Protestant/Suffering Mind Split 6"

The long awaited Protestant / Suffering Mind split fails to disappoint as both bands offer 2 short tracks on this nifty orange 6" ep. Proudly boasting 100% DIY effort behind the release, the bands keep things fresh with the quality you'd come to expect from each.

It's an interesting pairing as Milwaukee's Protestant play a metallic infused style of hardcore that can jump from melodic, to aggressive, and everywhere in between whereas split mates Suffering Mind are probably the finest purveyors of straight ahead grindcore at this time. Obviously Protestant had this in mind as "Sheep in Wolves Clothing (Everyone with Dreadlocks is Stupid)*" clocks in at 35 seconds and is probably the grindist thing the band's done yet.  "No Peace" on the other hand fits right in with expectations as it's a driving freight train with a catchy refrain and awesome blastbeat jumps.

Suffering Mind seems to do their best to draw songs out as both slim out into a slower tempo rumble and the vocals completely take over. Those who've yet to listen to the band should pay keen attention to the dynamic delivery between both vocalists and the band's penchant for satisfying rhythms. Both bands incorporate a similar bare bones production that doesn't harm anything, and gives an old school vibe to both sides.

A great catalyst for those familiar with one, but not the other (Andrew I'm looking at you) or someone foreign to both. Limited to 666 as all cool things are.

Halo of Flies

2011

*A point of difference is the ep jacket doesn't include the knock on our dreaded friends, whereas the mp3s with the  download code provided does; I wonder what this is all about.

Tour of Duty: The Netherlands

When I think of the Dutch music scene it's really just Urfaust, a band I was lucky enough to catch this past summer. Beyond that, I'll be honest I don't listen to this scene it that often. Thankfully, due to your seeming enjoyment of this series, and a general thirst for new music, I've come upon a few new acts as well as older ones I've had sitting around forever that ya'll might like.

There's Countess with the old-school narrow perspective on how things are to be done, Bestial Summoning with their war metal-lite style, Sammath with one of the heaviest black metal sounds around, Irrwisch with one of the best melodic/atmospheric eps, and of course Urfaust tying it all up with the ethereal guitar/vocal driven dirge that sits as my favorite effort of theirs. De Magia Veterum play a strange synthy style of symphonic metal that toys with a mid era Blut Aus Nord kinda sound. There's Nihill who play a dense suffocating and a bit strange style akin to Darkspace. I've also included the harsh and unsettling sounds of Gnaw Their Tongues, a band based in black metal but pushed towards the noisy, abstract and frightening edges of modern extreme music.

My paint skills know no bounds.

So fuck the Stroopwafel, get some black metal!

Tour of Duty- Netherlands from Perpetual Strife on 8tracks.

Impatience - Impatience

Milwaukee anger specialists Impatience bruise through almost 15 minutes of old school pissed off hardcore that's fixin' to throw you through a window. Featuring members of Protestant and Enabler, Impatience play a heavy, fast and stripped down style that brings to mind Japanese masters Bastard as well as stalwarts Integrity.

Immediately the band shines with "Coward." From the anxious opening of feedback slams to the voracious vocals and gang choruses shouting "you fucking cowards" to the sped up measures of blast beats, Impatience stays true to their name and never takes the foot off the pedal.

Energetic and well executed, Impatience scores big with this tape.

Sacred Plague Records
2011
 

Somewhat Forgotten Lore: Realized - 21st Century Terminal World

While 21st Century Terminal World still exists as their only full length, I was surprised to see that Japan's Realized were still kickin' the 'ol d beat around with a somewhat recent ep entitled Area 1. Misconceptions aside, Realized play a style of d beat driven grindcore with the most Doom-like vocals outside of Doom themselves.

I've held it as truth for years that Japan's one of the best countries when it comes to music. Like so many of my other Japanese favorites there's not a whole lot that really seperates Realized from the pack in terms of raw data. Instead, it's their supreme understanding and execution in delivery and sound. "Sweet Hammerheart" sounds straight outta the U.K. circa 88 and I mean that in only the best of ways.Their sound is honest and competent and successfully blurs the line that just barely separated hardcore and grindcore all those years back.

Songs surge along  d-beats and hardcore riffing staircases to blastbeat quips thoroughly ransacked by unearthly and seemingly overweight vocals. Guitars shine through every so often with a memorable riff, but for the most part play dirty and razorfed hardcore riffs.

With an album cover that's Scum meets World Downfall in a gloriously 80's style, Realized complete the package.

2005
Bloodbath Records