REVIEW: KEN mode - ENTRENCH

 

 

I was already excited to review this album, but after reading Patrick Lyons’ article about “hipster metal” I had to step in and make this post a priority today. The article examines the shrinking gap between indie rock and heavy metal and how this has resulted in numerous bands who may be shunned by the metal community for their questionable influences. The point of the piece is somewhat difficult to identify, as it reads like a meandering endorsement of KEN mode’s newest album, Entrench, while playing devil’s advocate, suggesting that “true” metal fans are weary of an “indie-friendly sound.” If snarky Brooklynites are tickled silly by abrasive, jagged, brain-bruising heaviness, then yes, this is “indie-friendly.”

According to the social scientists over at Reader’s Digest, Canada is the third most polite country in the world. KEN mode’s music is one of the chief reasons Canada didn’t land the top spot. If there was ever a soundtrack for a post-traumatic stress breakdown followed by a multi-territory baseball bat rampage this is it. KEN mode has been a model of intense consistency and this album still achieves an even more dynamic and barbed sound than previous releases.

From the opening, quivering strings of “Counter Culture Complex” there’s an uneasy, unhinged quality to this collection of songs that immediately engages the listener. “No; I’m In Control” delivers Entrench’s most lethal breakdown, threatening to smash the album itself under the weight of it’s own power. At its most ferocious the album compares favorably to pre-Relapse Dillinger Escape Plan; the songs twist just enough that you can’t fully identify what sort of animal is ripping you apart, but it’s working on its third limb. Other highlights include “The Promises of God” and “Why Don’t You Just Quit,” which both snarl and stare you down with a glare that could gouge eyes.

There are also moments of restrained anger on this album, from the slimy, Deadguy-esque crawl of “The Terror Pulse,” to the whispered electro-goth charm of “Romeo Must Never Know.” KEN mode also weave unexpected sounds into these songs (like the subtle MicroKorg hum leading into “Figure Your Life Out” and splashes of shoegaze) to build inspiring moments of contrast, which is the whole reason the album closer “Monomyth” works. The bleak, elegiac string arrangement feels like it’s tucking the album into its coffin and kissing it goodnight. it’s a surprisingly gentle conclusion to such a punishing album, and it also allows me to consider the word “monomyth” while feeling like an accomplished English minor with my Joyce VS. Campbell deconstruction of the word’s purpose. Wait, did name-dropping James Joyce just make me a hipster?

I’ve never understood the need to separate metal fans into different factions or bands into a million sub-genres. If there are talented people playing heavy music (as the Matthewson brothers and Andrew LaCour are doing so well in KEN mode) then I won’t hold it against them if a few skinny-jeaned Williamsburg residents watch with folded arms at one of their shows. The fan base does not define the band, and a small sample of the fan base especially does not. This is vicious, complex music that transcends post-(insert genre here) classification and kills everything, now.

Listen to the album to form your own opinion and purchase it here:  http://kenmode.bandcamp.com/album/entrench

(Their whole discography is available on Bandcamp. Say goodbye to your afternoon.)

Or head over to Season of Mist, their stellar record label, and check out tour dates and merch:  http://www.season-of-mist.com/bands/ken-mode

And check out their official website over at:  http://www.ken-mode.com/

REVIEW: OLDE GROWTH - OWL EP

After the unfortunate “ancient goiter” imagery Olde Growth’s name immediately installed in my head (I just pictured a bearded, yellow-toothed bulge protruding from a wizard’s neck), listening to their new EP (nicknamed the Owl EP) is one of the most pleasant listening experiences I’ve had in some time. Olde Growth plays traditional doom with untraditional energy, blasting out catchy, sludgy hooks as a miraculously thick bass-and-drum team that craft songs five piece bands dream of weaving. As a band deeply inspired by the “awe inspiring relics of the natural world,” their sound is as diverse as the weather of each New England season, heavier than a Redwood, and darker than the same tree’s shadow at midnight. If you ever listened to Witchfinder General and thought to yourself, “This is totally decent but could use occasional throaty screams and enough bass to inspire seismic faults” then this album is waiting to be your favorite release of the year.

Every band living somewhere in Doomlandia lives or dies by its riffs. With the Owl EP and  their self-titled LP both as evidence, Olde Growth sits at the top of the riff food chain, preying on the weaker bands who equate anything slow and loud to successful doom. From the opening minute of “Brother of the Moon” Stephen LoVerme has pushed aside all doubt that this band is anything but totally dedicated to writing songs, not just whatever barely disguised Pentagram B-sides they could scream over and release as their own. These songs dip and swell like an angry tide, they blossom in the sun and grow thorns unexpectedly. There is a lush, organic feeling to these songs that occasionally distract you from how god damn heavy it all is. Amidst the dominant bass and fantastic drumming interplay (performed with exceptional wild energy by Ryan Berry) it’s actually LoVerme’s vocals that give this music incredible texture and appeal. “Tears of Blood” is the best example of his skill, where he delivers soulful  hooks that escalate the heavy drive of the bass into pop territory before accompanying the gruff, somber chords of splintered doom spanning the song’s final minute with tortured screams of terrifying conviction.

Speaking of “Tears of Blood,” this is the type of song that recruits listeners to give heavy music a real chance. Powerful, melodic, expertly played and sung, all without sacrificing aggression. The song is intense and haunting, memorable from the slamming bass to the smooth croon to the raw, sludgy conclusion. It’s rare to find a heavy band that can so easily connect with listeners outside the ranks of existing metal fans while remaining “true” to the ears of the most seasoned doom veterans.

Boston may not be the first place you think of when you picture natural wonders but after listening to Olde Growth I’d be convinced that through their jamming space window they see waterfalls taller than skyscrapers, clouds clinging low to fields of twenty-foot tall corn stalks, and woodland so thick the only way to cross the forest is to climb branch to branch. Kyuss may have perfected psychedelic doom perfect for the desert and all its creatures, but Olde Growth are playing doom speaking for and to the trees and mountains. From the pummel and roar of “Warrior Child” to the ominous crunch of “Edge of the Sea,” Olde Growth cultivate blue ribbon winning riffs so large they out-weigh any other riff you may see at the county fair.

One of my favorite Monty Python sketches involves a married couple discussing the differences between “woody” and “tinny” words. The idea is that the pronunciation determines the substance a word would be made of. Everyone in the scene agrees that woody words are superior. Now, with Olde Growth as one of the very best examples, we can see the superiority of woody metal as well. Venture through whatever forest is between you and this EP and listen to it obsessively as the seasons change faces and the trees extend further into the sky, you’ll never feel closer to the earth, or heavy metal.

Listen to Olde Growth here for FREE, with links to their website and Facebook pages:  http://oldegrowth.bandcamp.com/

And order their debut LP through Hydro-Phonic Records, who will also be handling the vinyl release of this amazing EP, here:  http://www.hydro-phonicrecords.com/releases.html

ART: HOWL PATCH UPGRADE

I was recently able to catch Howl on tour and watch them play with Pilgrim and Samothrace over at Saint Vitus in Brooklyn and they absolutely owned the night, playing some favorites from Full of Hell while also sharing cuts from the upcoming album, Bloodlines. I’m eagerly awaiting the album’s North American release on April 30th and expect to review it here with all the passion of Nosferatu finally touching a sleeping lady’s boob. Not that I’m pro-sleep molestation, but that dude put in his lonely castle-dwelling time. There's a link to some early information on it so you can geek out at the beautiful album art and anticipate this record as rabidly as I am.

Anyway, at the show I spotted Howl patches at the merch table and decided that my vest was in need of an upgrade. I’m usually a passionate advocate for the DIY aesthetic but I think this is one helluva good upgrade:

My homemade patch, which was just Sharpie marker and some cheap-ass red pen that miserable middle school teachers use to crush dreams on student essays:

They’re currently slaying at SXSW. Follow the links below to some goodies and support this awesome band, even if it’s just with a $4 patch.

Find info on Howl and Bloodlines here:  http://www.relapse.com/label/howl.html

And pre-order the album while listening to their amazing discography over at Bandcamp:  http://howl.bandcamp.com/

REVIEW: BEHOLD! THE MONOLITH - DEFENDER, REDEEMIST

Behold! The Monolith’s self-titled debut boasts one of my favorite album covers: A strangely cuddly axe-wielding warrior creature, equal thirds silverback Gorilla/Sasquatch/Wookie, triumphantly rides an armored red-eyed war-stag, roaring his intent to shampoo his fur with the blood of his enemies. I have no idea what that creature is, but it means business and it’s totally bad ass. Behold! The Monolith’s music is similarly difficult to identify, but why even bother when it leaves such a fun, playful, and dynamic impression? 

Defender, Redeemist may not have a cuddly barbarian on the cover, but it does feature a knight-steered space griffin and possesses a sense of adventure that evades most doom-centric bands. Sure, there are long passages that grunt forward like a zombified snail, but there are also flashes of thrash, dusty southern rock licks, and splashes of blackened sound that texture the album start to finish. “Halv King” pummels with a Motorhead-by-way-of-prehistoric hardcore sneer and album highlight “We Are the Worm” finds the mysterious middle-ground between High on Fire and ZZ Top and dances in that neutral territory with half of an opponent’s bleached skull fastened as a jock strap. After some way-groovy, spaced-out ambience “Redeemist” launches into a doom jam that just starts to overstay its welcome when the trio stomps into new territory with bluesy swagger, their beards most definitely swinging to the tasty metal licks before some haunting clean finger-picking and fuzzed out vocals lead you down yet another twisted, hidden path. It’s an ambitious, tenacious song that captures Behold! The Monolith’s essence in one burly, schizophrenic track.

The album ends without the same success, with three straight tracks that seem to linger without momentum. “Cast On The Black​/​Lamentor​/​Guided By The Southern Cross” follows the same basic structure as “Redeemist” but adds three minutes of running time that feel unwarranted. Despite a fantastic, melancholy riff and accompanying solo to end the track the song soon fades into silence and I’m left searching unsuccessfully for what happened in the first ten minutes. “Bull Colossi” also lurches forward without much passion, capping off a truly promising album with three straight songs I’m unwilling to dedicate nearly half an hour to again. Kevin McDade’s vocals suggest his throat has been shredded from a lifetime of eating porcupine quills and wolverine teeth. They are tough, raw, and the exact ballsy tone to complement their sound, from sludgy romps to trigger-happy bursts of speed. I am usually a bass freak who would sneak to a sound board and crank it past deafening, but the bass here  absolutely dwarfs the guitar until the six-string chimes in with a clean tone.

Despite my less-than-lukewarm take on Defender, Redeemist’s second half I still think it’s worth a listen, especially for fans of slow-born doom that feel like the world needs more song titles like “The Battle for Balls Deep.” At its heart this is feisty, loud rock music that chews on a good riff  longer than its last bite of chaw, just with a serious volume addiction and a vocalist that could make an entire field of caribou suffer heart arrest from a single roar. This Los Angeles band is worth your attention, let me make that clear. You may listen to the last three songs and admire the solid foundation of doom and feel there’s enough experimentation to keep your interest, I just felt a drop in energy, which to me is a cardinal sin when the track has a killer name like “Witch Hunt Supreme.” Nothing energizes me like the slaughter of innocent women over religiously-motivated false pretenses, and that’s probably why I started this blog to begin with.

The band has impressively sold out all CDs but stream their music here:  http://beholdthemonolith.bandcamp.com/

And check out their website:  http://www.beholdthemonolith.com

INTERVIEW: THE GREAT KAT

After last week’s review of The Great Kat’s most recent album, Beethoven Shreds, the grand goddess of Classical/Shred agreed to be the subject of Mister Growl’s very first interview. It contains everything that made her a metal icon: Blood, Beethoven, an army of CAPITAL LETTERS, the absence of humility, and an undying crusade to SHRED. Read on, slaves:
                                                          

Mister Growl: For those ignorant of your Shred/Classical brilliance, how would you describe yourself and your sound?

The Great Kat: The Great Kat, Juilliard grad violin virtuoso, is single-handedly RESURRECTING Classical with Metal by bringing the COMPLEXITY, GENIUS VIRTUOSITY and TECHNICAL BRILLIANCE of BEETHOVEN to the WORLD with SHRED GUITAR, CLASSICAL VIOLIN, Metal Band and Symphonic Orchestra!! ALL Edited, Re-Orchestrated and brilliantly FUSED into one genius CREATION by The Great Kat -- the ONLY DOUBLE VIRTUOSO-Guitar AND Violin- in HISTORY Since Niccolo Paganini!!

Mister Growl: Could you describe your song-writing process?

The Great Kat: I take note-for-note authentic Classical Music scores (from Vivaldi, Beethoven, Bach, Wagner, Liszt, Paganini, Sarasate, Bazzini, Rossini and more) and edit, arrange, and orchestrate the entire scores with Shred Guitar virtuosity and mix it with Speed Metal and Classical orchestra.  The Great Kat’s music is known worldwide for its phenomenal speeds, complicated Classical motives, counterpoint layering, guitar riffs, maniacal screams, heavy rhythms and thrashing sounds.

Mister Growl: Is there one performance that stands out from the rest during your career?

The Great Kat: The Great Kat performed at CARNEGIE RECITAL HALL as a VIOLIN SOLOIST and WINNER of the ARTISTS INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION on VIOLIN and THEN SHREDDED GUITAR at the “EXPO OF THE EXTREME” in CHICAGO!!! FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER -- THAT’S WHY The Great Kat is GOD!!!!!!!!

Mister Growl: What guitar model and equipment do you currently play most often?

The Great Kat: The Great Kat plays NUMEROUS Shred Guitars (Guild Strat body, Burns “Scorpion”, etc.), amps, guitar processors, pedals and more!! Stay tuned for The Great Kat SIGNATURE SHRED GUITAR at http://www.greatkat.com !!!!!!!!!!!

Mister Growl: Did you consider any other monikers before selecting “The Great Kat?”

The Great Kat: I considered the moniker “GOD”!!!!!!!!!! Which do YOU like better????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mister Growl: If you could be buried with only a guitar or a violin which of the two instruments would you choose?

The Great Kat: BOW PEASANT to your IMMORTAL GODDESS OF ALL SHRED GUITAR AND CLASSICAL VIOLIN VIRTUOSITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Editor’s note: Never again try to even theoretically separate The Great Kat from one of her instruments. - MG)

Mister Growl: You’re a prolific promoter across all social media platforms. Do you personally update all accounts or have you enslaved a minion to perform those tasks?

The Great Kat: The Great Kat PERSONALLY INTERACTS with ALL KAT-POSSESSED SLAVES on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/greatkatguitarshredder,  Twitter at http://twitter.com/greatkatguitar, AND The Great Kat Web Site http://www.greatkat.com . NOW FOLLOW THE GREAT KAT AND BECOME a CERTIFIED SHRED/CLASSICAL GENIUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO to the KAT STORE and STOCK up on HOT KAT PHOTOS & KOOL KAT MERCH to GENIUSIZE yourselves and your friends http://greatkat.com/store/index.html

Mister Growl: It seems like you’re a proud New Yorker. What are your favorite elements of the city?

The Great Kat: WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NEW YORK CITY IS THE HYPERSPEED CAPITAL OF THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!! SPEED, BRILLIANCE, POWER, ENERGY, AGGRESSION and COMPETITIVENESS!!!! THE GREAT KAT IS GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mister Growl: What are some of your pet-peeves?

The Great Kat: IDIOTS, LETHARGIC, SLOW-MINDED, INFERIORS and LOW I.Q. LOSERS who DO NOT UNDERSTAND That THE GREAT KAT is SINGLE-HANDEDLY UPDATING CLASSICAL MUSIC for the MORONIC MASSES!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW GET OUT OF MY WAY, PEONS, and let me TAKE 500 YEARS of CLASSICAL MUSIC and GENIUSIZE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mister Growl: You use plenty of horror imagery on your albums and press material. Are there certain horror films or novels that made a strong impression on you?

The Great Kat: Horror - “The Shining.” Brutal - “Clockwork Orange.”

(Editor’s note: Wearing a “The Shining” shirt while working on the interview = immediate Great Kat cred points/hopefully makes up for earlier burial question. - MG)

Mister Growl: If you had a pet zombie what would you name him/her?

The Great Kat: “SLAVE ZOMBIE”!!!

Mister Growl: Are you considering any upcoming live performances?

The Great Kat: YOU need to WITNESS THE GREAT KAT GUITAR GODDESS SHRED the Guitar AND Violin to FULLY UNDERSTAND the UNBELIEVABLE brilliant SPEED and TECHNICALITY of YOUR MISTRESS OF SPEED!! The Great Kat MAY BLESS you INFERIORS with my SHRED GUITAR AND VIOLIN VIRTUOSITY LIVE—stay tuned to The Great Kat Web Site http://www.greatkat.com. In the meantime, go to YOUTUBE and WATCH the SHRED INSANITY at http://www.youtube.com/user/KthomasPR -- with OVER 1 MILLION YOUTUBE VIEWS!

(Editor's Note: I briefly pause the interview here to offer my thanks to The Great Kat for giving me absolutely every promotional link and piece of information necessary for fans to track down her work. It made my job way easier and introduced me to a few new pieces. Below is a list of videos and music so you too can “geniusize” yourself. There’s also a list of achievements and awards to close out the post so you can measure your own sad accomplishments against them. I had a third-place finish in my fourth grade spelling bee, that’s kinda cool, right? - MG)

Mister Growl: What projects are you currently working on, and do you have release dates selected?

The Great Kat:

1-UPCOMING NEW Great Kat INSANE SHRED DVD is COMING!! Stay tuned to The Great Kat Web Site for details! http://www.greatkat.com

2-ITUNES is NOW Premiering THE GREAT KAT’S NEW VIVALDI'S "THE FOUR SEASONS" MUSIC VIDEO!  Starring Antonio Vivaldi ("The Red Priest") and The Great Kat’s Guitar Shredding & Violin Virtuosity! Preview & Download at https://itunes.apple.com/us/music-video/vivaldis-the-four-seasons/id573040803
VIVALDI'S "THE FOUR SEASONS" is ALSO On YOUTUBE at  http://youtu.be/R_hn7HKHbDs

3-The NEW Music Video for The Great Kat’s ROSSINI’S “WILLIAM TELL OVERTURE” is COMING SOON (better known as “The Lone Ranger” theme music) !!!! Stay tuned!!!

4- The Great Kat’s new “BEETHOVEN SHREDS” CD is out now with The Great Kat shredding Beethoven, Bach, Paganini, Rimsky-Korsakov and revolutionizing BOTH Classical and Metal on this multi-layered, contrapuntal Shred/Classical groundbreaking CD.  Check out music clips from “BEETHOVEN SHREDS” at http://www.greatkat.com/beethovenshreds/beethovenshreds.html
“Beethoven Shreds” CD Features:
·        “The Flight of The Bumble-Bee” (Great Kat’s Mind-Blowing Guitar/Violin Shredding at 300 BPM!) http://www.greatkat.com/bumblebee1NEW.mp3
·         Beethoven’s “5th Symphony” for Symphony Orchestra & Band http://www.greatkat.com/beethovens5thsymphony.mp3
·         Paganini’s “Caprice #24” (virtuoso showpiece features Great Kat’s technical guitar/violin mastery) http://www.greatkat.com/paganinicaprice24NEW.mp3
·         Bach's “Brandenburg Concerto #3” (Great Kat Shreds on 6 Guitars and 3 Violins!) http://www.greatkat.com/bachsbrandenburgconcerto3.mp3
·         Much More Shred Guitar Virtuosity!

5- ITUNES PREMIERES THE GREAT KAT’S "WAR", "ZAPATEADO", "TORTURE CHAMBER", "LIVE IN CHICAGO" & "CASTRATION" MUSIC VIDEOS from "EXTREME GUITAR SHRED" DVD!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/music-video/war/id585230085
https://itunes.apple.com/us/music-video/zapateado/id585630184
https://itunes.apple.com/us/music-video/torture-chamber/id585229972
https://itunes.apple.com/us/music-video/live-in-chicago/id585230084
https://itunes.apple.com/us/music-video/castration/id581329246

THE GREAT KAT IS GOD!!! SHRED ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Great Kat Web Site: http://www.greatkat.com
GREAT KAT SONGS on iTUNES: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/great-kat/id384709526    
GREAT KAT VIDEOS on iTUNES: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-great-kat/id368743108  
GREAT KAT on FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/greatkatguitarshredder   
GREAT KAT on TWITTER at http://twitter.com/greatkatguitar    
GREAT KAT on YOUTUBE http://www.youtube.com/user/KthomasPR    
YOUTUBE'S "GREAT KAT" CHANNEL at http://www.youtube.com/channel/HCuJG9jO1nSCE/featured   
Kat Store : http://greatkat.com/store/index.html
And a list of the Great Kat's accomplishments:

-Juilliard Graduate Violin Virtuoso
-Concertmaster of the Juilliard Pre-College Orchestra
-Winner of the Artists International Competition on Violin
-Carnegie Recital Hall Debut on Solo Violin
-"Top 10 Fastest Shredders Of All Time" - Guitar One Magazine
-"20 Of The Fastest Guitarists In The World Today" - MusicRadar.com
-"50 Fastest Guitarists Of All Time" - Guitar World Magazine
-"The 100 Wildest Guitar Heroes" - Classic Rock Magazine
-"Top 8 Female Electric Guitarists Of All Time" - NME
-"Top-10 Fastest Guitarists Of All Time" - Guitar World Magazine's Readers' Poll
-"12 Greatest Female Electric Guitarists" - Elle Magazine
-"8 Of The World's Fastest Shredders" - Gibson Lifestyle
-"20 Extraordinary Female Guitarists" - Guitar Player Magazine's "Guts & Glitter"
-Honored with a STAR in the "Guitar Hero Galaxy" - Spin Magazine:

REVIEW: ANCIENT SHORES / CYNARAE - SPLIT

A389 Recordings, the label out of Baltimore, has gift-wrapped another lethal offering that should have hazard warnings attached. Eventually A389 LPs will require waivers to be signed, because they release some serious spine-snapping material. Every fan of heavy music owes it to themselves to study the A389 roster and salivate over the talent. This split album featuring Ancient Shores and Cynarae is a great representation of the A389 approach to music making: Songs you break faces to.

When I first heard the band name Ancient Shores, especially matched with the album’s artwork, I was prepared for blackened music that would accompany fog rolling off a black ocean onto the majestic banks of a snowy Norwegian beach. But these shores aren’t majestic, they’re littered with shattered whiskey bottles, discarded switchblades, and the splintered bones of rats caught in food processors. Ancient Shores, a downright dangerous crew from Morgantown, WV, fuse crust, sludge, doom, and heavy slabs of hardcore with punk rock energy that spits on your attempt to classify by genre They share strands of the same DNA as The Secret and the Dazzling Killmen, bands that demand to be separated by how much viciousness they pack into a track as opposed to some forum-created sub-genre. Album opener “SSDD” laces hardcore punk with classic rock licks to create perfect driving music for road-rage enthusiasts. The melancholy, slouched melodies of “The Omen” throws off its sheep disguise and reveals a predatory d-beat wolf beneath. From the dissonant, harrowing doom of “Not on the Ground” to the metallic burst closing “Destroyer,” this is abrasive, mean-spirited music proud of its scarred, ugly mug. Ancient Shores carve their initials into this album with a rusted scalpel deeply enough that the impression is guaranteed to last.

Cynarae rampage through the second half of the album with a murkier, meatier production that reminds me of a meaner, snaggle-toothed cousin of Skitsystem, Earth Crisis, and early-Napalm Death. This nasty Seattle band plays songs that feel like they escaped their cages, running free at last and hungry for whatever bleeds and breathes. They seem unconcerned with polish, relying on ferocious, reckless energy that greatly hints at the mayhem that must occur when these miscreants take a stage. I’ve never seen them perform but I’m going to guess right now that concussions in their pits are not rare and Roger Goodell will approach them about helmet regulations. “An Elegy” is the type of song a band dreams of closing an album on. It thrashes and bangs heads with a massive, confident mid-song riff before leading into the following track “Harbinger,” a grinding assault that pounds skulls into dust and skulldust into nothingness. Unfortunately the album ends on “Attrition,” which just didn’t have the same craft or energy to keep my interest and just faded into memory. Still, there’s plenty of raw promise to convince me that Cynarae is an uncaged animal you need to keep track of, if only to make sure they don’t eviscerate you in the wild.

I strongly encourage you, dear, deranged reader, to check out A389 if you are not familiar with their venomous releases. I’ve read an alarming number of reviews of split albums that pit the bands against each other like it’s some sort of death match. What’s really important is that these bands would share the same bill, they both have blood on their knuckles, and they are perfectly willing to knock your ear drums the fuck out. Bottom line: They are intense bands that know how to inspire a frenzy and are well worth your time. Leave “picking favorites” to those creeps on The Bachelor, this is extreme music and all true ambassadors are welcome.

Listen to the split album here:  http://a389recordings.bandcamp.com/album/a389-121-ancient-shores-cynarae-split-12

You can track down Ancient Shores over on Facebook here:  https://www.facebook.com/ancientshores

And learn the pronunciation of Cynarae here:  https://www.facebook.com/cynaraekittenmachine

And don’t forget to check out 389 Recordings for all their sinister releases:  http://www.a389records.com/site/