September 14, 2001 A.D. Given the events of the past week, I've worked, written, and listened a lot of aggressive music. These tactics kept my head cleared, and my insanity down to a normal level. The more brutal the music, the better the effect. In the world of Grindcore it takes a truly great band …
At last, the ferocious Chimaira has returned. Their 2003 sophomore effort, “The Impossibility Of Reason” [Roadrunner Records], is a stunning masterpiece of uninhibited brutality. Chimaira takes it to the limit, and beyond. Welding together a jagged, volatile mixture of Aggro and Death Metal, Chimaira has created a style of massive, menacing beauty. Acidic, growled vocals …
From the darkened halls of the Palace of Oblivion's Dawn rises the pure, pristine Night…. Bathory returns with the epic follow-up opus to the incredible “Nordland” release. The aptly titled “Nordland II” [The End/Black Mark Records], continues in the previous work's evolutionary progression. Bathory has taken Black Metal to the beautiful extremes, adding elements of …
Even Pop Punk has its variants. The Exies are an excellent example, creating a fearless and addictive form of Techno Pop Punk. Their 2003 opus, “Inertia” [Virgin Records], is both catchy and powerful. Somewhere between American Hi-Fi and Filter is where The Exies call home. Subtle shades are mixed into the fray–acoustic guitars, Pop aesthetics, …
The mighty Black Label Society has returned. Their 2003 opus, “The Blessed Hellride” [Spitfire Records], is as solid as they come. (…Even if at times it feels a bit mellower than previous efforts.) Black Label Society is like Pantera's Psychedelic little brother–pissed, powerful, and primal as cold steel. Zakk Wylde's guitar playing is flawless, ranging …
This is How It Ends is–brutal Death/Sludgecore genius without a single weakness. Their debut, “So Shall It Be” [Thorp Records], makes Crowbar seem absolutely placid in comparison. How It Ends strikes the aggression vein, and bleeds it dry. Combining powerful grooves with a visceral intensity, How It Ends adds a new vitality to the Sludgecore …
From New York has risen a great new fury. That tumult is the BEST NEW BAND of 2001, and that act is Scar Culture. Their debut, called “Inscribe” [Century Media Records], carries on that great NYHC tradition of musical assault. Scar Culture fuses intense Hardcore aggression with powerful, groove-driven Death Metal into the fiercest, incendiary …
Somewhere between Hardcore, Aggro, and Death Metal is where Anchorage, Alaska's musical kill crew 36 Crazyfists makes its home. Their caustic debut, “Bitterness The Star” [Roadrunner Records], is a roughly hewn masterpiece of sonic aggression. It's a primal, raging slab of sublime, molten hostility. Brock Lindow's vocals are acidic–polarizing between a crackling, mournful clean howl …
Closer Than Kin is one of the most amazing Hardcore / Metalcore bands around. Their 2003 opus, “The Machineries Of Breath” [Punktuation/Arctic Music], is one of the best releases of the year. Combining elements of Gothic and Metalcore, Closer Than Kin has created a work that is both vibrant and dark–brutal and sublime. The Closer …
There are some really amazing Female Punk Rock bands out there. One of the best is The Donnas (who run a close second behind Fluffy to be THE BEST). Their 2002 opus, “Spend The Night” [Atlantic Records], is a savvy mixture of 1980's Power Pop, Pop Metal, and modern Pop Punk dynamics into a visceral, …