Blacklights-6 Way Split LP (2015)

Country: USA
Genre: Hardcore, Punk, Noise Rock, Sludge, Screamo, Emo, 
Label: The Ghost Is Clear Records
Tracks: 10
Length: 30.0'

Damn, here's a behemoth of a six way split LP that I absolutely had to review after listening and getting the go ahead from Bobby, who plays in Canyons and runs the always on point The Ghost Is Clear Records.  Blacklights features new tracks from Kansas City, Missouri's Canyons, Indianapolis, In's Wounded Knee, San Antonio, Tx's Sohns, St. Louis, Missouri's Anodes, Kansas City, Missouri's American Thunder Band, and Portland, Oregon's Duck.  Little Brother, Duck!  The first band on the split is Canyons.  Canyons formed in early 2008 and play a killer style of music that incorporates elements of hardcore, punk, sludge, and noise rock within their sound.  On Blacklights, Canyons offer up two tracks of sludgy and noise damaged hardcore.  The second two songs on the album come courtesy of Wounder Knee.  Wounded Knee is a Indiana based band who formed in late 2013.  Wounded Knee play a chaotic and volatile style of music that incorporates elements of hardcore, punk, and screamo within their sound.  The next two songs on the split come courtesy of San Antonio, Tx based Sohns.  Sohns play and abrasive and completely unhinged style of screamo tinged hardcore.  Next up on Blacklights is St. Louis, Missouri's Anodes, who contribute one song to the LP.  Anodes play a killer style of Ebullition records style post hardcore and screamo.  The next two songs on Blacklights come from Kansas City, Missouri based American Thunder Band.  American Thunderband (formerly known as Texas Instruments) play a tense, urgent, and chaotic style of emotive hardcore and post hardcore.  The last band featured on Blacklights is Duck. Little Brother, Duck!  Duck. Little Brother, Duck!  play a great style of music that incorporates elements of punk, emo, and math rock within their sound.  On Blacklights, Duck. Little Brother, Duck!  offer up one track of really well-executed punk, emo, and math rock.  Overall, Blacklights is an amazing LP and each band offer up top notch material for this release.  Look for Blacklights to be released via The Ghost Is Clear records on October 31st, 2015.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!

(Label Submission)

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Canyons on Bandcamp
Wounded Knee on Bandcamp
Sohns on Bandcamp
Anodes on Bandcamp
American Thunder Band on Bandcamp
Duck. Little Brother, Duck! on Bandcamp
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(U.S.) Fulgora-Stratagem LP (2015)

Country: USA
Genre: Hardcore, Punk, Grindcore
Label: Housecore Records
Tracks: 7
Length: 19.0'

Fulgora is a four piece band from St. Louis, Missouri who formed in late 2012.  Fulgora features members of  Pig Destroyer, Misery Index, Agoraphobic Nosebleed and Dying Fetus.  Fulgora play brutal as fuck, chaotic, and completely unhinged style of music that seamlessly melds elements of hardcore, punk, and grindcore within their sound.  Since their inception in 2012, Fulgora have released a two song 7" titled Risen/Artifice in March of 2013 and a second two song 7" titled Splinter/Crutch in October of 2013.  Stratagem is Fulgora's debut full length LP, which was released via Housecore records on March 23rd, 2015.  On Stratagem, Fulgora offer up seven tracks of savage hardcore, punk, and grindcore that's an absolute must listen for fans of Puig Destroyer, Nails, and Coalesce.  Overall, Stratagem is a killer LP and should not be missed.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!

Fulgora on Bandcamp
Fulgora on Facebook
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(SWE) This Gift Is A Curse-All Hail The Swinelord LP (2015)

Country: Sweden
Genre: Hardcore, Punk, Black Metal, Sludge, Grindcore
Label: Season Of Mist
Tracks: 8
Length: 49.0'


This Gift Is A Curse is a four piece band from Stockholm, Sweden who formed in early 2012.  This Gift Is A Curse play a chaotic and brutal sound of music that incorporates elements of hardcore, punk, black metal, sludge, and grindcore.  Musically, This Gift Is A Curse can be said to be influenced by bands such as Converge, Trap Them, Nails, Young And In The Way, Hexis, and Thou.  Since their inception in 2012, This Gift Is A Curse have released a nine song LP, I, The Guiltbearer in May of 2011, and a split 7" with Hexis in January of 2015.  All Hail The Swinelord is This Gift Is A Curse's second full-length, which is slated for release via Season Of Mist records on October 18th, 2015.  On All Hail The Swinelord, This Gift A Curse offer up eight relentlessly brutal tracks of hardcore, punk, black metal, sludge, and grindcore.  Overall, All Hail The Swinelord is an album that should not be missed.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!

This Gift Is A Curse on Bandcamp
This Gift Is A Curse on Facebook
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Purchase via Season Of Mist
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TUER - Ivresse & Enfer

GENRE: Grindcore, Crust, Punk
FFO: Pig Destroyer, Rotten Sound, Insect Warfare

The fairly new bulldozing grindcore machine TUER from Fribourg, Switzerland have just released their first recorded output “Ivresse & Enfer” on L’è Tütt Folklor Records, Grinding Rebellion Records and Junky Monkey. Hyper-blasting drums, razor-sharp guitars and bass and dual screaming attack (male + female)! That’s the magic formula to recreate a carpet of total grinding madness enriched by many crusty elements. These 9 songs from this 1-sided LP clock in at just under 12 minutes, and that's just about how long it's going to take for you to have your first seizure from this insanity. Get this now.

TUER on Bandcamp

TUER on Facebook

Purchase at L’è Tütt Folklor Records

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WOUNDVAC - Disgraced Convert

GENRE: Punk, Grind, Hardcore, Thrash
FFO: Coffin Birth, Six Brew Bantha, Teethgrinder

I'm assuming this Tempe, AZ band gets their name from the wound therapy technique called V.A.C., or Vacuum-Assisted Closure. It's treatment done by delivering negative pressure at the wound. It's an appropriate name because that's pretty much what this band will do to your ears and head. This new record is 7 songs of smothering, nonstop grind and thrash. But there are also some killer grooves and hooks living behind this wall of pain, and that keeps this whole thing interesting from start to finish. This new release has been a long time in the making, and it's definitely been worth it. Highly recommended!

(Band Submission)

WOUNDVAC on Bandcamp

WOUNDVAC on Facebook

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Self Titled EP (2014)

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(U.S.) Kowloon Walled City-Grievances LP (2015)

Country: USA
Genre: Post Hardcore, Punk, Sludge, Noise Rock
Label: Neurot Recordings
Tracks: 7
Length: 37.0'

Kowloon Walled City is a four piece band from San Francisco, CA who formed in 2008.  Kowloon Walled City play an amazing style of music that incorporates elements of post hardcore, punk, sludge, and noise rock within their sound.  Since their inception in 2008, Kowloon Walled City have released a five song EP titled Turk Street in September of 2008, an eight song LP titled Gambling On The Richter Scale in September of 2009, a three-way split LP with Ladder Devils and Fight Amp in September of 2010, a full length LP titled Container Ships in December of 2012, a split 7" with Thou in 2013, and a split 7" with Batillus in 2014.  Grievances is the band's latest full-length LP, which was released via Neurot recordings on October 9th, 2015.  On Grievances, Kowloon Walled City offer up seven new tracks of sludgy and noise damaged post hardcore.  Overall, Grievances is an amazing album and will most likely be my favorite album of the year.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!

Kowloon Walled City on Bandcamp
Kowloon Walled City on Facebook
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(U.S.) Pigs-Wronger LP

Country: USA
Genre: Hardcore, Punk, Sludge, Noise Rock
Label: Solar Flare Records
Tracks: 11
Length: 40.0'

Pigs is a thre piece band from Brooklyn NY who formed in 2008.  Pigs features members of Unsane, Converge, Cave In, Keelhaul, Made Out of Babies, Player's Club, Freshkills, and Hell No.  Pigs play a killer style of music that incorporates elements of hardcore, punk, sludge, and noise rock within their sound.  Musically, Pigs can be said to be influenced by bands such as Big Black, Shellac, The Melvins, Helmet, Unsane, and other like-minded bands.  Wronger is the band's latest full-length LP, which was released via Solar Flare records on October 2nd, 2015.  On Wronger, Pigs offer up eleven tracks of killer hardcore, punk, sludge, and noise rock.  Overall, Wronger is a killer LP and should not be missed.  Highly recommended!  Enjoy!

Solar Flare Records on Bandcamp
Pigs on Facebook
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