If you couldn't tell by the name, Steaksauce Mustache don't take shit too seriously. The band have been bringing their special brand of humor to the PNW for the past 5 odd years, quickly growing a reputation for zany live shows with off-the-wall antics:
Now Steaksauce have returned with what is more or less their 3rd full-length effort via Silent Pendulum Records (The Number Twelve Looks Like You, Dead Empires, et al), and they are not fucking around. I mean, they are but er...well, you know what I mean. The band channels all the best elements of hardcore / mathcore acts like Every Time I Die, The Chariot, and The Dillinger Escape Plan, all with their signature hilarious gusto, and today we have the pleasure of you bringing the first single from their new album, "Superwoke." "Dance Cops" lives up to its name, starting off with an infectious 2-step and quickly moving into the chaotic space the band most often occupies. Also, there's abundant use of the whammy pedal, and who doesn't love that?
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.
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."
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
I hate ranking things I love (especially when it comes to music), and because this year was so exceptionally challenging, I decided to organize my lists based upon pure volume of listens. I also took the time to make a list for unsigned/underground acts, another for signed/major acts (bands that are well known within our scene), and finally 2 smaller lists for EPs and honorable mentions, respectively. Lastly, most of these bands appear on our compilations, so hopefully that doesn't come as a surprise. Allons-i.
Paul Hundeby (also of City of Ifa and City Pro Recordings), the mastermind behind this once one-man project, wrote and recorded all instruments as well handling all engineering and production duties on this powerhouse of a record. I love this record because each song holds truly memorable passages, and I find myself absentmindedly humming the riffs a lot. Arms shared the stage with many notable national touring acts in 2016, and this year they are making their first European appearance along with our friends in Frontierer at Complexity Fest 2017, which is sponsored by Mathcore Index.
"To Cast the First Stone" recalls the chaos of "Solace" while still retaining the heaviness of "Minus the Herd," and, simply put, is a banger. Many thanks to Good Fight Music for allowing them to appear on our second compilation, Mathcore Index: Volume 2.
The perfect band, and a perfect end (allegedly) to their career. I would say music is better now, them having existed, and there is no band more influential in our scene.
Here I have included my Bandcamp review for "Meta," as it still seems the most effective description:
"Absolutely outstanding and incredibly innovative, Car Bomb are one of the most compelling bands in extreme music, and they have truly outdone themselves (again) with "Meta." I could continue heaping praise or add comparisons to other bands, but the fact is: there is no comparison to Car Bomb."
We are proud to present to you our second compilation, Mathcore Index: Volume 2, featuring nearly 30 unique underground artists from around the globe. Artwork by the supremely talented Karl Frandsen, layout by Tamás Bakó, and original logo by Keith Carlson.
