Cult Of Luna, Neurosis, and Trap Them have joined the eclectic lineup of one of the world’s most important music festivals, Roskilde. Taking place June 24th – July first, in Roskilde, Denmark, and boasts over 175 bands on 9 stages. Typically most of the lineup consists of more pop and rock bands, but over the years more heavy and experimental acts have been added. Continue reading
The 2017 Hellfest Open Air Festival will be taking place from June 16th-18th in Clisson, France next year, and the final lineup has now been confirmed. Continue reading
Converge frontman Jacob Bannon has announced the details of his new solo project, Wear Your Wounds, with its début album out next April 7th from Bannon’s label Deathwish Inc. Continue reading
Some of the best bands out there today rise to the top on focusing solely on emotion in their music. The art of trying to write the fastest music or the most brutal music is stale and simply is no longer relevant. Grindcore outfit, Trap Them, have returned with their fifth full length entitled Crown Feral (Prosthetic). Quite simply, this album is equally angry, chaotic, and depressive. From start to finish, this album is filled with riff after riff that are sure to stay with you all day. Continue reading
Trap Them will be unleashing their new album, Crown Feral, on September 23rd via Prosthetic Records, but thanks to Decibel Magazine, you don’t have to wait any longer to crank it. Continue reading
Trap Them will be unleashing their new album, Crown Feral, to the world on September 23rd via Prosthetic Records, and just to get you more excited for it’s release, we have two new songs streaming for your ears.Continue reading
What Lies Beyond is the 6-track début album from Bastard Grave on Pulverised records. This is Old School Swedish Death metal and damn proud of it, begone the Gothenburg style, all hail the punk infused buzzsaw guitar tone of Nihilist/early Entombed.
As ever the downside of anything ‘old school’ is that you know exactly what to expect. downtuned HM-2 Buzzsaw guitars? Check! Short, simple punk inspired riffs? Check! Abrasive solo’s? Drums that sound like someone falling down a flight of stairs? That sense of not being able to finish the album because you already know what the rest will sound like? Check, Check, Check!
Being old school it makes Bastard Grave challenge to stand out that bit more difficult, and it’s to be noted to their credit that they do indeed achieve it on many occasions.
Starting off with ‘From The Depths’ we’re greeted with borderline sludge levels of feedback and a dry vocal roar, swiftly followed up with a round of rough and ready drums. The statement is made and you know exactly what you’re going to get. The blueprint of Stockholm is being followed closely, so far, so old-school, although there’s also more than a nod to more modern adherents to the sound such as Trap Them.
At times, particularly during the first two songs in the album, the pace can vary and drop a bit; this is most obvious during that opener, which seems to wane somewhat after the first few minutes and the fury seems to peter out. Fortunately by the time we get to track three, ‘Stalker’, the band are showing an upswing in confidence.
Later on in the album, especially with stand-out tracks ‘Bastard Grave’ and ‘Path To Extinction’ the riffs seem to get longer and the song-writing moves away from straight up homage and it’s this feeling of them finding their feet musically which is actually quite potent. Faster and more confident, the riffs chug along like an asthmatic steam train. Crusty, dry vocals and the stuttering yet pummelling old-school drums, it’s here that the promise is by far the most notable.
A début album is still early days for any band but Bastard Grave actually show a considerable amount of promise, they don’t do much which is groundbreaking but what they do, they do very well indeed.
8.0/10
RICH PRICE
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There’s something in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada’s water (or maybe it’s the Molson) that just lends itself to riff writing. Need proof? Fuck the Facts have just released their tenth studio album, Desire Will Rot (Noise Salvation). And that’s without counting all their previous EPs, compilations and like 4 billion splits. Eighteen years later and bastardized grindcore still lives.
And not only live, but slay as well. Age has not dulled the musical blade of Fuck the Facts as they spend the better part of 30 minutes hitting you with an endless volley of liver punches. Rippers like ‘Prey,’ ‘Everywhere Yet Nowhere’ and skull splitting ‘Solitude’ will beat you to the point of handing over any monetary possessions. It’s like a sonic cocktail containing an ounce of Trap Them, one part Napalm Death, and a dash of Ion Dissonance. Garnish said highball with some of the most ferocious vocals in the business courtesy of Mel Mongeon.
And while they can jackhammer beats with best of them, this Canadian brand of grindcore also allows for moments of breadth not unlike the mighty Pig Destroyer. ‘La Mort I’ and its immediate follow-up ‘La Mort II’ contain some rather neat lead guitar work that at times almost flirts with sounding progressive.
And much to my pleasant surprise the album ends with a series of slower jams starting with ‘False Hope’ which is all fury and flames in its initial two minutes only to give way to Eyehategod like waves of sludge. ‘Circle’ and ‘Nothing Changes’ continue to lengthen the running times and widen the sonic soundscape. Album closer ‘Nothing Changes’ is a particular highlight as it’s more in line with Serpentine Path or Converge at their slowest moments.
By the sounds of it, bastardized grindcore has a long life ahead of it. Now if you’ll excuse me I’m off to try some of that Molson.
9.0/10
HANSEL LOPEZ
F
Friday
Kicking off Temples Festival with a torrid mix of grind and punk Teef are a rude awakening. Sadly the shrieking of their vocalist is only appropriate during the more intense moments with several mediocre riffs tempering what should have ignited the blue touch paper. Oblivionized are much better. Nasty atonal riffs á la Discordance Axis, the Londoners bash through relentless cuts from their ‘Life Is A Struggle, Give Up’ platter in a fashion which forces early comers to take note or die.
The Afternoon Gentlemen, by Rich Price Photography
The second band in the second stage were Leeds based grinders The Afternoon Gentlemen. Unperturbed by waiting for the displaced Young And In The Way to conclude their set on the main stage they managed to bring their own brand of party atmosphere. The massive bouncy energy of the band transferring into an enthusiastic crowd with ease. Crowd surfers were present very early on as well as paramedics. The Yorkshiremen Pummeled the crowd with song after song playing some newer tracks from the record they have coming out later this year. Grind is one of those genre’s that has to be done right and the ‘Gents certainly do it right but their performance struggles to hold the attention of the audience with many drifting away towards the end of the set.
Enabler, by Rich Price Photography
Enabler are a revelation. Taking to the stage displaying a terrifying ferocity, they receive a huge reception from the crowd. A particularly potent mix of hardcore with a large side helping of metal. The second they started like a kick to the gut and it was immediately obvious they weren’t here to mess about, and the audience knew it. This was an impassioned performance which was quite incredible to watch. In a festival with no shortage of amazing bands Enabler proved to be a real highlight.
Deathwish signees’ Harm’s Way deliver their pulverising metallic hardcore to an appreciative small crowd. Brusing mosh fodder which won’t change the world but can certainly help work up a sweat.
Most of us rarely start a festival by being told to fuck off, but for those of us that headed over to catch an early set by blackened crusters Young and in the Way, that’s exactly how Temples 2015 kicked off. While many wouldn’t dare insult the fans, it fit perfectly into their take no prisoners sound. Those squeezing themselves into the tiny third for a dose of filth from the New Zealanders Meth Drinker were treated to a wall of slow gnarly distortion.
Trap Them, by Rich Price Photography
Trap Them’s first UK show in four years is heralded with unbridled enthusiasm and the group reciprocates every last bit of energy they receive, delivering a watertight set of no bullshit brutality. Numbers from ‘Darker Handcraft’ eventuate intensity and unhinged aggression. Seering filth encrusted riffage and brutal blasts see the main stage temperature rising to fever pitch.\\
Sacramento’s Will Haven punish the main stage with Grady Avenell cutting an intimidating figure onstage.The dissonant groove of ‘Fresno’ ignites a thunderous response with material from new EP Open The Mind To Discomfort getting a good airing alongside juicy cuts from the quintet’s stellar back catalogue. Sheer unbridled aggression tempered with the eerie melodies conjured by Jeff Irwin and Anthony Paganelli ensure this performance is nothing short of enthralling.
Will Haven, by Rich Price Photography
Ramping up the speed again, Magrundergrind whipped up the festival crowd as beer cans were replaced with people being thrown through the air. With the songs averaging just a minute apiece there was plenty of time to cram in the crowd pleasers. Eight hundred bruises and a sore neck later, we’re pretty sure that was a good time… if only we could think past all the concussion.
Nails may have been the more extreme proposition but Weedeater were no less deranged. Frontman Dixie looks truly unhinged, his cross-eyed forty-yard stare burning holes in the crowd while Travis Owens pounds his kit mercilessly with style, even showboating with his sticks without missing a beat. Resin tinged anthems like ‘Gimmie Back My Bullets’ provide more than enough material for those who the motto ‘tune low, play slow’ is a way of life.
Nails, by Rich Price Photography
It quickly became apparent that songs about “people who talk fucking shit,” is a mantra for Californian based Nails. Repeated before most tracks, it quickly turned into a bit of light comedy relief, which was welcome as the band were on devastating form that evening churning out track after track of ground-shakingly heavy grinding. Despite their popularity, Nails sound feels more at home in a grimy basement cellar, and seeing them on such a large stage just didn’t seem to translate as well as it should have. The same could not be said for Pig Destroyer. Heading out for the first of their two sets that weekend they threw the crowd into the nastiest cuts of grindcore from their collection. Members of the crowd who had any space to breath could count themselves lucky as the room dissolved into a crushed mass of bodies. The sacrifice? Flailing limbs and flying bodies: wherever you stood it was a slaughterhouse.
Converge, by Rich Price Photography
Who knew metalcore could fit in so well in this line-up. While the genre may have a bad reputation among doom fans, Converge are providing a lifeline to the genre with their powerful and energetic performance. Twisting the wires round his throat and clasping his head, front man Jacob Bannon seems endearingly honest performance backed by their abrasive, twisting backing. Converge proved that twenty-five years of performing is no excuse not to pull out a blindingly energetic set.
A rare UK outing for Bongzilla ensures the outdoor stage is packed despite impressive opposition from Boston trailblazers Converge. Dealing in the kind of lumbering riffs that revel in their atavistic primitively, they’re the idea doom act to close a darkened stage with their Neanderthal low end anthems. Undeterred by the completion, the Wisconsin act delivers a herculean performance of Sabbathian might which while somewhat myopic in is focus, remains a potent high which concludes day one in style.
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WORDS: ROSS BAKER, CAITLIN SMITH & RICH PRICE
PHOTOS: RICH PRICE PHOTOGRAPHY
