EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Snakehound - "Imitation Crown"

You may remember Kansas City's Snakehound from the video premiere we did earlier this month, and today we have the pleasure of bringing you an early stream of their new album, "Imitation Crown." Snakehound are a brand new band, but have already made waves in the online community with series of singles showcasing high-energy metalcore with earwig riffs and pull-offs aplenty. The album begins with the moshy "Dignified Rats," and as the band doesn't skip on the vicious hardcore riffs and breakdowns, it only gets better from there." "Gypsy Danger" playfully dials it back only momentarily before launching into "Guillotine del Toro," which aside from "Timberline" may very well be the best representation of the band's sound; Snakehound bring the energy of Converge with the technicality of Botch, and combine it with the groove and heaviness of their disciples in Every Time I Die, Norma Jean and The Chariot, and "Guillotine del Toro" is a delightful exhibition of these influences. "Snakes for Legs" is as off-kilter as the name suggests, and brings some sickly, chromatically descending diminished chords a la Daughters, but doesn't linger there for long, as it soon gives way to feedback and harmonics, which fades perfectly into “Timberline," the video of which being the aforementioned premiere. The record then has it's only moment of respite with the brief interlude, “28:06:42:12," before jumping back into the action with the albums first single "Autumn Driver," our first taste of what Snakehound had to offer. The next track, "Northern Viper," is seemingly ironically titled as it most features mostly southern rock riffs, but the band soon resumes a more serious assault with “Hornets for Hands" and "Bitter Tempest," which boast a few of the more technically impressive sequences on the album. The album's finisher, "Five Eyes," finally brings it to it's conclusion with a lurching, feedback riddled anthem.
Pre-order "Imitation Crown" now on Bandcamp.

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: goner. - “goner.”

In recent years the metal and hardcore scenes, including their respective aesthetics, have become hopelessly intermingled. Along with their similar social, political, and anti-religious themes, the sounds of blast beats and breakdowns, circle pits and 2 steps, growling and shouting, now all exist happily under one larger umbrella, despite some waging a tireless war of classification, e.g., "that's not metal," or my personal favorite, "that's not grindcore," an expression I often hear pertaining to Myspace era bands. Goner are one such example of this current amalgamation that spring to mind. Hailing from Syracuse, New York, also home of legendary Ed Gein, it's no surprise that the three piece is somewhat genre defying, and given the rise of bands like Nails, End, Helpless, and other HM2 driven metallic hardcore and grind, Goner have picked a perfect time to carve out their niche in an ever evolving scene. "My Experience Has Molded Me Into the Failure You See Before You" begins the EP with fast and vicious riffing, and with the exception of one HUGE whammy breakdown in "The Great Deceiver" (the mixing by Outlier Sound / Pedram Valiani of Frontierer and Sectioned should be extremely evident here), the self-titled EP scarcely relents until the conclusion of "Caretaker."

Preorder the debut EP from goner. here.

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Snakehound - “Timberline”

Mathcore Index Presents: Snakehound - “Timberline”

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Sense Offender - "I"

There has a been a huge wave of technical and filthy hardcore bands emerging from the UK in the past few years: Frontierer, Sectioned, Helpless, Leeched, Dark Habits, Bed of Wasps, and Gendo Ikari to name a few, and Sense Offender are certainly no exception either. Given the band features a member of another similar, more established act, Geist, Sense Offender already have a correspondingly established hardcore pedigree and know exactly which buttons to push. However, where Geist and Sense Offender diverge is the more acute sense of hopelessness and despair of the latter. Sense Offender have trimmed the fat in favor of more dissonant passages that are alternatingly more driving and heavy, pulsating and mesmerizing, in a way that recalls the misanthropic stylings of Cult Leader or their former manifestation, Gaza. The EP's first track is a sample laced feedback loop that is the setup for the EP's true opener, "Prophet-Less," which launches an assault of odd-timed chording before a turn-on-a-dime change into it's big d-beat riff, quickly back into dissonance (where this release most happily dwells), and finally wrapping up with a hypnotic, slower riff, illustrating the band does know how to occasionally let off the gas and exercise dynamics."Starving Pigs," the EP's single, boasts an off-kilter, pulling middle section which draws with the force of a black hole. "Anointed with Seizures" begins with punishing riffs that are a trademark of this release, before giving way to a clean interlude, though band does not tarry here long, as the song quickly launches back into it usually attack before the eventual throbbing fadeout of "Weigh My Pieces." If this EP is any indication of the musical direction this band is headed, Sense Offender are a band to watch. 

Mathcast Episode 20: 5/5/18

This is the 20th episode of Mathcast, in which we discuss Black Matter Device, They Live | We Sleep, Slug In the Sun, Mave Gracy, Goner, Chamber, Flattbush, Intercourse, c0mputer, Contwig, Arms, Seizures, and how we are very much looking forward to seeing you all in July at our first music "festival," Metal Injection Presents: Mathcore Index Fest 2018.

Also available on iTunes.

Arms / Seizures split 7"

At long last, stream the new Arms / Seizures split now via Metal Injection, featuring a guest appearance from Chad Kapper of Frontierer.

"The Orlando Math maniacs of Arms are back this month. The Floridians made a splash with their 2016 effort, BLACKOUT, and look to bridge the gap between major releases with a new split with Seizures. Their two new tracks, "Junk Witch" and "Pentigroid Alcheum," showcase a remarkable progression in the band's sound since we last heard from them. The quartet has greatly expounded their sonic range. Take a look at "Junk Witch" which opens on a progressive, partially jazzy section before unfurling into Arms' typical frenzy.  "Junk Witch" capitalizes on the contained cacophony the band has made since their inception as well. Yet, in songs like "Pentigroid Alcheum," the quartet calls to some of their inspirational roots. The track features a guest spot from Frontierer vocalist, Chad Kapper. With his help and Arms' penchant for the unhinged, this song is certainly the more ferocious of the two. It taps into early Botch and Dillinger Escape Plan much more than anything prior it seems. Still, this track when juxtaposed with "Junk Witch" or much of BLACKOUT proves Arms' metallic artillery continues to grow. It bodes well for the young quartet's future.

With The Dillinger Escape Plan stepping aside, an entity like Arms certainly seems fit to fill that void." -MetalInjection.net

Preorder the 7" now via Dark Trail Records below.