Victims "Killer" review

VICTIMS "Killer" Deathwish, inc.

So, Deathwish, inc is releasing this. Good. They deserve it. This album is 'killer'. (Zing!) I am realizing too, that i omitted it in my "best of '08" list. There is one reason alone for that. I am a moron with no memory. Anyway - now this can be in both lists. I picked up this CD last year (about 11 months ago) when Victims and Coliseum came around together. Holy Shit. Incredible. I have loved Victims since their split with From Ashes Rise. I have loved their following two albums. So when i got a chance to see these Swedes absolutely crush and obliterate Providence in a small club, with less then 100 fools to absorb their ferocity and volume, on some March Tuesday night, I was up front like a pedophile at cheerleader tryouts. I picked up a shirt, this CD; and thanked them for visting our homeland. So, by the time of this writing, this was recorded 16 months ago - released last spring on Combat Rock Industry (Finland). I do not know what people said or how much distro it got; but i re-played it again and again in my closed world. THEN, i see that Deathwish is releasing it. Fuckin' A, Bubba! That rules. I hope it gets them more exposure and some coin to tour more. If people missed their Havoc releases, or this then gets to surprise attack Converge and Blacklisted fans, i raise a glass. Exceptional Choice DW! The music: again, "killer"! just incredible. This release sees our heroes slightly less in the drop-D/Tragedy/FromAshesRise mode - again, only slightly less so....Wait, as i am writing this, the song "The Burning Fire" is on and it sounds just like Tragedy, exceptionally executed. Tracks like "Fade Away" and We're Fucked!" have a more punk sound - maybe the whole side A; with its - heavy punk, but still i could do the pizza maker or pick-up-change dance in place to it... a splash of Poison Idea, with a definite majority of Motorhead and Discharge controlling the aural attack. "Ett Svart Ar" is playing now - with its pummeling force, NYHC bassline. I feel i am all over the place in talking about this. With good reason, i suppose. There are an amalgam of creative influences - ignited by a true Hardcore spirit fueled from necessity to scream at this "Fucked" world. A plea to pay attention, and hey, the squeeky wheel, or in this case, the loud, angry, brutal, chaos-controlling Swedish Band, gets heard. Please listen to this album. Please buy it. If you like Black Flag, Poison Idea, Motorhead, Discharge, Tragedy, The Bones, Wisdom in Chains; or wish Inhuman and GBH and Slang would have a kid and dress him in a Social D shirt....this is for you. Again - Side A is a touch more catchy, not at all, slower - but 'punkier' - while side B carries the same torch as their previous output. The production is tight - good allowance of distortion and speed and a little dirty 'ungh' to it - but accents the highlights of this record very well.

Carpathian "Isolation" review

Carpathian – “Isolation” – Deathwish, inc

I loved their first cd – a good (Indecision) Throwdown/Down My Throat authoritative sound, with spots of Madball and others of 100 Demons. These Aussies have stepped off that vibe and gone more 'contemporary'. What you’d expect from DW hardcore. Worshipping at the altar of the latest Blacklisted, also like Verse and MLIW. Strewn out. elongated generic Bane attempts. Medium Paced stomp, pizza making style to faster heavier parts. Dark. The sound is that ominous atmosphere - where the songs string together intense brutal riffs to slowed down, panting breaks; meant for you to absorb the sonic beating you just took. There are some moments of brilliant guitar work and "building" moments of songs, but they dissipate into the general anaesthetic of mediocrity too often. However, there are some nuanced tweaks that make this a better record, i think due to great production. It is a little repetitive - and those great riffs, just make me want more of that toughness and aggression. *I will say the lyrics are pretty fuckin great though. Straight and to the point. And as bitter as ESB. I wish these dudes continued on their original path, but if you like this style - this is a great example of it.