Ominous Silence by Tharsis They (2012)

Stop!....Hammer Time!

Kind of Like: Converge, Trap Them, Botch
Genres: Chaotic Hardcore, Hardcore, Thrash, Mathcore
Preview:


I got the chance to see these guys open up for The Armed and Capture the Flag in Detroit on Saturday.  It was a free house show at the Bear Cave.  It was my first time at this place, but I was surprised with how nice the neighborhood was.  I know, not all of Detroit is bad, but it was one of the few neighborhoods that not only held onto it's dignity but was a lot nicer than even neighborhoods in the burbs.

These guys put on a killer set.  My only gripe was that they were the opening band and they didn't show up until a couple hours after the show was supposed to start.  I know, I don't know what they had going on, there may have been an emergency or something.  However, when the band after you and the headliner are at the venue an hour before it is even supposed to start and you don't show up for a couple hours after that, it just doesn't look good.  Better late than never though, because they got the show started off really well.  Lots of energy to get people into it.

The Armed were up next, and if they didn't have bad luck they would have no luck at all.  They started off a great set and then right in the middle, the power went out.  I don't know if neighbors called to get the power shut off or what, but these guys kept it classy; they kept going on to finish the song with no power.  I would love to embed the following video, but it is uploaded to facebook, and there isn't an easy way to  put that here.  The power outage got captured on video, and 21 seconds into it, you get to see Randall break his hand.

Now that thing he hit didn't have a dent in it.  Randall is a big dude, so that thing had to be made of something hard.  The lights came back on, and his hand was clearly broken.  There was something protruding from it, and the nurse switch in me turned on.  I took a look at it, and first I thought a bone was sticking out, but it was just a flap of skin sticking out.  The bone may have very well came out when he hit it and gone back in.  He got bandaged up, and they decided to finish their set like bosses.

The bad luck continued though.  In the middle of their last song, a full beer fell onto Chris's pedalboard.  I cringed as I watched them lift up to drain the beer and foam out of it.  Needless to say, that guitar stopped working.  Luckily, it was the last song, and they all just broke their shit.  Kenny ripped his bass strings off with his bare hands.  Fuckin' christ.  I hope they can get more equipment before their show with Converge/Loma Prieta/Git Some in five days.

So yeah, check out this album by Tharsis They, and check out some of our previous posts on the Armed.

Old Gods by Old Gods (2011)

Kind of Like: Dillinger Escape Plan, The Armed, Tharsis They
Genres: Mathcore, Experimental, Chaotic Hardcore, Punk
Spotify: Not as of this posting
Preview:


I saw these guys at a show that featured them and a bunch of other great Detroit punk/hardcore bands like Golden Torso, Child Bite and Hellmouth.  I couldn't stay for the whole show because I had clinicals at 5 in the morning, but I managed to catch these guys.  Solid rock n roll.  There was a ton of Black Flag covers as well because this 7" was given out for free by Detroit's Bellyache Records.

This EP by Old Gods takes a minute to break open, but after it does, it's all over.  These guys have already proven themselves from being in bands like Dillinger Escape Plan and The Armed.

Listen Here:

After the Lights by The Saddest Landscape (2012)

Kind of Like: Suis La Lune, Her Breath on Glass, Pianos Become the Teeth
Genres: Screamo, Post-hardcore
Buy: Topshelf Records
Preview:

It's officially Hopslam season!  Which for us Michiganders, means our newsfeed is filled with people taking pictures of their first sips of our beloved Bell's Brewery beer.  It's only available for a few months of the year, and it is the tastiest, most alcoholic brew you can have.  If you have two, then chances are you are legally drunk.  So, if you aren't from Michigan, but you dig Bell's Brewery and find it in your area, see if that Hopslam is floating around.  You can use their Beer Finder thingy to find Bell's in your area.  It's expensive, but well worth it.  It goes down so well because it tastes great, and after a few sips you get that nice warm feeling in your throat like you do when you drink whiskey.  But that's ok, it means your body likes it and wants more.  I think.

I haven't paid too much attention to Topshelf as of late.  I'm still waiting on the Prawn LP to be sent out, but aside from that that's the last thing I was really stoked about.  I can't deny this LP though, it's brutal in every aspect.  Modern screamo is almost to the point of getting tedious with how popular it has become in an underground misunderstood fashion, but this album shows there are still great bands out there that not only have their own voice, but remind you how powerful this genre can be at times with the right mixing and direction.  I know I get a lot of UK readers, and I may be late to the punch for this, but check these guys out while they are over there.  They got a few dates left.  It's expensive and hard as hell to go over there, so make it worth their while.  I'm sure if The Long Haul, Kerouac, Goodtime Boys, or Veils made the trip to the states (especially the east coast) they would get a lot of love.

Thanks to yo-gurt for the heads up on this.

Listen Here:

Adaje/Lizards Have Personalities Split 7" (2012)

Kind of Like: Orchid, We Were Skeletons, Mahria

Genres: Post-Hardcore, Screamo, Chaotic Hardcore

Buy: Sometimes I Get Drunk Records

Preview:

The only problem when starting a record label thingy while still doing a review/download site is how things can turn into masturbation.  Even though, this is something I would listen to even if I hadn't started a label.  This is being put out by myself, Carucage Records, and Sea of Tranquility Records.  I realized the other days I haven't even gotten around to feature this on here.  Seeing that it is now available for free to download, I figured now would be a good time.

The music flows between powerful, thrashy and hectic parts with calm, yet jangly sounding guitars implying another break into the craziness is sure to begin again.  The only problems I have with this record is the difference in recordings that the two bands have, as far as mixing/mastering go.  I understand it's a split and the bands shouldn't sound exactly the same, but I do like when two bands have a similar mix about them.  That being said, that did not deter me from wanting to collaborate with these two labels because they are up and comers like myself, and they have other great acclaimed releases in the works.  Collaborating has been beneficial to myself and completely painless;  a great group of guys to work with up to this point.  These records were just sent in to be pressed, so to those that have preordered, they should be on time.  However, if you ordered the bundle, it will be a tad longer because we are going to be sending in the Peace Be Still LP for pressing in the next week or so, and should come a little after this split does.

Listen Here:

Equal Minds Theory by Equal Minds Theory (2011)

Kind of Like: Ed Gein, The Crinn, Bears in Ushanka, The Locust

Genres: Post-Hardcore, Mathcore, Chaotic Hardcore, Metal

Buy: Bandcamp

Preview: 

Haven't really given too much love to Russian bands on here, but after seeing that video I got to rep this band.  These guys are a bone-crushing/face-melting mathcore bands.  They have a lot of unique sound effects and filters going on throughout this album that not only add to the intense sound but are pretty unique and keeps it from becoming redundant.

Listen Here:

Things Are Bad by Seesaw (2011)

Kind of Like: No Omega, Orchid, Converge

Genres: Punk, Thrash, Chaotic Hardcore, Screamo

Preview:

I like the midwest bands, but I also need my international flavor.  These lads are from Milan, Italy.  They bring to the table a high octane dose of thrash/screamo that should appease the thrash fans as well as fans of italian screamo bands like La Quiete.

Listen Here:

Debtors by the Long Haul (2012)

Kind of Like: Pariso, Kerouac, Bastion, Goodtime Boys

Genres: Post-hardcore, Chaotic Hardcore, Mathcore

Preview: Bandcamp

Update: I've been informed that this is indeed officially a 2012 release.  Lookit!  First 2012 album on here!

You may recognize this band from the best of 2011 list for their work on their split with Kerouac.  These guys and Kerouac are the two best hardcore bands in the UK right now in my eyes.  This band is featured on Tangled Talk Records, that features a slew of great UK hardcore bands.  One of which I will be looking for dropping this month that sounds like it could be one of the better hardcore releases this year: "Clarity" by Veils.  I was immediately drawn to the artwork, being a Michigander that enjoys seeing a majestic deer any day (As long as it isn't jumping out in front of my car).  I immediately wondered, are there deer in the UK?  Turns out there is.  In case you wondered.  Anyways, this album right here starts off with a quiet, distorted, jazzy, enticing riff properly named "Lenders".    The EP explodes immediately into the next song and doesn't stop until it ends with the title track "Debtors".  I am not great at determining themes of albums by lyrics and such, but I would imagine the whole inveigle yet empty sounding riff of "Lenders" mixed with the premise of Debtors may have something to do with the economic climate and protests that have gone on in the UK.  I could be completely wrong though.  Ever since I heard this band on their split with Kerouac, I have absolutely loved their unique guitar work.  If only I heard this sooner, it would've easily made the Best of 2011 list for the Hardcore section.

Listen Here:

Best of 2011: Hardcore/Screamo

Sorry, I got around to this a little bit later than I wanted.  I got caught up in a game of BS.  I'm sloppy and ready to do this.  Please note, these are albums that were featured on this blog.  If you were wondering: Where is Pianos Become the Teeth/Daniel Striped Tiger/Touche Amore/Etc?  I did listen to and still listen to those albums, but I just want to focus on albums that were on this site.

10.

Adaje/Shark Bait Split

Read the SIGD feature

I remember listening to Shark Bait's stuff when I first started this thing a year ago.  I wasn't too impressed to be honest with you.  Then this came out, and I was pleasantly surprised with their material.  Especially the first of their two songs, "High Horse", I still listen to that song on the regular.  This split was a good deal of progress from their previous work.  This was an introduction to Adaje, their two songs that combined modern screamo with elements and post-rock I found intriguing.  Although they also do the violent stuff too which is exhibited on their split with Lizards Have Personalities.  Oh, hey, that can be bought here.  Overall, I think this split was a good look at a couple bands that probably will have a big year ahead of them in 2012.

9.

Judges- "Lonely Kids in Dead End Homes"

Read the SIGD feature

People were flipping out on Touche Amore's new album, and I thought it was pretty decent, but the only song I still listen to off of that is "Home Away From Here".  If you are looking for more music like that you could check out this band, which I probably listened to a bit more than Touche's latest album.  It was just a little bit more memorable for me, but still in the same niche.  Then there are also songs like "Fleeting Thoughts" that are a little different and really catchy.

8.

Raein- "Sulla Linea D'Orizzonte Tra Questa Mia Vita E Quella Di Tutti"

Read the SIGD feature

La Quiete and italian screamo was how I first really started falling for modern screamo music.  So, anything associated with them is bound to kill.  Raein features members of La Quiete, and sounds pretty similar to them.  This is the new album by them and it is gritty and great.  They actually came out with two albums this year, but the other was mainly a compilation of older/hard to find songs.  Still, it was another great addition to their 10+ year history.

7.

von Wolfe- "Life's A Beach"

Read the SIGD feature

Don't let the plain looking text fool you, this album is intricate and fast as fuck.  I still flip my shit pretending I can play drums while listening to this debut EP.  Another great look at a band that I hope has a great year next year.  Their riffs are catchy and hard as all get out, and hopefully they will be touring soon and releasing more material.  After Everytime I Die turned into shit, it's great to see bands like this in that "Hot Damn" vein still doing it right.

6.

Kerouac/The Long Haul Split

Read the SIGD feature

I got this cutie on gray vinyl.  This is a split that features two of the better mathcore/hardcore bands out of the United Kingdom right now.  They each have three songs and both bands put on extremely strong performances.  After listening to it a bunch of times, it's hard to say which bands half I like more, so I'm just going to say I like both of them equally for different reasons.  Easy way out.

5. 

Ed Gein- "Bad Luck"

Read the SIGD feature

Ed Gein is back and they are still angry as hell.  Kenny introduced me to this band awhile back, and he actually featured this new album by them a few months ago.  These guys are somewhat pioneers in their genre, and they show why on this thrash-fest.  They are a mix of thrash, sludge, metal, grind, and punk.  The result is something that sounds like something that would be racing through the mind of a serial killer.  In a good way.

4.

No Omega- "No Omega"

Read the SIGD feature

Who said the Swedes were pansies?  Besides Don Cherry anyways.  This debut EP by these Stockholm kids is a tour de force.  I reviewed this a good whiles back in the year, and I still love it.  It starts off hectic and fast, but after it's broken down it chugs along in great fashion.  These guys put up a couple new demos on their bandcamp, and I am really excited for whatever album they put out next year.  Fingers crossed for an eventual states invasion.  Seems like all the American bands have the balls to go overseas, come on European bands. What are ya, chicken? Buck-buck-bugaahhhhh.  Reverse psychology.

3.

The Armed- "Young and Beautiful"

Read the SIGD feature

In a scene filled with cliches and regurgitation, the Armed continue to evolve.  Their initial releases were a thrashy blend of mathcore that were still great in their own right, but this new EP released in October showed a change of pace in a great way.  There were still throwbacks to their previous work, but there was also a lot of influence of noise rock and garage rock that melded perfectly with their roots.  Detroit has a ton of shitty hardcore bands, it's nice to see a smart one that still looks to push the envelope instead of dwelling in the been-there-done-thats.

2.

Mahria- "Mahria"

Read the SIGD Feature

Everytime I listen to this self-titled release, I find something else I really enjoy about it.  This female-fronted band from Edmonton was my from-out-of-left-field pleasant surprise this year.  It seems like most of the releases on this list are up and comers, and this is no exception.  But I think that also makes this list a little more interesting, and I hope that you guys welcome these new faces.  It would be nice to see them continue on instead of fizzle out like so many bands do.

1.

Kidcrash- "Naps"

Read the SIGD Feature

Speaking of up and comers, this is not one at all.  These guys have already solidified themselves in the screamo/post-hardcore ranks.  Talk about a magical year for them as well.  After releasing this EP, they started a kickstart thing to raise money for a computer to record their next full-length.  They met their $2500 mark in what?  Less than 48 hours?  They were even getting donations of hundreds of dollars from people asking for nothing in return.  Now that is special.  They are currently just over $4000, so hopefully the full length for them will be out next year.  As far as this EP goes, I am always impressed with their releases each time they come out.  Not only is the music great, and tweaked with each release, the artwork is also really cool in my eyes.  I always love getting their records in the mail and exploring them on the outside as I listen to them.

Hospital Corners by Bastions (2011)

Kind of Like: Kerouac, Pariso
Genres: Hardcore, Thrash, Chaotic Hardcore.
Preview: Thrash Hits

"If I could convey the cataclysmic force of this music in words, you'd be reading this here screen in a gale of distortion, face contorted by an unimaginable G-Force. Believe me, Bastions' début album justifies melodramatic language. And not just because of the sounds. This is a major event for music in north Wales. Its epicentre is the heart of this album. Nothing will be the same again. Hopefully."
-- BBC Wales

I wish some of these UK mathcore/thrash bands that have been surging over there would make a stop in the States.  I mean, wouldn't you wanna go to this show so hard?  Here is a debut by another great thrash band somewhat like Kerouac.

Listen Here:

Gods by Down I Go (2011)

Kind of Like: The Crinn, The Rodeo Idiot Engine, The Armed
Genres: Experimental, Mathcore, Chaotic Hardcore, Noise Rock
Preview: Bandcamp
Buy: Shelsmusic

Out of all the new material I've been hearing lately, this definitely is the most interesting thing I've stumbled on. When I first listened it was one of those instances where I recognized the band being very talented, but I still wasn't sure how I felt about their sound because it's pretty out there.  Then I watched this Tim and Eric-esque video and I felt better about them, every time Poseidon looks at the camera trying to keep a straight face, I can't help laughing.  I also thought it was funny that on Last.fm, Kenny's band, the Armed, was one of the top bands they were "super" similar to.  I can see the comparison for sure not only in the music (twangy southern-style mathcore with elements of noise rock) but in the sort of theatrics as well, perhaps.  Honestly, it just looks like these guys are having a bunch of fun being in this band (except for the sailors.  Come on guys, Poseidon is upstaging you), and I am always for that.  WE ARE BUILDING A WAAAALL!!

Listen Here:

Sooner Insignificant Better 7" by Pariso (2011)

Kind of Like: Kerouac, The Long Haul, Dillinger Escape Plan
Genres: Chaotic Hardcore, Sludge, Mathcore
Preview: Bandcamp
Buy: Throatruiner

I featured these guys on a split with Kerouac, back in April.  I recognized their name on Throatruiner's site, and saw they also had this 7 inch available that came out in January.  It is the opposite of Comity's album I just put up that was 52 minutes cut up into 4 songs; this album has 7 songs averaging at a minute and a half.  I am really digging these British guys so far, and it seems that the UK has a solid foundation of talented mathcore bands across the pond.  Cheers.

Listen Here:

The Journey is Over Now by Comity (2011)

Kind of Like: Ken Mode, Converge, Starkweather
Genres: Experimental, Mathcore, Chaotic Hardcore, Metal, Sludge
Preview: Bandcamp
Buy: Throatruiner

"The Journey Is Over Now", their first full-length in five years, shows a band more ruthless and musically ambitious than ever before. Four tracks delivering 52 minutes of an oppressive but finely worked chaos : a maze of winding riffs and unique melodies. Recorded and mixed between Laval and Paris by sound sorcerers Amaury Sauvé & Sylvain Biguet, mastered by Carl Saff, this fine-cut monolith of darkness shows a band in constant soul-searching and who has been able to push their art in ways they never would have dreamed possible. Exhausting in their ability to bring fluidity and atmosphere to their extremely dense compositions, "The Journey Is Over Now" reminds that COMITY is, more now than ever before, a band impossible to pigeon hole. This is extreme rock'n roll, and nothing else."
-Bandcamp

The hardest thing I have been listening to lately is screamo, which is certainly violent and chaotic, but not necessarily hard.  So finding this, was a breath of fresh air of sorts.

These guys are from France, and they rip it like they are from New York.  The quality is great, and it is just the kind of mathcore I love.  The layout of the album is unique; it is split into four parts ranging from 8 minutes to...22 minutes.  Something you are more likely to see out of a post-rock band, not a mathcore band that can easily cut down songs into specific parts.  That is probably the only problem with this album, and it isn't something I neccesarily have a problem with.  I just have a feeling this layout could only hurt the accessibility of this music instead of helping it.  I'm sure this band wasn't expecting to get radio plays, but there are small stations out there that play music like this that may be less willing to seeing that the shortest song is 8 minutes.  A lot of people don't like to be force-fed big hunks of music you know? I really don't mind it, the music  makes up for the odd layout.  These guys are really talented, and even though the song length may seem intimidating, start the album up and see if you stop it.

On a side note, this is another release by Throatruiner Records; a small time label from France that is run by one guy.  I am seeing more and more of their releases come my way, and I continue to like what I hear.

Listen Here:

Young & Beautiful by The Armed (2011)

Kind of Like: Converge, Botch, DEP
Genres: Mathcore, Hardcore, Noise Rock, Thrash
Preview: Bandcamp, Pizza

Apologies for the lack of updates.  There are several things in my way: school is heavy at the moment, I fried my laptop last week and am hesitant to buy a new one, work sucks, doing the radio show and hockey season started/Tigers are in the playoffs/Lions are actually good now/ UofM is undefeated/sports.  Right now I am updating on a shitty desktop computer.  Eventually I will get sick of using this and get a new laptop, but who knows.  That being said the new zine will probably be very small and come out right before Fest as some kind of a preview edition.  And then after Fest, I will probably have much more material to work with (interviews/photos/news) for a much larger winter edition.  Who knows, everything is in the air right now.

I was hoping Kenny would post this, seeing that this is his band and all.  But he is being lazy and/or modest.  This came out last week, but I was reminded to put this up when I saw the great reviews it was getting on Sputnik Music.  They are kind of moving forward from a straightforward mathcore/hardcore band like Converge to something more unique, with elements of noise rock/garage rock thrown into the mix.  That's my take on it anyways.  I think so far this album has gotten the most exposure out of all their work.  As one reviewer wrote: "It's good and it's free. Rips hard. Get it now."

Listen Here:

Great Moments in the Void EP by Ravachol (2011)

Kind of like: Kerouac, We Came Like Tigers, Old Gray

Genres: Screamo, emo, post-hardcore,
Listen: Bandcamp

yo

Ravachol is a UK based scream band that was formed just this year. I first listened to Ravachol, lying face-flat on the floorboards of my musical mentor's bedroom. As I sat incapacitated with mild heat stroke-oh, and a belly of pills, he proceeded to play the 'heavys' playlist he created, intending to educate me while we tripped out and discussed our year's accomplishments. Ravachol came on and I was blown away, these guys have a bold sound, stellar instruments, and a wailing vocalist. with an accent ..this is just my cup of tea. And get this, their named after a French anarchist, François Claudius Koenigstein. I'm just thankful they didn't make band name Louis Reil before I could snatch it up!

I consider this particular scramz to be personal since I discovered it. Welcome to the stage, Toru Okada - 8 songs (2003)

A violent-screamo band from Austin, Texas, with high powered and emotional tracks. This band gets their name from a Japanese novel, titled The Wind-Up Birds Chronicle (some guy loses a cat) They have one full length release, refered to as 8 songs and one 7" split with Olive Tree. In a 90s emo tone, witness, the raw vocal performances of two seemingly teenage screamers, coupled to the powerfully melodic jams of chaotic guitars. This heavy emo band broke up in 2006, and might I add, as a *disclaimer* that listening to the 8 Songs, perhaps too much, may've brought about a couple break ups of my own.

You can Listen Here, on their Myspace

Download link above.

~Sam

B EP by Animal Skins (2011)

Kind of Like: Blackcloud, Former Theives, Bone Dance
Genres: Sludge, Hardcore, Mathcore, Chaotic Hardcore
Preview: Bandcamp

I can't listen to this music too loud because I am sitting at a gate at the airport waiting for a flight to come in.  I don't have my headphones on me, so I'm playing it out loud amongst a bunch of people.  It's pretty coarse, ruthless sounding stuff, and I don't think people around me would like if I were blasting it.  Although I'm pretty sure the people that are having a stressful layover have this music playing in their heads right now as they curse the airline for all their problems.  Also, I didn't notice that guys mouth on the album cover when I first looked at it; it made me shit bricks when I saw it.  I just added another person that will probably be contributing stuff soon.  He is from Halifax, Canada (at least that's what I think he means by Hali, east coast of Canada).  I've always wanted to visit Nova Scotia; the closest I've been is Montreal and I loved it there.  He gave me a nice rundown of his living situation and all the cool stuff he likes to do, which I really appreciated because I like to know the people I collaborate with.  He says he likes funk, old punk, dub, reggae, but mostly hardcore and screams.  So, maybe he will dig this too.

Listen Here

Anatema by Afrontar (2011)

Kind of Like: No Omega, Black Tusk, Von Wolfe
Genres: Metal, Hardcore, Sludge, Punk
Preview: Bandcamp

From what I can tell these guys are from El Salvador, or somewhere from Latin America.  Heavy ass riffage going on right here; the music ranges from fast and chaotic to slow, heavy and brutal.  I like the album art too.  I'm not big on the metal-esque fonts, but the whole decomposing body in a pool of water is pretty intense.

Listen Here

Three Way Split by Bone Dance/Divider/Plebian Grandstand (2011)

Kind of Like: Gaza, Botch, Ken Mode, Deadguy, Neurosis
Genres: Sludge, Chaotic Hardcore/Mathcore, Post-Hardcore
Preview: Bandcamp

"Three bands, three different interpretations of hardcore/punk, two continents, one policy: Destroy.


BONE DANCE (Boise, Idaho, USA) doesn't want to be your friend. The nihilism you'll hear from these self-described "five loud dudes with shitty attitudes", playing their exceedingly raw brand of chaotic hardcore/sludge, will ring a bell whether you're into GAZA or KEN MODE, BOTCH or CURSED. Conceived with a colossal sense of brutality, yet never forsaking their punk ethos, "West" and "Conniver" will further consecrate this band as one to watch. Remember this goddamned name.


No matter how paradoxical it may seem, DIVIDER (Long Island, New York, USA) would prefer to unite rather than to divide. Uniting the sound of more modern filthy hardcore bands with a strong sense of punk emergency, these two tracks ("Gaia" & "Halios Geron" ) introduce Chris Tzompanakis behind the mic, best known for his work with the influential group SKYCAMEFALLING in the early 2000's. If you're into DEADGUY, THE POWER AND THE GLORY, or VISION OF DISORDER, you've found the perfect soundtrack for your next bare-knuckle boxing match.


As for PLEBEIAN GRANDSTAND (Toulouse, France), if the shrapnel-laden assault that was "How Hate Is Hard To Define" had you asking for more, this time around there won't be any survivors left to beg for a rematch. If the explosion of screaming and distortion that is "Woe Is Me" isn't enough, then the hallucinatory "Woe Is You", with its NEUROSIS inspired, trance-like drums, and a throbbing bassline that builds to a crescendo which threatens to tip the richter scale, certainly will be. The first time I heard these tracks, I felt like ripping off my eyelids. And I won't be the one."
-Bandcamp

Pretty effin' brutal if you ask me.

Listen Here

Fools Will Crush the Crown by The Rodeo Idiot Engine (2011)

Kind of Like: Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge, Ed Gein
Genres: Chaotic Hardcore, Grindcore, Mathcore, Thrash
Preview: Bandcamp

The french aren't known to be brutal as fuck, but these french guys are...brutal as fuck.  This was mastered by Alan Douches (hehe, douches...) who has worked with Mastodon, Dillinger Escape Plan and Converge.  If you liked that Ed Gein post earlier on this month, this is another angry/rip your face off album.  You can buy the LP/CD here.  Great job!

Listen Here

(Classic) Miss Machine by The Dillinger Escape Plan (2004)

Kind of Like: Converge, Botch, The Chariot, The Number 12 Looks Like You

Genres: Chaotic Hardcore, Hardcore, Mathcore, Experimental, Metal

Preview: Myspace

For the most part, I try to put new released up on this site, but I decided every now and then it would be good to put up a classic album every now and then.  I bought this compact disc when I was first getting into the hardcore genre.  I actually didn't like it, but I ended up revisiting it years later after I had acquired the many different tastes of metal/hardcore.  I realized I had made a huge mistake.  I ended up listening to their other albums, but in my opinion this is their strongest release.  This is mathcore and some of it's finest; it will take awhile to learn all the rhythms of this album (I still can't act out poly-rhythms for the life of me), but when you do you will be rocking out to this album in your car like no other.  This also was the last album Chris Pennie was featured on and even though he is with Coheed now, I think he is one of the best drummers out there still.  This showcases a lot of talent from him, not to mention all of the other members.

Listen Here

Starkweather/Overmars Split (2011)

Kind of Like: Rorschach, Deadguy, Amenra, Icos
Genres: Sludge, Doom, Metal, Post-hardcore, Hardcore
Preview: Website

Overmars is a 7 piece sludge band from Lyon, France. Starkweather is a metal/hardcore group that formed in 1989 and would go onto influence such bands as Converge, Dillinger Escape Plan, and Mastodon by pioneering the cross-over between metal and hardcore music.  They wrote two long songs each to make a pretty brutal split that was released by, you guessed it: Deathwish.

Listen Here