I was familiar with Drain thanks to them being name-dropped by fellow Santa Cruz Hardcore outfit Scowl, whose Psychic Dance Routine EP I had the good fortune of reviewing recently. Therefore when the promo list came round and I spotted Living Proof (Epitaph Records) on there, it was simply too good an opportunity to pass up.
The musical journey continues with The Sonic Voyage – the Discography show hosted by Ojayy of Ghost Cult Mag. This episode features the recently reunited Biohazard! The band is playing select headline shows and festivals in 2023 (including Milwaukee Metalfest) and are working on new music too.
Imagining what sounds the absence of something emits can be as intangible as it is incomprehensible. A garden of dead flowers, for example, would presumably lack much in the way of disturbances or noises. Yet, Death Goals penned a soundtrack for that scene and it’s deranged, cantankerous, and irrepressible.
dreamstime_l_14823565 Photo 14823565 Slayer Jeff Hanneman c Tomas Hajek Dreamstime.com
Jeff Hanneman, legendary guitarist of Slayer passed away on May 2nd, 2013, ten years ago. Although the band continued for six more years without Jeff, they missed the co-founding Thrash Metal rhythm and lead guitar innovator. Ghost Cult continues to fly the flag of Slayer, high. In the time since he passed, Ghost Cult covered Slayer just as heavily in Jeff’s life, as they released a final studio album with Jeff’s contributions (Repentless), had a legend and friend hold down his spot live (Gary Holt of Exodus), released a comic book with Jeff’s likeness, completed their final world tour ever of two years, released an incredible film/music video trilogy (The Repentless Killogy), former bandmate DaveLombardo wrote a loving tribute to his fallen friend, and we have created two career-spanning retrospectives (read them here and here) on the end of the band. From the time Jeff passed and every night on that final world tour, Slayer honored Jeff during ‘Raining Blood’ with the “still reigning” banner. Hail Jeff and hail Slayer!
With anger becoming the emotional currency of the world today, it only makes sense to see a resurgence of hardcore. Only Constant (Convulse) the full-length debut from this New Jersey band, Gel, finds the quintet twisting the style of the early Hardcore vomited forth by The Plasmatics and GISM into their own sound that is re-imagined for a younger generation. The band’s sharp-edged twin guitar aggression is mixed with the drive-of-rock attitude.
On Devil Music (out now on Run For Cover Records) Austin, Texas three-piece Portrayal of Guilt up the ante with a thirty-minute barrage of inventively malevolent extreme metal, firmly achieving what they’ve hinted at on recent releases: greatness.
In recent months, there have been quite a few “sophomore” releases that have been exciting to look forward to. However, none have been as highly anticipated as Jesus Piece return in …So Unknown (Century Media) after their debut took the metallic hardcore world by storm five years ago. While the lyrical emotions of just being pissed off about past trauma is left on the previous album, Aaron Heard still brings a level of aggression and chaos, yet a level of positivity. Either way you slice it, this record really hits the marks for a sophomore effort which will excite fans.
Essex (UK) Hardcore group Understand formed in 1992 and in their initial run fitted in an EP, a promising debut Burning Bushes and Burning Bridges, lots of buzz, and an underground following. Their relationship with the previous label East/West dissipated and during ‘98 they had some tracks in the can and were looking for a new home but alas things fizzled out in before the end of the century
“Negative Approach meets The Breeders” is the description offered by the members of Scowl of this their latest release the Psychic Dance Routine EP (Flatspot Records) – if that’s not a tagline that grabs your attention outright I don’t know what is and what help there is out there for you! Said EP is the follow-up to the 2021 How Flowers Grow debut full-length.
Ghost Cult’s Jessie Frary interviewed Brent Rambler of August Burns Red to discuss their new album “Death Below” out now via SharpTone Records! Brent discussed the long process of making of the new album, their songwriting and recording styles, breaking up the tracking for tours and festivals, the secret to the band’s longevity, and ABR’s love of Evergreen Terrace!