, usually run around the 2-3 minute mark, and are full of amazing riffs and catchy vocal patterns.  And somehow they do all of this without becoming boring, generic, or soft.  Pay especially close attention to tracks like "Une Triste Vue" and "A Void", as they really embody what I'm trying to say.

One caveat, if you are wayyyyy into lyrical content, but do not have a grip on the French language, then this may not be the best album for you.  Written entirely in French, this album has put my 6^th grade French Immersion skills to the test.  Nevertheless, there is little doubt about the pain and anguish behind many of these lyrics. 

So all in all, if you haven’t listened to Fuck the Facts before this might actually be a good place to start.  But really, what the hell is your problem? Don’t you like good metal?  Why haven’t you listened to this band yet? Shame on you.  This has quickly become one of the best records of 2013 and easily my favourite non-English record of all time (I'm not sure if that's saying much, but whatever, it's true).  

Buy it here (And if you dig this record from FTF I highly recommend the Misery EP as well).

Review: Greber/Hiroshima Vacation - Split 7"

Greber / Hiroshima Vacation

Split 7"

Suburban White Trash Records

It is a well-known fact (around my house) that I’ve had a HUGE musical crush on Fuck the Facts for about a 11 years now, and have had the joy of sharing stages, couches, and pizzas with them over the years.  I put this out on front street because Greber is the brainchild of Marc Bourgon from Fuck the Facts and I don’t want to be accused of having hidden biases (I’m much more comfortable with my biases when they are blatant, apparently).  Now, in all honesty, the sharing of personnel is one of the only things these two bands share.  Greber provides a much grimier, sludgier style of metal than FTF’s dissonant grind, but that doesn’t make it any less appealing.  In fact, this two-man-band (drummer and bassist) are able to outperform most 4/5 person bands on this release, as they don’t mistake minimal for boring or simplistic.  Also, my favourite song of theirs is called “Twenty Nine Years Old”, which as a 29 year old grind fan greatly appeals to me for a number of reasons. The other half of this split is occupied by Ithaca NY’s Hiroshima Vacation.  They play sludgy grind/powerviolence and can keep up with anyone else in the field.  If you haven’t yet, definitely check out this band as they are bound to impress you, even though I’m sure you have impossibly high standards like most people on the interent. 

I’m very glad that I actually sat down and took the time to listen to this release because it reminds me of when I was a teenager and would love grindcore splits because it always seemed like you got more bang for your buck, as 5 minutes of intense grind is always more satisfying than one prolonged acoustic track or some such b-side bullshit.  Also, having to grow up in a pre-internet age, splits like this always gave you a chance to find out about bands that you had never heard of.  I came across this release through a message from Greber, but are now completely turned on (not sexually...while, kinda sexually) to Hiroshima Vacation, who I otherwise never would have heard. 

Check out some songs here or pre-order the vinyl here.

Review: Enemy Insects - Live to Die

Enemy Insects

Live to Die (Demo Track)

Tracklisting:

1. Live to Die


This will be a short review because I'm only reviewing one song.  Now, I know there is technically precedence for this on this blog for reviewing a single song (see our rambling review of Propagandhi's track "Failed States"), but this is less about salvating for a much-anticipated release from a favourite band and more about trying to give everyone a heads up about a sweet new band.

Baltimore's Enemy Insects have released their first demo track (of what I assume are many more demo and non-demo tracks to come) called "Live to Die".  It's fast, thrashy, metallic without straying too far from hardcore, and it has a fucking fanstastic chorus riff. The vocals sound diabolical as fuck, and fit perfectly with this frantic/schizophrenics type of hardcore.  All in all, it is highly recommended and should be check out by anyone who is looking for an up-and-coming band that is bound to continue to impress.  And hey, if you are a douche you should listen to it so that you can go around later and talk about how into these guys you were back when they put out their first demo track.

Also, Bandcamp needs to get a volume knob.....my computer volume was cranked as the first notes of this song almost liquified my eardrum (in a non-hyperbolistic bad way).  Not Enemy Insect's fault, but still, it fucking hurts.

Listen and enjoy!

Review: Pig Destroyer - Book Burner

Pig Destroyer

Book Burner

Relapse Records

Tracklisting:

1.   Sis   
2.   The American's Head   
3.   The Underground Man   
4.   Eve   
5.   The Diplomat   
6.   All Seeing Eye   
7.   Valley Of The Geysers   
8.   Book Burner   
9.   Machiavellian   
10.  Baltimore Strangler   
11.  White Lady   
12.  The Bug   
13.  Iron Drunk   
14.  Burning Palm   
15.  Dirty Knife   
16.  Totaled   
17.  Kamikaze Heart   
18.  King Of Clubs   
19.  Permanent Funeral

There are times when writing for this blog can be challenging.  We like to pump out reviews on a fairly regular basis, but since we have a what’s-the-point-of-ragging-on-an-album-you-don’t-care-about policy, it can sometimes be daunting to find albums that a) we enjoy, and b) that motivate to want to say something about them.  Fortunately, this summer and fall has been a boon for us, with album after album of incredible material, from Burning Love to Masked Intruder to Propagandhi, etc. etc.  It seemed to be getting too good to be true and I was somewhat worried that the last couple months of 2012 would be relatively slow in the review department.

And then Pig Destroyer put out an album.

For anyone not familiar with this Virginia-based quartet, they need to familiarize themselves with these giants of grind immediately.  Guitarist Scott Jull and company have long been known for producing some of the most inventive, genre-bending, mind-destroying grindcore this side of Napalm Death.  Everyone in metal seems to expect the world from each new Pig Destroyer release (especially after the bands last LP - 2007’s critically-acclaimed Phantom Limb), and Book Burner does not disappoint.  Shying away from the Phantom Limb’s lengthier song times, this record scarcely has a song over three minutes, with several scorchers clocking in well under one minute.  Songs like “The American’s Head” and “Book Burner” demonstrate that this band is still the force to be reckoned with that they were five years ago.  Furthermore, the ‘longer’ (re: 3 minute) tracks like “Baltimore Strangler” and “The Bug” are easily some of the best songs on the album.  In fact, I can honestly say that I haven’t heard a better metal song than “Baltimore Strangler” this year.  So there.

This album’s soul-crushing heaviness is further augmented by the drumming of newcomer Adam Jarvis (Misery Index) and guest vocals from Jason Netherton (Misery Index) and Kat of Agoraphobic Nosebleed fame (although it’s not fair to call them ‘guest vocals’...as she is the sole vocalist on “Eve”...so let’s call her a ‘Temporary Vocalist’ or something), which help add a depth and variation to Book Burner that is always welcomed.

Some reviewers have been complaining that Book Burner has strayed too far from the band’s last offering, and are lamenting the lack of opus-length tracks that the band has become known for, but I find this ridiculous, as I have no desire to hear Phantom Limb-part 2.  While some (most) grind bands are perfectly happy hashing and rehashing the same riffs/songs/everything on each album, Pig Destroyer has always proven that just because you play extreme music doesn’t mean it always has to sound the same.  

Book Burner stands on its own as an incredible piece of music, it’s that simple.  It is crushing, but not overwhelming.  It is frantic, but not rushed.  It is well-thought-out, but not overwrought.  And most importantly, it’s fucking Pig Destroyer...with the guy from Misery Index drumming!  Fuck yes!

Buy it here.

Review: Swallowing Shit - Anthology

Swallowing Shit

Anthology

G7 Welcome Committee

Track Listing:
 1. Lyrics That May Offend the Honkys
2. Burn Winnipeg to the Fucking Ground
3. If Assholes Could Fly, This Place Would Be An Airport 
4. Pro-Abortion, Anti-Christ 
5. A Dying Hope for a Gender Exclusive Scene
6. I May be P.C. (whatever the fuck that means), But You're a Goddamn Poseur
7. More Lyrics That May Offend the Honkys
8. You're Not Old School, You're Just Old
9. Christian Metal = Nazi Reggae
10. Riel
11. I Heard Songs About Animal Rights Aren't Cool Anymore
12. Ruins
13. If They Hated Me, They Will Hate You
14. Scathe
15. Overcome By... plus additional, shittier sounding tracks

Hailing from Winnipeg, Swallowing Shit was a side-project for many of the city’s punk/metal elite.  Featuring past and future members of bands like I Spy, Malefaction, Head Hits Concrete, and Propagandhi, Swallowing Shit became the logical conclusion of a hyper-political, metal-obsessed city whose main concern was the political messages carried in their music.  Whether you call them grindcore or power-violence, this group took everyone to task in their brief and chaotic songs.  From “Burn Winnipeg to the Fucking Ground” to “Pro Abortion, Anti Christ”, Swallowing Shit welcomed controversy and discussion about their lyrics.  What I doubt they expected was the enacting of a century-old ordinance prohibiting challenges to the church that barred them from playing within the Winnipeg city limits, but that’s exactly what they got.

I mentioned living in a musical bubble at the beginning of this review, and what I meant by that was this:  Swallowing Shit meant the world to me. I mean it.  I would listen to their discography for hours on end, deciphering and memorizing lyrics, reading liner notes, and playing them for everyone I knew.  That being said, they honestly didn’t seem to make that big of an impact outside of my inner circle of friends.  I know that they’ve been praised for their releases to a certain degree, but I honestly thought they were within the top 5 most important metal bands of all time.  Now, I was 17 and prone to hyperbole, but that was my honest opinion, and that opinion still holds true to this day.  I may be way off, but when it comes to things like this who is to say.

So if you are an impressionable, politically active teenager I can’t recommend this release highly enough. If you are a fan of grincore, power violence, or aggressive/atheist/intelligent lyrics, then this is also the record for you.

...but if you don’t at least smirk at the lyric “Your god is dead, we ate what we couldn’t fuck!”, then you sir/madam, are probably going to hate this album.

I'm sure you can find the physical CD somewhere, but here is a place to buy the mp3 version.

Review: Black Hole of Calutta - S/T #2 LP

Black Hole of Calcutta

S/T #2

Give Praise Records

Two things about Black Hole of Calcutta right off the bat:  First, they were immediately on my good side when I saw their awesome Mother-Theresa-in corpse-paint album cover.  Not only is it an eye-catcher, but I’m also surprised that it hasn’t been done before.  Shame on you anti-Christian/blasphemous metal bands across the world!  Second, why would anyone name their album Self-Titled #2?  I mean, naming albums is one of the most fun things for a band to do, and to pass on such an opportunity boggles my mind.  It’s not a knock against the group or this album, I’m just sayin’.

The first track “Myth of Progress” introduces the listener to an impressive form of sludgy black metal, but this only serves to lull listeners into a false sense of black metal security...because this is a straight up grind album (for the most part) from the second track on.  While the music includes punk, metal, and hardcore elements, the vocals always remain in the black metal/grind realm.  This is worth noting because regardless of the backing music the vocals always seem appropriate and never forced.  This is not often the case, but Black Hole of Calcutta definitely knows what they are doing, that much is sure.

It is albums like this that remind me why I love metal in the first place.  There are no frills, no harmonized backing vocals, no unnecessary or drawn out interludes.  Instead, you just get straight forward aggression in its many glorious forms.  “Cirrhosis” and “No Turning Back” stand out for me as songs that best exemplify exactly what Black Hole of Calcutta is going for in this way. 

So if you love metal, hate Christianity (or at least want to put corpse paint on it), and are looking for fast, furious, and well-written grind, then look no further than this record.  If you hate metal, love Christianity (or don’t want to put corpse paint on it), and don’t like grindcore than what the fuck are you doing on this site?

Buy this album!
Listen to stuff for free!

Review: Graf Orlock - Los Angeles

Graf Orlock

Los Angeles

Vitriol

Tracking Listing:

1) Dead Man Talking
2) No Attachments
3) Couples Seeking Comfort/No Point
4) Quick on the Trigger

There was once a time where nearly every band used audio clips from movies to intro their songs.  To be honest, it was a time that I loved.  Bands I’ve been in have used samples from Tombstone (Don’t any of you have the guts to play for blood?”) to Falling Down (“CLEAR A PATH, MOTHERFUCKER!”) and I always thought it added an interesting and useful element to hardcore/metal/grind/punk songs. 

Graf Orlock demonstrates that this tradition is far from dead.  Often labelled ‘cinema-grind’, these LA grinders have been steadily putting out quality noisy grindcore (and running one of the best indie labels around, Vitriol Records).  With movie quotes in tow, Los Angeles demonstrates why grindcore still has something new and interesting to offer as a genre, mixing lo-fi production with tight and chaotic song-writing to produce 4 interesting and well-crafted tracks.  The first track, Dead Man Talking, is the angry, noisy, frantic type of song that I have come to expect from Graf Orlock.  Having said that, there is a definite progression to their sound that is evident on this and other songs.  One of the most welcome surprises was Quick on the Trigger, which is a slowdown almost doom-inspired song with movie samples laced throughout.  The Heat samples only enhance the grimy and violent nature of the song.

Graf Orlock is the type of band that continues to show what can be done with the oft repetitive and tired genre of grindcore.  Hopefully they inspire other bands to consider taking a more eclectic and diverse approach to grinding metal, as the results can be surprisingly impressive.  And every damn band should use more movie samples in their music.

Buy It! (And buy the awesome  'Doombox' 10"...the packaging folds into the shape of a boombox!)