Even as a statuette the idea of an iron-ized Ronald Reagan is fucking terrifying. Lewis Black was one who shared similar sentiments when he (jokingly) suggested America freak out other countries by voting for someone who is dead. And that dead person was the Alzheimer’s champ, former President Reagan. And while Reagan may be dead, super group Iron Reagan is very much reigning.

Those that somehow missed last year's blessed Worse Than Dead debut on A389 Records have some catching up to do. Iron Reagan is a cross over thrash/hardcore-punk band featuring vocalist Tony Foresta (Municipal Waste, No Friends), drummer Ryan Parrish (ex-Darkest Hour), Landphil Hall (Cannabis Corpse and Municipal Waste) and Mark Bronzino (ANS) on guitars, and Rob Skotis (Hellbear) on bass. It's a who's who of metal and hardcore thrown into a blender. Their second album The Tyranny of Will is a continuation of ragers and bangers that you've come to expect.

Production on The Tyranny of Will has gotten a lot tighter in the short span of a year. Though Iron Reagan has moved on to Relapse Records, their approach hasn't changed a bit. Songs come in short spurts, shredding and thrashing monstrously. Songs are thoroughly soaked in whiskey and the whole package might just be enough to make you break out in a sweat there's so much rage packed into each punch.

Songs are more distinguishable this time around too. Worse Than Dead was a great album but it wasn't without a blender effect. The album moved so fast that it was almost stumbling over itself. The Tyranny of Will his just the right marks with its balancing act of hardcore-punk and thrash metal. Pieces like the four minute finale “Four More Years” doesn't go out at lightning speed, instead slowing down for an anthem chant of “Four more years! Four more years!” sending the album out much the way it came in. Frothing but groovy.

Other tracks like “You're Kid's an Asshole” or “Glocking Out” are straight-up get-to-the-point tracks that flash by. Yet other tracks like “Miserable Failure” or “I Won't Go” are the perfect balancing, showcasing Iron Reagan in its finest hours. Flailing shredding with and storming energy that practically summon circle pits upon command.

Overall, The Tyranny of Will is a more distinguished album and an absolute blast to listen to. It kills on every level and leaves no room for boredom. Not once. There's tongue-in-cheek humor galore and plenty of social commentary in the lyrics. What's more, I can't find a single thing wrong with this album. Iron Reagan plays some of the best cross-over music you're likely to ever hear. It doesn't even manage to hit a generic note. Much like All Pigs Must Die are the modern d-beat kings, Iron Reagan are the hardcore-punk/thrash blast from the past that the scene needs; absolutely one of the best bands today. And The Tyranny of Will is one of the best albums you'll hear this year in metal, hardcore-punk or any other genre.

Christopher Luedtke

Band info: www.facebook.com/IRONREAGAN
Label info: www.relapse.com

Chris is a film reviewer for Examiner.com (good luck finding his work there) and journalist for Metal Injection (better luck finding his work there). In his spare time he video blogs and promises a second installment of the Guilty Gear Retrospective on YouTube under theOfficialChris. He also writes novels, applies for jobs, attempts to write music, eats cheap food, drinks lots of coffee, enjoys opera, worships grind, and works. He can be found posting songs and bitching about the awful V/H/S film franchise on Twitter: @CoffeeCupReview.

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Three years following the release of Darker Handcraft, crust/hardcore/grind outfit Trap Them emerge with a new album and an entirely new rhythmic section with Brad Fickeisen, formerly of The Red Chord on drums and Galen Baudhuin (Infera Bruo) on bass.

On Blissfucker, the four-piece have peppered their chaotic combination of grind, crust, metal and hardcore with some of the slowest and catchiest riffs they’ve ever written, but that’s not to say that Trap Them have softened their sound. On the contrary, right off the bat opening song “Salted Crypts” sends out a very clear message to the listener that this is not going to be pretty. Rightly so, Blissfucker is filled with the band's iconic Entombed-influenced crusty hardcore and is just as heavy as previous efforts. But while Darker Handcraft rage forward at full blast its entire run time, on this new work they've found a way to balance all the relentless blast-beats, all the vicious and cacophonous guitar-work with some crushing hooks and catchy tempos without compromising the intensity of their attack. Mid-paced bangers like “Gift and Gift Unsteady” and “Sanitations” offer some reprieve from the utter cacophony displayed by clamorous tracks such as “Lungrunners” and “Former Lining Wide the Walls”. This works really well and gives each song a more distinct character, which is no easy task when we’re talking about grind/crust releases.

The record also contains quite possibly the darkest, creepiest song Trap Them ever written to date, I’m talking about “Ransom Risen”, which starts slowly with some eerie guitar melodies but suddenly bursts into a boisterous blend of frantic drum beats, ferocious riffs and anguished roars.

Even though, Blissfucker is a bit different and more sophisticated than previous works, I’m positive that fans will be truly impressed with the record’s cohesion and energy.

Band info: www.facebook.com/TrapThem
Label info: www.prostheticrecords.com

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All Hail the Void was a promising release for Enabler in 2012. The Milwaukee, WI (now Ohio, in general, no specific city listed) band sought a name for themselves by fusing elements of metallic hardcore with groove-laden rock and roll. The album was a solid release that showcased excellent riffage, badass drumming and solid structure. Two years later, enter their latest full length La Fin Absolue Du Monde. Translated: the absolute end of the world.

When I think in apocalyptic visions, Enabler's latest offer isn't quite something I have in mind. Calvaiire's “Meurtrières” is a song that always sounded more like a world collapse. Though “Prey” gives it a run for its money. Anyway, La Fin Absolue Du Monde is an album that sticks with its sound and solidifies the grounds that the band built themselves upon.

La Fin Absolue Du Monde sounds more focused than All Hail the Void. Just about every aspect of the band has significantly improved. Jeffrey Lohrber's guitar riffage is absolutely haywire. Tracks like “Balance of Terror” and “Neglect” are chock full of hooks and groove through the speakers. Other pieces like “World Sterilization” - bringing the heavy with crunchy, rough riffs, and the aforementioned “Prey” are faster pieces that blast with vitriol. Songs are consistently interesting and seldom feel like they're taking up too much time or falling flat.

What I find most strange with this album is how incredibly easy it is to digest, and perhaps that's what didn't sit too well with me at first. I'll admit, when I first listened to this, I was not a huge fan. However, the more I listened to it, the more it began to sink in. I can see why someone would be put off by the approach but I can also see why someone would dig it. La Fin Absolue Du Monde has an exceptional rock and roll angle to it but it services the album very well in the end. To those who might have a difficult time getting into that, I say stick with it. The more I listened to this, the more it picked up steam.

Overall, the new Enabler is a good album but it's not the end of the world, despite its title. I don't know how many more spins I'll give it before the year is out but it has some great song writing and some amazing riffage/drumming. Enabler manages to be one of the more stand out metallic/hardcore bands out there though I'd say their best is yet to come. If you like bands like Tragedy or From Ashes Rise and wish they had a larger rock and roll edge to them, then La Fin Absolue Du Monde is going to be right up your alley.

Christopher Luedtke

Band info: www.facebook.com/enablerband
Label info: www.thecompoundrecs.com

Chris is a film reviewer for Examiner.com (good luck finding his work there) and journalist for Metal Injection (better luck finding his work there). In his spare time he video blogs and promises a second installment of the Guilty Gear Retrospective on YouTube under theOfficialChris. He also writes novels, applies for jobs, attempts to write music, eats cheap food, drinks lots of coffee, enjoys opera, worships grind, and works. He can be found posting songs and bitching about the awful V/H/S film franchise on Twitter: @CoffeeCupReview.

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Any metal fan worth their weight in salt should know the indelible mark Eyehategod has made on the scene since the 90s. They practically defined the sludge genre with seminal album like 1993's Take As Needed For Pain and 1996's Dopesick. Their drug fuelled and dirty-as-a-sewer mix of Sabbath-laced doom and hardcore intensity has influenced countless bands over the last 20-some years. But it's been a long, hard 14 years since EHG graced us with a new album. The wait is over.

The New Orleans quintet has returned with 11 tracks of filth and sweat for this self-titled release. One wouldn't really have expected any mellowing out as the band as aged though. Far from it. If anything life has only become harder in The Big Easy. Hurricane Katrina left New Orleans a ruin from which some will never recover. If that wasn't enough, drummer Joey LaCaze passing suddenly in 2013 no doubt left a permanent scar on the band's heart. Thankfully, LaCaze's drum tracks had already been recorded for the album. His contribution to EHG's rebirth is both tragic and special.

The situation has to have affected the band's performance in completing the album without him. Guitarists Jimmy Bower and Brian Patton, bassist Gary Mader and vocalist Mike IX Williams more than do justice to LaCaze's memory.

Eyehategod is just as grimy, infected and scabrous as anything they've done previous. The tone is devilishly meaty and patently recognizable. Riding waves of feedback through strained amps, gut-wrenching riffs pile up on the listener's back, weighing them down while at the same time driving them forward.

The blatant Sabbath influence colours the whole album but most notably on “Parish Motel Sickness” and “Worthless Rescue”. Their hardcore leanings run you down on “Agitation! Propaganda!” and “Framed to the Wall”. And all the while they display the sort of snarling and heavy-handed sludge mastery they've become renowned for.

Williams plies his visceral trade through the swampy murk with reckless abandon. All the pain and struggle oozes from his pores. His social consciousness and unique view on life fuels his impassioned performance with a lyrical approach framed by his streetwise and ingrained intelligence. He's always intense, slavering and thought provoking.

Unreasonably high expectations have been placed on Eyehategod. The band's adoration and legend has done nothing but grow in their recorded absence. Unlike many other renewed acts, EHG have lived up to those expectations. Sure, the production value may separate this album from its predecessors but all the dirt, all the heaving anguish, all that makes EHG who they are is still there. Eyehategod is a glorious return enhancing their legacy and an outstanding testament to the memory of Joey LaCaze.

RIP Joey and long live Eyehategod!

Matt Hinch 

Band info: www.facebook.com/OfficialEyeHateGod
Label info: www.centurymedia.com

Matt Hinch lives an unassuming life on the backroads outside Forest Mills, Ontario, Canada. He packs in as much metal as he possible can amid factory work, raising three daughters with his wife and working the land. In addition to Scratch the Surface Matt also writes for Hellbound, Metal Bandcamp, About Heavy Metal and his own blog, Kingdom of Noise. Keep up with him on Twitter @KingdomofNoise.

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One of the best things about my “job” as a metal writer is discovering new bands. Sometimes the bands themselves are new, and sometimes they're just new to me. Such is the case with Ringworm. The Cleveland hardcore juggernauts have been around since 1991 but their newest, Hammer of the Witch stands as my introduction. The band's signing to Relapse no doubt has helped raise their profile so that more of the innocently ignorant will be hopping on board. Once you've saddled up, you better hang on.

Since I approached Hammer of the Witch as a Ringworm virgin (although I've actually had ringworm) I'll present this as if you, the reader are a newbie as well. Ringworm play a style of metallic hardcore that is absolutely levelling. It's imbued with so much power, so much violent energy that remaining passive under its subjugation is an impossibility.

What stands out most is vocalist Human Furnace. His rage is palpable and energy infectious. Incendiary seems like an inadequate term as the burning intensity radiating from his throat scorches and destroys like a merciless wildfire. And one aspect in which Ringworm work metal into their hardcore is the lyrics which Human Furnace is torching the listener with. This isn't your typical hardcore fodder. It's not all tough guy, posi-vibes or straightedge banter. This is closer to death metal. “Leave Your Skin At The Door”, “I Recommend Amputation” and “One Of Us Is Going To Die” serve as examples of Ringworm's brutalistic edge.

When it comes to the band behind Human Furnace, things are no less uncompromising. Their hardcore is equally vicious and razor sharp. The riffs are muscular and work in ample groove. It pulls the listener close and compels involuntary headbanging. If they're not play the straightforward hardcore angle, they're probably ripping the floor to shreds with the gnashing teeth of thrash and a bit of crossover. The riffs are infectious and bruising and the solos shred. Whether laying down a hardcore punk beat or blasting migraines through your skull, the percussion is alway concussive. Simply, this shit rips no matter who's on the mic. But we're glad the Furnace is roaring.

Ringworm are a fearsome beast. The terror induced by their shear intimidation factor is only enhanced by Human Furnace's inimitable roar. Hardcore and metal fans alike should be drooling all over this release with a feral disregard for the tenets of humanity. If you're not getting beaten down by Hammer of the Witch, feel free you beat yourself up.

Matt Hinch

Band info: www.facebook.com/Ringworm13
Label info: www.relapse.com

Matt Hinch lives an unassuming life on the backroads outside Forest Mills, Ontario, Canada. He packs in as much metal as he possible can amid factory work, raising three daughters with his wife and working the land. In addition to Scratch the Surface Matt also writes for Hellbound, Metal Bandcamp, About Heavy Metal and his own blog, Kingdom of Noise. Keep up with him on Twitter @KingdomofNoise.

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Syracuse, New York-based quintet Earth Crisis return with their eighth studio album, Salvation of Innocents, which sees the hardcore unit trying to branch out and expand their musical horizons by incorporating more melodic tricks into their sound. It’s not the first time Earth Crisis decides to take a few chances and break out their comfort zone, it happened before with Slither in 2000, quite possibly their most incomprehensible album of their career, when they tried to make their traditional hardcore sound a bit more palatable to the public. Some of the songs here do display a mellower vibe, but on the overall Salvation of Innocents is not as radically experimental as Slither was and still packs some serious punch. More importantly, it sounds unquestionably Earth Crisis.

“De-Desensitize” opens proceedings in classic hardcore style, catchy, furious riffs combined with a heavy, hard-hitting percussion and Karl Buechner’s intimidating bark, intensely potent on the chorus. “Out of the Cages” follows in with a similar attack and is sure to become one of their favorites in the mosh pit, but on “Shiver” these hardcore vets temper their metallic hardcore fury with a healthy dose of melody in the guitar and vocal departments to write one of the most melodic and catchiest songs of the whole album. Yet, on the next track, “The Morbid Glare”, they come up with one of the heaviest and fastest songs of their career and you just can’t help imagining how much chaos and havoc Earth Crisis will provoke in the pit when they play this song live. More melodies, an incorporation of some rock-influenced riffs and a mixture of harmonized singing with an angry screaming permeate some of the remaining tracks, interspersing the hostility with some up-tempo rhythms and infectious moments.

Salvation of Innocents is surely a bit different from what we’re accustomed to get from Earth Crisis, but it’s still good release displaying a great energy and some fresh ideas and that’s not bad at all for a band that is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Band info: www.facebook.com/earthcrisisofficial
Label info: www.candlelightrecords.co.uk

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There isn’t an appropriate way to start this review, nor is there an appropriate way to talk about the band in question. Haymaker is a hardcore band from Hamilton, Ontario which features members of Pick Your Side (who dropped a seriously excellent 10” last year with To the Point), Left for Dead, and Chokehold (if you’ve never listened to Prison of Hope you probably should).

I’m not going to write something that’s entirely too descriptive and get lost in metaphors. This is Haymaker’s first release in almost a decade. Let Them Rot is short, sweet, and to the point; exactly what you want out of hardcore. Haymaker, quite possibly, is even angrier than Left for Dead; even though these qualities are arbitrary and for the listener to decide, it isn’t like they are getting that really terrible Throwdown album also named after the powerful punch. Instead, what is delivered are four tracks that move at a blistering pace, with ridiculously ignorant mosh riffs thrown in (see: "Cheque to Cheque").

I’ll sum up Haymaker in two words: fucking angry. If you like hardcore that is the fuck-you-eat-shit type of vicious and entirely negative, then Haymaker is definitely for you. They are another legendary band from Hamilton, Ontario who are totally underrated, but deserving of all types of praise. Let Them Rot is a continuation of the mayhem and the in-your-face attitude the band brings. It’s like they never missed a beat.

Bill Haff

Band info: www.a389records.com
Label info: www.facebook.com/Haymaker

Editor-in-Chief at Scratch the Surface, Bill Haff is a Philadelphia-based music critic who also contributes for Cvlt Nation, Metal Injection and Ghost Cult. You can follow him on Twitter at @bill_haff

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Let’s get right to it; I’m infinitely excited that Left for Dead are making new music. I think a lot of people are. It’s their first actual release of new music since that split with Ochre back in ‘97 (the five tracks on that split are utterly vicious), and to be perfectly honest I didn’t know what to expect. I only heard two songs -- “1946” and “Digital Pigs”, the former being on the Schizophrenic Records comp called Defend Hamilton, Eat Shit.

There’s all this information on what comes with the 7”, how limited it is, et cetera, so I won’t go into detail about it. After all, it’s a review on the music, not an exposé on how big of a nerd I am for collecting records.

When you get right down to it, it’s hardcore at its finest and most primal. “Digital Pigs” is an absolute ripper of a track and a helluva way to open the 7”; loud, fast, and angry. I suppose there can be an argument made that it’s the same Left for Dead, as in, it sounds like they never split up and continued to release a steady stream of music. But they’re a lot older now than they were in ‘97, and that aging-like-fine-wine just heightens the sound that the group delivers. The redux of “Standing By” is absolutely incredible and sounds like a live take rather than a recorded version (hint: that’s a good thing). Previously mentioned “1946”, a song about Evelyn Dick, closes side A in brutalizing fashion. Side B is just as memorable, with “Cop Trap” firing off first. The 7” also contains a great cover of The Exploited’s “Rival Leaders”, a song that was most certainly influenced by Discharge. It fits right in with Left for Dead and the style of hardcore they play, whatever you want to call it.

At the end of the day, it’s a new album from a band people were unsure would make new music. It’s angry hardcore that doesn’t mince words and it most certainly doesn’t take the easy way out. With 1 (or Murder Contest 001), Left for Dead pushes themselves to create something that fits in with the rest of their discography. That’s not saying there’s nothing new here, either. There’s little pieces taken from every other band the members are/were involved in and those pieces were put together to create a hardcore album that is, well, blunt and to the point. It’s hardcore at its best; unflinching honesty and a tough-as-nails sound. You know what you’re getting: it’s Left for Dead.

Bill Haff 

Label info: www.a389records.com

 

Editor-in-Chief at Scratch the Surface, Bill Haff is a Philadelphia-based music critic who also contributes for Cvlt Nation, Metal Injection and Ghost Cult. You can follow him on Twitter at @bill_haff

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Party-metal is a genre that should really be much more popular than it is. Bands in this style sound like they wrote and recorded all of their songs in the midst of a drunken weekend bender, possibly while hanging out with their recently-dead boss and getting into some serious hijinks. Most famously embodied in the eternally-partying Andrew W.K., the style has seen a resurgence in recent years thanks to Kvelertak, and it’s basically impossible not to crack a smile while listening, even for the craggiest of old (at heart) men like me. There are harmonized guitars and breaks designed to give the singer time to crush a beer can on his forehead, wrapped up in a catchy package.

When at its best, Doomriders, fronted by Nate Newton of Converge, lives up to the moniker. On Grand Blood, the band’s newest, it splits the time between these fun party-mosh tunes and heavier, dirge-like songs that suffer in the comparison. Hardcore-tinged tracks like “Back Taxes” and opener “New Pyramids” rollick and roll while Newton spits in his Coliseum-style bark. Do I know what he’s saying? Hell no. But I’m too busy punch-dancing around my house to notice. It sounds like music both jocks and the nerds they are currently pushing into lockers would enjoy. “Mankind” has the kind of tapped guitar lead that is played with one foot on the monitors, the guitarist occasionally taking breaks to pump his fist at the crowd, and the bassist sounds like he could totally kick your ass. The title track is a little spacier but no less fun, in an early Baroness style.

For the first six tracks, this roaring doesn’t let up, and while it’s almost relentlessly one-note, Newton’s vocals in particular, it’s still a pretty good time. However, on track seven, “Death in Heat,” Grand Blood hits a speed bump it never really recovers from. “Death” has a slow, Sabbath-y riff which is, in theory, no different from what came before, but by stripping away the energy and the feeling of a beer-soaked good time, it starts to sound tired, and the rest of the record, minus “Back Taxes,” follows suit, even when the tempo is increased. These songs are less bad than uninteresting or uninspired, dynamically flat and forgettable.

In a sense, the rest of the record is just as unoriginal, but that boozy rock-and-roll quality lifts it up to another tier. This is flying-v metal, for bands with long hair who hate wearing shirts onstage and repeatedly dive into the crowd for the hell of it. I have no clue if this remotely describes Doomriders, who might do all or none of those things. But it sure sounds like they do. It makes sense the band is playing with High on Fire and especially Kvelertak on an upcoming tour of the U.S.: this is music to be heard in large groups, where the anonymity of the crowd lets you get a few good natured punches, karate chops, or high kicks in. So long as they stick away from the turgid back half of Grand Blood, the crowd will love it.

Rob Rubsam

Band info: www.facebook.com/doomriders
Label info: www.deathwishinc.com

Rob Rubsam is a freelance writer and itinerant resident of Upstate New York. His writing about music has been published at CVLT Nation, Tom Tom Magazine, The Rumpus, Burning Ambulance, and others. When not contemplating giant squids or erecting a standing stone in his backyard, he tweets at @millenialistfun. Do not contact him with your black mass-related inquiries, please.

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Next month, California's raging four-piece Nails are hitting the UK with their abrasive and powerful cocktail of d-beat, hardcore and metal, headlining a small tour with British crew Blind to Faith as support.
This is the band's first UK shows in three years so we caught up with vocalist and guitarist Todd Jones to find out more about this tour and their future plans, including a brand new album planned for 2014.

You're hitting the UK with Blind to Faith very soon, are you looking forward to these headlining shows? 

“Yes, possibly more than any dates we've done this year so far. The reaction we got from our fans when we announced we were coming has been immense. Can't wait to get over there and play for all the UK maniacs.”

Prior to these headlining shows, you have toured the US along with Early Graves and Xibalba and just recently you have played at This Is Hardcore Festival. How did that go?

“Incredibly well. Good enthusiastic crowds every night. Couldn't have had better shows.”

Are you happy with how your new songs from “Abandon all Life” translate live?

“Absolutely. Our crowd goes wild when we play the new shit, as expected because it's much more maniacal than anything else we've ever done. Pure aggression.”

Speaking of the new album, there has been an immense amount of praise to “Abandon all Life”, especially in the British and North American press. How satisfying is it to have your music appreciated in such a positive matter?

“Extremely satisfying. I had no idea people would appreciate our new album as much as they have. It's an honor.”

---

"If your favorite Nails material is Unsilent Death, you may not like our new songs. If your favorite Nails material is Abandon All Life, it'll be right up your alley."

---

After this small tour, Nails will be heading to Japan for a few dates. What's on the agenda?

“The agenda is the play shows with our friends in Twitching Tongues and Palm and Inferval Reluvision, eat as much mochi ice cream as I can, and buy as many records as I can. The record stores in Japan are not like anywhere else on the planet. I'm going to be broke.”

I recently read that you already have a bunch of new songs lined up for new album. Are you playing any of these new songs on this tour? 

“No, we won't be playing any. We need to play all the songs from Abandon All Life and Unsilent Death as we haven't been to the UK in 3 years. I probably shouldn't have said we have new songs because now people want to hear them, but we won't be playing those live for at least another year or so.”

From the songs that you already have, what can expect from the third album of Nails?

“More brutal and unsettling than Abandon All Life. It's more antisocial sounding and less catchy. If your favorite Nails material is Unsilent Death, you may not like our new songs. If your favorite Nails material is Abandon All Life, it'll be right up your alley.”



The UK tour dates is as follows:
Wed 13 Nov – Glasgow, Classic Grand
Thu 14 Nov – Manchester, Star & Garter (with Esoteric Youth)
Fri 15 Nov – Bristol, The Exchange (with War Wolf)
Sat 16 Nov – London, Underworld (With Hang The Bastard)

More info at: www.facebook.com/NAILSoxnard
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Meek is Murder started as a solo project by Mike Keller (ex-The Red Chord), releasing Mosquito Eater in 2007. Eventually he added Frank Godla and Sam Brodsky (drums and bass respectively), turning MiM into a full-fledged band. Together they released 2011’s Algorithms and last year’s Into the Sun When it Falls Off the Sky EP. MiM are right back at it with Everything is Awesome Nothing Matters.

The duality of the title has much to do with Keller’s personal life. He experienced a year full of loss (deaths, relationship and fire) and moved forward through his music. The phrase is all about impermanence. Nothing lasts forever. Enjoy it while it’s here because it will be ripped away. But understanding how fleeting and insignificant everything is leads to the strength to carry on. Not without an adequate amount of purging however.

In less than 20 minutes, Meek is Murder let loose with everything in their arsenal. Keller’s unsettled riffs and shifting tempos mirror the chaotic nature of existence. Trying to force the cause of events is an exercise in futility. Likewise, resisting the emotional catharsis of his screams is a wasted effort. Better to grab hold of the torrent and let it guide you through your own purging. Godla and Brodsky’s ability to keep pace with Keller’s manic cleansing is a testament to just how tight MiM is as a band. The Ballou-produced effort force feeds the listener a positively nuclear energy in concentrated blasts of elasticity. That feeling of tension and release dominates EiANM. It keeps the listener constantly off-balance and always in motion. Music this personal is bound to evoke a physical reaction with its white-knuckled approach and MiM score a bull’s eye in that regard.

Gut-wrenching shifts in inertia fuel the whirlwind of mesmerizing fretwork and heaving crashes of backbreaking noise. Plenty of feedback raises the hairs, as does Keller’s harried vocal anguish, from vocal chord-straining screams to floor scraping growls. Call it mathcore, call it technical hardcore, call it what you will. But you can’t call it anything less than a stark and engaging manifestation of a positive reaction to hardship. Filled with enough Converge-isms to Bannon-ize your neck and enough Dillinger Escape Plan-ish weirdness to befuddle Sherlock Holmes, there’s nothing even resembling a dull moment. On Everything is Awesome Nothing Matters, Meek is Murder burn through the catharsis with explosive force leaving nothing behind but the past.

Matt Hinch 

Band info: www.facebook.com/meekismurder

Matt Hinch lives an unassuming life on the backroads outside Forest Mills, Ontario, Canada. He packs in as much metal as he possible can amid factory work, raising three daughters with his wife and working the land. In addition to Scratch the Surface Matt also writes for Hellbound, Ghost Cult Magazine, About Heavy Metal and his own blog, Kingdom of Noise. Keep up with him on Twitter @MetalMatt_KofN.

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Two years after their debut record for Relapse ‘Harhakuvat’, Finland’s Unkind return with another vicious slab of crust-infused d-beat hardcore, which sounds darker, harsher and more aggressive than everything the Finns have ever written.

Yet, although consistently powerful and aggressive, the music contained within also transcends the boundaries imposed by a rigid style such as crust/d-beat hardcore as the band make several deviations from the left hand path to spice up their furious assault. For every d-beat, frenetic moment, there is an equally intense yet more atmospheric musical passage which gives the songs a sinister edge and sounds genuinely unsettling. Those who have heard Unkind’s work, especially their previous album ‘Harhakuvat’, will know exactly what to expect from ‘Pelon Juuret’. Those who haven’t, please imagine if Mogwai had been fed with a solid diet of Discharge and Amebix and then decided to make a crust/hardcore album, or try to imagine a more visceral and violent Envy, multiply that by ten and you have Unkind.

The title theme, which means “roots of fear”, kicks things off with a raging fury, unleashing savage riffs along with a wrenching, frenetic drumming with the right amount of force to inflict some serious damage. Following track, “Vihan Lapset”, continues in similar fashion, but it’s on “Valtakunta” that things start to get more interesting with Unkind balancing the brutal chaos with some disquieting, engaging melodies. The album ends with the surprising “Saattokoti”, nearly five minutes of ambient sounds rounded with some fascinating banjo melodies that prove that Unkind unlike a good portion of their peers in the netherworld of crust/d-beat hardcore are still pushing ahead to new, stranger places.

Band info: www.facebook.com/UnkindHardcore
Label info: www.relapse.com

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Hardcore bands sure like to walk the walk and talk the talk, but when it comes to all out war, in many instances, sheer intensity is missing from the music. Enter the real deal, All Pigs Must Die, with their searing second salvo titled, ‘Nothing Violates This Nature’. The Massachusetts based band featuring alumni from such hardcore luminaries Converge (drummer Ben Koller) and The Hope Conspiracy (vocalist Kevin Baker) avoid all the negative connotations that come from such a loaded word as “supergroup”, as this band is completely without contrivance. Like their 2011 debut ‘God Is War, ‘Nothing Violates This Nature’ has also been produced by Kurt Ballou (Nails, The Secret) of God City Studios and released by Southern Lord, and it is another pitch black pressure cooker of grindin’ metallic hardcore.

The diversity of the music on display, dictated by Koller’s superhuman drumming, is what separates All Pigs Must Die from the rest of the Entombed-fanatics playing catch up. Opener ‘Chaos Arise’ races out the gates like Trap Them at their unbridled best, and ‘Silencer’ swiftly follows suit with all the hostility associated with grindcore and power-violence. It is a direct continuation of where the band left off with their debut only with added attention paid to the pacing of the album, as each song has been positioned for maximum force. Instead of keeping to breakneck speed and eventually losing power through repetition, All Pigs Must Die have the wherewithal to drop tempos during the ferociously groove-focused ‘Primitive Fear’ and the deathly ‘Bloodlines’. While the slow, sinister and methodical ‘Of Suffering’ takes this approach one on step darker with its doom-laden beginnings, simple eerie guitar leads, anguished screams, and pummelling end beat-down which rides out on a hail of feedback.

As mentioned, Koller is on fiery form (nobody would expect anything less from him) and his playing really give the caustic music its uncontrollable verve. He detonates the grind of ‘Aqim Siege’; takes ‘Holy Plague’ from bucking noise-rock through the mouth of punk, grindcore and thrash with his fluid tempo changes and powerhouse blasts; and, as with his contributions to Converge’s music, he shows how impactful he can be even at slower speeds (Faith Eater). The real highpoint of his playing, however, is found at the album’s end. “Articles of Human Weakness” is a flaying finish to an album that is as sonically harrowing as you are likely to hear. Koller’s cyclonic fills cause a sandstorm when matched with the ragged riffs and screams, and the song has a lot in common with the title track from Converge’s last album, ‘All We Love We Leave Behind’, in that, the band drain out every ounce of intensity and emotion remaining after the preceding 9 songs. Just when you thought it was safe, Southern Lord have let loose another bile-filled, high speed and high impact hardcore album; this time from one of the gnarliest bands to ever spill out of Massachusetts.

Dean Brown

Band info: www.facebook.com/apmdband
Label info: www.southernlord.com

Dean Brown is a metal scribe based in Ireland. He is currently a contributing editor to the North American cultural magazine Popmatters and he regularly throws words for a number of other reputable loud noise publications such as About.com/heavy metal, Soundshock.com, MetalIreland.com, MoltenMagazine.com, amongst others. He has a strong affinity for music that shakes souls and leaves debilitating tinnitus in its wake and such obsession has left him financially and medically crippled, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. Follow Dean on twitter @reus85

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I recall listening to Armed for Apocalypse’s 2009 debut ‘Defeat’ (or at least Last.fm tells me I did). But the impression if left wasn’t very strong. Strength however, is the first thing that comes to mind with sophomore effort ‘The Road Will End’. Featuring former members of Brain in a Cage and The Abominable Iron Sloth, among others, this California quartet delivers 42 minutes of absolutely devastating sludgecore.
Right out of the gate vocalist/guitarist Kirk Williams’ scream penetrates the cortex as guitarist Cayle Hunter, bassist Corey Vaspra and drummer Nick Harris wreak downturned and impactful vengeance on the stunned listener. Huge riffs, heavy as a lead boot tone, and Williams’ battle cries grab you by the shirt and hurl you to the ground (“Better World”). Once there the listener is dragged through the mud as the album progresses. Heaving and muscular riffs pound the listener into the sludge over and over with chugging rhythms and some of the sickest breakdowns this side of the swine flu.
“The Well” showcases AforA’s propensity for dynamics amidst their punishing assault. Starting with a heavy as fuck doom riff (think Serpentcult’s ‘Weight of Light’) and the aforementioned crushing breakdowns, the track gradually opens up with Crowbar-esque tone. The clouds part in the face of soaring guitars rising into the sky, building with momentum to burst apart in an explosion of light. “The Well” completes its journey from the subterranean to the sky bound and back again in epic fashion.
The remainder of ‘The Road Will End’ is no less spirited. Hardcore forcefulness, pit-rousing groove, Helmet worship, and d-beat swagger put the meat on the bones of the living breathing weapon that makes up one of the flat out heaviest records of the year. As angry as the band sounds, the spirit of battle and perseverance resonate from the immensely powerful sludge of AforA. It all builds to a climax on “Happy Hour (Disciple of Death)” and finishes with the acoustic dénouement of “Ends Meet” leaving the listener beaten and sore but invigorated and yearning for more.

Matt Hinch

Band info: www.facebook.com/armedforapocalypse
Label info:  www.candlelightrecords.co.uk

Matt Hinch lives an unassuming life on the backroads outside Forest Mills, Ontario, Canada. He packs in as much metal as he possible can amid factory work, raising three daughters with his wife and working the land. In addition to Scratch the Surface Matt also writes for Hellbound, Ghost Cult Magazine, About Heavy Metal and his own blog, Kingdom of Noise. Keep up with him on Twitter @MetalMatt_KofN.

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I found about Better Not Born when Southern Lord Records tweeted about them, picking the Finns as the band of the day a few weeks ago. If Southern Lord vouches for them, they must be good right? Absolutely so, these fellows have studied the best crust/hardcore discs Southern Lord have released so far with profound dedication and use that knowledge to weave some nasty and impressively ruthless songs. 'Horde of Sheep' demonstrates their intensity, combining the fury of hardcore and the dirtiness of crust with the heaviness of metal, kicking some serious ass like Tragedy or Trap Them. 'Inner Void' the other BNB track from this split 7” with fellow countrymen Cause a Riot kicks in similar fashion, tossing out some fierce and raw grind-punk riffs that provide the ideal accompaniment to Sampo’s caustic screams. With any luck, Southern Lord will snatch these guys for their rooster and I’m sure that whatever they will do next, it won’t surely disappoint anyone who has enjoyed the latest works from Baptists and Nails.
Cause a Riot are more punk-driven and don’t impress as much as Better Not Born, but sound fairly competent, unleashing two blasts of punk-hardcore that don’t sound too far removed from the anarchic sounds of acts like Poison Idea and Anti Cimex, albeit with a better, more modern production. They attack their songs with fierce intensity, focusing on delivering punishing rhythms and straightforward, crunchy riffs that sound religiously faithful to the genre’s most emblematic precursors. Definitely, they’re a band worth keeping an eye on in the future as well.

Band info: http://betternotborn.bandcamp.com | http://causeariot.bandcamp.com

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I’m pretty sure that you’ve read numerous raves about “Meir” already and perhaps there’s nothing left to say about Kvelertak’s sophomore record. However, I’m still inclined to write a few words about it and state, or better yet, restate that it is a killer album. But, just before I justify why this is a killer record, let me just say that “Meir” is essentially a big middle finger to anyone that wrote them off a one-trick pony or anyone that thought they would tame down their wild and potent sound just because they now belong to a big-sized label like Roadrunner. This is a band doing what the fuck they want and doing fucking well.
That said, “Meir” sees Kvelertak sticking to the same formula that made their self-titled debut album such a joyous ode to the power of the riff and I doubt someone will blame them for that. Yep, the formula remains the same, a Molotov cocktail blending incendiary styles like garage-rock, punk-hardcore and black-metal, but now it seems to be more refined and cohesive than before, but no less potent or authentic. “Meir” is infectious from start to finish, filled with killer riffs and magnificent sing-along choruses (it’s Norwegian I know, but we can always hum). Numbers like “Bruane Brenn” and “Evig Vandrar”, in particular, showcase the band’s knack for writing ultra-catchy, hard-driving punk-rock tunes with just enough grime to mess with your entrails.
As I said on the first paragraph, it’s a killer record. 

Band info: www.facebook.com/Kvelertak
Label info: www.roadrunnerrecords.com

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Not even a year went by since Milwaukee’s crust metallers Enabler literally kicked my ass with their powerful sophomore album “All Hail The Void”, and now they return with another brave drubbing of crust-influenced hardcore-meets-metal fury.
Intense and brutal from start to finish, “Shift of Redemption” kicks and screams in less than twelve minutes with the kind of go-for-the-throat savagery you’d expect, with no subtleties, no breaks, nothing but frills-free aggression.
The title track shows the band dishing out the same gut-churning intensity that made their previous work such a caustic and brutal release, pure hardcore rage delivered with a crusty snarl. Things get even nastier on the following track “Live Low” with vocalist Jeffrey Lohrber repeatedly screaming the words ‘fuck you, fuck you, fuck you forever’ on top of a frantic slab of raging crust and hardcore-infused metal. The remaining two songs, “Sacrifice” and “Fallselflessly”, see Enabler slowing down the tempo a tad to churn out some killer, catchy, yet equally violent riffs.
Any fan of this band will certainly not be disappointed, because I’m not kidding when I say that “Shift of Redemption” will beat you black and blue. 

Band info: www.facebook.com/enablermke
Label info: www.thinkfastrecords.com

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Featuring members of Cleanteeth, The Destro, Grudges and Primitive Weapons, White Widows is new band from Brooklyn, whose music sounds like a potent blend of NYC-style metallic hardcore with Southern sludge metal elements. Their self-titled debut effort is out now Sacrament Music and those nice folks at BrooklynVegan are currently hosting the stream of the full album at the following location.
Follow White Widows on Facebook here.

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If you haven’t heard of Man the Machetes yet, you’re committing a big flaw. Not only they’re one of the most promising bands from Norway nowadays, but they’ve also released a smashing first album entitled “Idiokrati”.
We approached vocalist Christopher Iversen to find out more about the Man The Machetes and why they’re often tagged Kvelertak younger brothers.

A surprising concoction of early punk, rock ‘n’ roll, hardcore and metal, Man the Machetes’ debut full length album “Idiokrati” is loud and angry yet mesmerising and catchy. It seems that you guys come from different backgrounds or at least have some divergent tastes in music. How did you come around to bring all these influences into your music?

We thanketh thee for such generous words - much appreciated! You're spot on about us having some slightly different tastes in music. To be frank, you'll find fans of everything from Rihanna to Gorgoroth among the members in MTM - a feat we feel shines through in our music. However, I guess we were brought together by a common passion for the hard and aggressive, yet melodic soundscape. We basically write and play music which feels natural to us, both as individuals and as a band.

There has been a lot of positive feedback on this album, yet I noticed Man the Machetes often gets lumped in with Kvelertak, a band whose sound also encompasses a wide range of divergent styles. Does it bother you when people say you sound similar to them or do you find that flattering?

Haha, no, not at all! We saw it coming to be honest, you know, since we're playing aggressive tunes with Norwegian vocals and everything. Everyone in Man the Machetes likes Kvelertak's music, so we find it kind of flattering to be compared to them.

The album was record in Toronto, Canada during four weeks with producer Eric Ratz, who has previously worked with bands like Billy Talent, Cancer Bats and Comeback Kid. Was it easier for you guys to record way from home and the usual distractions from your everyday life?

Definitely! Tracking demos in your local studio is one thing, but being away from home for a long period of time for the sole purpose of recording an album is something completely different. You become part of a setting which gives you drive and focus when approaching your music, a setting where you are isolated together with your tunes and the occasional cup of coffee for weeks. And food of course. :) Physical and mental distractions disappear, and you're able to pour that extra amount energy into what's happening here and now.

There’s a lot of energy in your album and a lot of the songs have this live vibe with some engaging and catchy guitar riffs. Would you say that energy was there when you were writing the songs, or did that come in the studio?

Thanks - that's one of the things we're aiming for. The energy tends to build up gradually when we start writing a new song, and if it doesn't cumulate with us being stoked like crazed monkeys when the song is finished, we pick it apart and rewrite it. One of our goals is to write music which gives us goosebumps, regardless if it's the 1th or 1000th playthrough, and that requires some revisions from time to another. The energy was definitely maintained during our stay at Vespa Studios, with Ratz being charismatic and everything, and listening to the songs as they were put together gave us a boost we hadn't experienced before.

I’ve read in recent study that Norway is the happiest place to live in the whole world and that Norwegians are quite satisfied with their standards of living. So where exactly do you get the fuel to churn out such an angry and energetic sound?

In a society which has everything needed to maintain a good lifestyle for most of its citizens, you'll find many elements which tend to lean towards the superficial and the egocentric. I thinks it's safe to say that this isn't a problem for Norway only, but rather a global problem which evolves around industrialized and rich countries where people have all their basic needs fulfilled. This breeds, among other unwanted things, a "dumbing down" of people.

What is the meaning behind the title of the disc, “Idiokrati”? What inspires the lyrical themes the most?

We chose the title Idiokrati (Idiocracy) because we felt that it reflected or summed up the lyrical themes of the songs in a good way. The lyrics are inspired by topics like: anti-social behaviour, polarization of mass media, violence, religion, individualism etc.

What's next for Man the Machetes?

Gigs, gigs and...gigs. :) 

More info at: www.manthemachetes.com
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While searching for some background info on Man the Machetes, I noticed they often get compared to Kvelertak, which is a bit unavoidable considering both bands have some things in common. They’re both from Norway, sing in their mother tongue, are signed to Indie Recordings and most importantly, both acts churn out an explosive blend of metal-influenced hardcore fury with a punk ‘n’ roll snot. But while their compatriots Kvelertak merge some black metal bitterness into their sound, Man the Machetes are more hardcore driven, and they don’t show any hesitations in incorporating some pop melodies into the music when they deem it necessary (“Neo-Cowboy" is good example). Plus, they’ve both the musical ability and the distinct attitude to escape the accusations of plagiarism.
To try to pick a track that stands out is kind of silly, as all ten songs on the album have that similar vibe and sound that will make you want to start a brawl at some cheap bar. It’s almost impossible to remain indifferent to the killer guitar riffs and infectious melodies that abound here.
While Man the Machetes do show some similarities with Kvelertak, it would be a shame to overlook them as mere clones for "Idiokrati" is an exciting debut record that burns with youthful energy and bad temper. 

Band info: www.manthemachetes.com 
Label info: www.indierecordings.no

 
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