Blastbeat Review: Haiduk, Husk, and OFF!

I'm in the thick of exams season over here, but who needs studying when you've got shit to review?

HAIDUK - SPELLBOOK

Right from the get-go, Spellbook captivates me. It starts off firing on all cylinders, and doesn't stop or tone down until the last note abruptly brings this monster to a halt. Haiduk (or The Haiduks according to iTunes) shreds out some Behemoth-esque blackened death metal, all written and performed by vocalist-guitarist Luka Milojika. The drums, despite being programmed are produced really well, and despite the speed of Milojika's work, don't suffer from sounding too fake a la Agrophobic Nosebleed. There are a couple instances of mediocre drum sounds (usually cymbals when played fast), but for the most part, everything sounds great. This is a must-listen for anybody who digs blisteringly fast extreme music. The songs themselves are over quicker than you can blink, the longest clocking in at just over four minutes, and the shortest coming in at just over two.

Also, Haiduk is Canadian! I love hearing great bands come from the Canadian extreme metal scene. It just tickles my pickle to see bands from the Great White North contribute to the international underground metal scene. You can check out Haiduk on Facebook, and hear some songs of his on YouTube. Overall Score: 3.5/5

HUSK - HYMNS

Husk is a new addition to the giant list of noisy, sludgey hardcore bands that have been cropping up recently. The guitars and bass are heavy as fuck, and everything either goes a snail's pace with crushing riffs, or shoots off at terminal velocity, zig-zagging its way around like a Converge riff. The one thing Hymns has going for it that separates it from the masses of Code Orange Kidses and Loma Prietas out there is the old school black metal-esque vocals shrieked throughout.

I honestly love noisy, sludgey, heavy as hell hardcore and Converge worship, but Husk doesn't really give me any great reasons to listen to them instead of just tossing on some Secret or Botch. I'm interested to see where Husk will go, but unless they start stepping up their game, they'll soon lose my ear. Check 'em out on Facebook and Bandcamp. Hymns is out April 10th. on Art As Catharsis Records. Score: 2.5/5

OFF! - WASTED YEARS

OFF! recently got my attention when I heard their debut First Four EPs, where they dished out SoCal hardcore punk like it's 1982 again. Keith Morris (of Black Flag and Circle Jerks fame) is as pissed as ever, and he's got the music to back it. Wasted Years was recorded on tape and while it has that awesome rawness to it, it still sounds great. It sounds like 80's hardcore in 2014, and I love it. I'd put on anything OFF! have released over Wild in the Streets or Group Sex any day. Don't get me wrong, those are both great albums and I love Keith Morris jams old or new, but to hear hardcore veterans with a modern edge is something I've been hoping for for a long time.

Wasted Years dishes out straight and to the point tracks, with all but one running under two minutes. To quote another review: They rock. They're energetic. Keith Morris is angry. Find OFF! on Facebook, and stream Wasted Years on the New York Times (!?) site. Score: 4/5

That's all for now, folks!

-DG

Blastbeat Reviews: Hammerdrone, Maze of Terror

Usual spiel: school's been eating up all my time, I've promised a bunch of reviews, so here are some quick ones for you. 

HAMMERDRONE - CLONE OF EUROPA

Y'all remember Hammerdrone, right? Those Canadian boys riffing out some good old fashioned death metal with heavy melodeath and blackened death influences? Well, they're back with a new full length to tear your faces off. These guys still rock their heavy Behemoth and Goatwhore influences from before, but on Clone of Europa they're bringing in some Gothenburg melodic death metal sounds into the fray as well.

In pretty much every way, Clone of Europa is a giant step ahead of A Demon Rising. The musicianship is tighter, the production is heavy as fuck, and the songs flow better, showing some serious soundscaping and atmosphere building abilities on the band's part. If you're into death metal or melodic death metal at all, I can't recommend Clone of Europa enough. Check it out on Bandcamp here, and visit them on the Facetubes here. Overall Score: 4/5.

MAZE OF TERROR - SKULL CRUSHER EP

Maze of Terror hail from Lima, Peru and play thrash fucking metal. No, not thrash metal. Thrash. Fucking. Metal. These guys are relatively new on the scene having only formed in 2011, but they're firing on all cylinders on their first release. They've got their own style of old school Bay Area thrash mixed with the neo-thrash movement started with bands like Toxic Holocaust and Warbringer, with just a hint of European thrash sprinkled on top. The result is some heavy, fast, and vicious thrash metal that can appease any headbanger. Skull Crusher reminds me heavily of Needs More Noise Gate favorites Termination Force and Zafakon, and as I wrote that sentence all I can think about about is how freaking wicked it would be to have a Termination Force, Zafakon and Maze of Terror tour, but I digress. Maze of Terror kicks all kinds of ass, and you should listen to Skull Crusher right now. You can check them out on Facebook, and listen to some of this EP on Youtube. Score 4/5

That's all for now, folks!

-DG

EP Review: Frosthelm - "The Northwinds Rend Flesh"

Two reviews in one day? Two reviews in one day. Bitches ain't got reviewing swag that I got. Word. Alright. I promise to never do that again. Let's just get on with the review. Frosthelm. The Northwinds Rend Flesh.

Frosthelm is a thrash metal band that tosses in a healthy dose of black metal fury into the mix. Their strain of eviscerating metal comes from the most dark, grim, and dreadful places on Earth: Minot, North Dakota.

More like North Dakvlta. Amirite?

All joking aside, Frosthelm kick out the fucking jams across their 11 minute, 4 song EP. The Northwinds is a feast of razor sharp riffs, bone grinding drums and terrifying vocal gymnastics. The guitar work is a sweet blend of traditional thrash riffage and melodic riffing similar to classic viking themed bands like Ensiferum or older Wintersun. The barrage of memorable riffs never let up, and the solos are pretty facemelting to boot. When layered up like on the intro of opening track, the the guitars and drums build up a massive blizzard-like feeling traditional to modern black metal before everything erupts into a giant avalanche of snow, ice, and +5 Greatswords of Frost. This torrent continues to bury you under it's unrelenting fury for the next 10 minutes and only lets up once the EP is over. Even then, you're stuck wondering what the fuck happened to you, and why you're covered in snow even though you've been indoors all day.

The vocals are just something else as well. The vocal range shown on this album is huge. I mean, it's all growled and shrieked vocals, but still, on The Northwinds we've got gut wrenching, guttural lows and ear piercing highs going on here. I'll be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the really, really high shrieks, but they're really fucking impressive nonetheless. They're raspy ans throaty, just like they should be, but still hold a lot of power behind them that not many other vocalists can achieve.

If there's anything I could offer as criticism or as something I'd like to see on the new album, it'd be that I'd like some folky elements. Frosthelm have mastered their style of blackened thrash metal, and I'd love to see them follow in Wintersun's steps and add some wicked huge orchestral arrangements to some of their new tracks. I'd also like to see some longer songs next time around, just to vary things up a little bit.

Bomb-Ass Tracks: It's eleven minutes long. Just listen to all of it, asshole. It's worth it, trust me.

On a Playlist With: Blackguard, Wintersun

Overall Score

4.5

Frosthelm have hit a home run with their The Northwinds Rend Flesh EP. It's a monster of a release and I really want to see what they'll be up to in the future. Frosthelm is for any fans of black metal, melodic death metal, or thrash metal.

You can "like" Frosthelm on Facebook here, and order the EP at their BigCartel page. It's only five bucks right now. Do yourself an favor and just get it, man.

That's all for now, folks! Swag.

-DG