Deathwank/Wheelchair Wheelchair Wheelchair Wheelchair - Your Scene Means Fuck All

Deathwank/Wheelchair Wheelchair Wheelchair Wheelchair
Your Scene Means Fuck All

Deathwank emerged from the grind cesspool last year as Scotland's answer to Anal Cunt. Their songs were so ridiculously titled you couldn't help but thinking they were perhaps aping them a little too closely, especially given that their songs struggled to even reach 30 seconds a time. Here, they play the title track, their only track, at precisely six minutes. It's here they prove they can be more than pure imitators. It could well be the case that this is several songs rolled into one track, given the high number of time changes, stick clicks and paces on show, all nailed in one take. Whatever, its fucking genius. It's insane. It's sounds like the bloated offspring of Melt Banana and The Afternoon Gentlemen, getting bounced from wall to wall, with only the briefest of respites before getting submerged back into its torture cell with no true means of escape. Put simply, this is one of the grind highlights of the year so far.

Conversely, Wheelchair Wheelchair Wheelchair Wheelchair contribute tracks, and in comparison to last year'a fantastic 'Contraception', is altogether more concerned with brevity than concept. This despite an intro and outro track, both sounding suspiciously like a TV theme tune in structure  bookending their side of the split. It's rampant and chaotic, only truly letting up with a truly phlegm-wretching snarl during 'A Film That No One Ever Watches', the only post-minute track they post.

It's two very different approaches to grind, though the end product is still the same. If it were a boxing match, I'd perhaps hand it to Deathwank on this occasion, simply for breaking out of their micro-shackles in favour of a singular take rollercoaster of insanity. Still, 'Your Scene Means Fuck All' is ridiculously great stuff all the way through, and has left me greatly anticipating each band's next move, particularly the new Wheelchair x4 album, which promises a sexual concept. Nice.

Peter Clegg

Download Deathwank's side here
Download Wheelchair Wheelchair Wheelchair Wheelchair's side here

Stream each side of 'Your Scene Means Fuck All' below:





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Cannibal Corpse - Torture

Cannibal Corpse

Torture

Metal Blade

Let's get one thing straight before we continue here; one given with 'Torture' is that there's no real surprises to be expected. Everybody knows what Cannibal Corpse brings to the table, and that's brutality, riffs, blastbeats and buckets and buckets of gore. That they're still doing this on their twelfth studio album and still remain at the top of the death metal is testament to their merciless delivery time and time again.

'Torture' quite up there with recent albums 'Kill' and 'Evisceration Plague', but those two albums were mercilessly brilliant and that doesn't mean 'Torture' is a slouch in comparison. Far from it. There is an ever so subtle shift in dynamic without dramatically cutting at what Cannibal Corpse do. There's more than one occasion where they're almost in groove territory, which, if you've not heard the new album yet, is not something to be alarmed by – the riffs are still ultra heavy and George 'Corpsegrinder' Fisher delivers his guttural vocals in much the same fashion too. There's also some sterling bass work by Alex Webster on here, the highlight being a ripping bass solo during 'The Strangulation Chair'. 

Cannibal Corpse - Encased in Concrete (official video)

To sum it up with various tracks is futile because Cannibal Corpse is Cannibal Corpse. But once again, Erik Rutan's has turned out a sterling production job and captured Corpse's bloodthirst on record supremely well again. One or two outlets have proclaimed this album as a career best although, once again, I would still take 'Kill' from their recent output, but even if you've heard everything they've had to offer before, this is still a worthy pick up, and you're one of the few people on this planet to have never heard Cannibal Corpse (where have you been?), now is as good a time to start as any.

Peter Clegg

Buy 'Torture' here

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Last.fm

Dope Body - Natural History

Dope Body

Natural History

Drag City

The term 'punk' is more loosely defined than ever. Once a defiant statement of rebellion, its label has been applied to some many undeserving things that the lines of what is punk and isn't punk are more blurred than ever before. Evolution is a welcome thing but the watering down of punk's description certainly hasn't been. These days, unless you really sound and look the part and chime in with an acidic bark and a sheer defiance of authority, the next best attributable thing is probably to acts which exudes a hint of apathy and a smattering of could-care-less what you think attitude blended with a penchant for excess. That's perhaps how I could at least best sum up Baltimore's Dope Body, a quartet whose 'Natural History' is perhaps one of the finest dangerous, reckless and indeed careless statements of arguable punk today.

Trippy Wicked & The Cosmic Children of the Knight - Going Home

Trippy Wicked & The Cosmic Children of the Knight

Going Home

Superhot

Despite my burgeoning interest in what the UK underground has to offer, which was sparked by the creation of We Must Obey, it has taken me until now to check out the fantastically monikered Trippy Wicked & The Cosmic Children of the Knight. Only earlier this year they released an acoustic performance of Eyehategod's 'Dixie Whiskey', played on a ukulele and with a melody the song had never seen before. It was genius. Therefore when notified of the release of their new album 'Going Home', I was on it in a flash.

Graf Orlock - Los Angeles

Graf Orlock

Los Angeles

Vitriol

Having run the gambit on forging together classic action movies together with hardcore and grindcore noise, Graf Orlock can rightfully claim to be the undisputed kings of 'cinemagrind'. Some might have thought they might have run out of good samples to use following 'Doombox' and the 'Destination Time', but Graf seem to keep unearthing them. And where better to turn to than 1995 action classic Heat for four tracks of surging violence that reminds us why Graf Orlock are one of the most exciting extreme bands of our ilk.

Hesper Payne - The Strange Tale of Samuel Gonzalez

Hesper Payne

The Strange Tale of Samuel Gonzalez

Works of Ein

This release missed my roving ear by some distance – 'The Strange Tale of Samuel Gonzalez' was released by Newcastle-Upon-Tyne's Hesper Payne right at the beginning of the year, and it wasn't until towards the end of last month, following some slightly earlier but nonetheless late buzz on another metal site that I chanced upon this band. I'm glad that I did, because Hesper Payne are another well kept secret that the U.K. north has churned out in recent years.

16 - Deep Cuts from Dark Clouds

16

Deep Cuts from Dark Clouds

Relapse

Having put themselves back in the sludge picture with their Relapse debut 'Bridges to Burn', 16 are back with ten more tracks of sonic bleakness, where once again positivity is properly shut out and only heavy misery remains, and vocalist Cris Jerue spitting out lyrical woes over various chug sludge riffs. They haven't evolved much over time, even up to now, and simply don't feel the need to. They convey their message very effectively indeed.

Bong - Mana-Yood-Sushai

Bong

Mana-Yood-Sushai

Ritual

Murmurs in the Bong camp have been quiet since Newcastle-upon-Tyne's heaviest four-piece dropped 'Beyond Ancient Space' upon us all last year, a record so earth shattering and mesmerising even in a sober state was I able to be taken away by the hum and the drone of the band's heavy brew. A few live shows aside, there's not been much to see or discuss about their activity since. That's probably just how they lie. No worries though, as their previous discography shows a prolific release record that has just been added to with new album 'Mana-Yood-Sushai'.

Ufomammut - Oro: Opus Primum

Ufomammut

Oro: Opus Primum

Neurot

Ufomammut's sound defies any natural explanation of doom. Intrinsically the core elements are there, the body hammer riffs, the booming drums, the thick sludgy grooves. The ethereal vocals, the spacey effects and the mystery with the band serve to convolute matters. Not that's it's a bad thing – everyone loves a bit of mystery. And then there's their lofty ambition to stand out from the rest of the pack. Be this their collaboration with Malleus to provide their stunning visuals or the concepts they employ, and you can see why Steve Von Till was keen to make them an addition to the Neurot family. Following on from the success of 'Eve', Ufomammut's next step is to unleash a two-part opus entitled 'Oro'. The first of those parts 'Opus Primum', has dropped like a proverbial atom bomb, and even the highest of expectations for the new relationship between Neurot and Ufomammut have been blown away thus far.

Beastwars - Beastwars

Beastwars

Beastwars

Destroy/Witch Hunter

Some of the best new bands are the ones that go largely quietly unnoticed. That's the feeling I get with Beastwars, who were previously unknown to this country prior to being picked up by Witch Hunter Records, who are handling distribution of this album in the UK. That said, they received much critical acclaim back in their homeland for their debut album, and it was only a matter of time before the wider world got word of Beastwars.

Torche - Harmonicraft

Torche

Harmonicraft

Volcom

It feels like ages since we had a proper Torche release. That is, if you discount the quicker than a hiccup release 'Songs for Singles' in 2010. 'Meanderthal' would have been an appropriate mantra for the band following the release of that album, with the following full length held up by line-up changes, singer/guitarist Steve Brooks getting back together with old band Floor, and a split with Part Chimp last year that featured not one but three Guided by Voices covers. Good things come to those who wait, however, and 'Harmonicraft' is by and large the follow-up we all hoped for.

XII Boar - Split Tongue, Cloven Hoof

XII Boar

Split Tongue, Cloven Hoof

Self-released

Last year we reviewed Hampshire sludge rockers XII Boar and identified a band with work to do, but with plenty of potential. Now they're back with 'Split Tongue, Cloven Hoof', another four tracks of raw power that signify a huge step up from the band.

Pelican - Ataraxia/Taraxis

Pelican

Ataraxia/Taraxis

Southern Lord

Returning with their first new material since 2009, Chicago's Pelican deliver unto us yet another EP – they do love 'em – with 'Ataraxia/Taraxis', their third release for Southern Lord. It's free of the distractions that were brought with 'What We All Come to Need', namely the numerous guest appearances and the presence of a vocalist (The Life and Times/Shiner's Allen Epley) on 'Final Breath' that became such a talking point for a band which, musically, has become more introspective of late. The new EP is a return to basics for the band, focusing squarely on the efforts of its four members, although there's absolutely no surprises from Pelican on this release, and truth be told, there rarely is, although their influences have seemingly shifted over the years.

Melvins - The Bulls and the Bees

Melvins

The Bulls & The Bees

Scion A/V

The Melvins feel to have been around an eternity, yet show no signs of letting up their prolificacy. Indeed, 2012 is setting up to be an even busier year for them, with the forthcoming release of the 'Melvins Lite' album 'Freak Puke' almost upon us, following hot off the heels of the Scion A/V-backed EP 'The Bulls and The Bees', once again comprising the quartet of Buzz Osborne, Dale Crover and the Big Business rhythm section of Jared Warren and Coady Willis. Now in the 29^th year as a band in one shape or another, the Melvins are still bang on form and firing on all cylinders, even if 'The Bulls and The Bees' isn't quite classic material, although still far better than anything you can do.

Black Breath - Sentenced to Life

Black Breath

Sentenced to Life

Southern Lord

Seattle's hardcore thrashers Black Breath have whipped up such a frenzy in the last two or three years after unleashing 'Razor to Oblivion' and debut album 'Heavy Breathing', while touring the blue hell out of both of them. Such is the fervour generated in this short space of time has inevitably led to 'Sentenced to Life' becoming one of 2012's most anticipated albums, but at the same time it's anticipation that should be tempered with caution. No doubt there are still a few people sniping with the 'Entombed-lite' tag, not just at Black Breath, but at the entire hardcore/d-beat movement that has recently been forged with huge backing, particularly from Southern Lord. And the surprise that Black Breath caught people with on 'Heavy Breathing' is no longer that. I hate to refer to that 'difficult second album' cliché, but it's true.

High on Fire - De Vermis Mysteriis

High on Fire
De Vermis Mysteriis
E1 Music

Despite seemingly continuous revelry, it feels as though in some quarters, High on Fire have yet to please all the purists, despite increasing acclaim for their work. Some would argue 'Snakes for the Divine' was lacking High on Fire's true raw power, beckoning for another 'Blessed Black Wings'. Others, myself included, would argue High on Fire don't need another one of those albums, or indeed another 'Surrounded by Thieves'. They seem to gamely go about their task with the requisite menace and intensity without any need to shift their approach for an audience which widens a little more with each release. Nevertheless, there will always be a few who can never be fully satisfied.

Overkill - The Electric Age

Overkill

The Electric Age

Nuclear Blast

Within many walks of life, age is seen as a potential barrier to any further progress or indeed success. Within music and indeed heavy metal, it couldn't be any more the opposite. Showing absolutely no signs of letting up even as they get well into their fifties, New Jersey thrashers Overkill have unleashed sixteenth album 'The Electric Age' to the masses, off the back of the incredibly well-received and thoroughly awesome 'Ironbound', which no question was a huge shot in the arm for the band which arrived just as the thrash revival began to run out of steam. 

Gripe/Diseksa - Indefinite Detention

Gripe/Diseksa

Indefinite Detention
Tombs In The Valley/Opaques

Regular readers to this site ought to be aware of Gripe by now, the Athens, Georgia, US grind/hardcore punk crew whose first two releases were reviewed by the site. Having originally been a three-piece, it now appears they've added a bassist to their ranks as their sound certainly has a slightly groovier dimension, and they continue their good form shown on 'Pig Servant' with six new tracks of slamming punctuating politically-charged ferocity, and five from their split partners for this release, Malaysian grinders Diseksa.

Sloth Herder - Sluggard EP

Sloth Herder
Sluggard EP

The famous connection Sloth Herder have to modern day heavy music is that Jucifer's Edgar Livengood counts one of Sloth Herder as a cousin. The similarity between them ends there. Sloth Herder's debut displays four tracks of knee deep in the mud grindcore. All tracks hit around the two minute mark, so they're allowed time to breathe before violently fuzzing out. The low quality production gives it a blackened edge but it stays entrenched in grind territory, dipping a toe in sludgier waters on occasion.

I don't know if there's enough yet to set Sloth Herder apart of the zillions of grindcore bands stepping up for a crack, but 'Sluggard' is a reasonable first release. It's available for free via the band's Bandcamp page, so there ain't no reason for you not to give them a fair crack. Stream or download it after the jump:

Peter Clegg

Every Time I Die - Ex Lives

Every Time I Die

Ex Lives

Epitaph

By now, the law of averages says that Every Time I Die ought to have a bad album by now. With each album comes a further upward swing in a seemingly endless trajectory skywards, and the amount of awesomeness their previous releases have brought coupled with their fans rabid enthusiasm and indeed, expectation, you could argue there might be one or two expecting ETID to hit a snag somewhere. Yet within moments of Keith Buckley yelling 'I want to be dead with my friends!' in the opening to 'Underwater Bimbos from Outer Space', its business as usual, setting the tone for 'Ex Lives' to become the best album of ETID's career to date.

I could easily leave it there having pretty much summed up that you need this album right now. But that wouldn't do the album's many highlights any justice. Keith Buckley's trademark wit is still rife: 'I refuse to be the only man/put to rest in a mass grave' ('Underwater'…) is one such delight from many and his voice lends itself to many other the album's catchy moments, of which I'm sure you'll be able to pick out.

Every Time I Die - Revival Mode (official video)

'Ex Lives' displays a huge range of ETID's influences old and new merging themselves to blistering effect. 'Holy Book of Dilemma' ups the speed and intensity, one of the heaviest songs on the record. The rockabilly beginnings to 'Partying is Such Sweet Sorrow' offer a brief respite but by and large this is perhaps the heaviest ETID record yet – Keith Buckley's howl at times conjures pure hell, evidenced by a blistering roar of 'I have declared a war' on 'Drag King'. For all its intensity, at times 'Ex Lives' does change the pace, and while fairly melodic in contrast to the majority of the record, the darkness of 'Revival Mode', with its catchy refrain of 'Thanks Lord/but I don't need any more/poor advice', is one of the record's stand-out tracks, while 'Indian Giver' even sees the band steering into Melvins territory with a hypnotic psych-tinged sludge riff.

It's still the same Every Time I Die we know and love six albums in, fourteen years down the line. Arguably their defining album, they're still loaded with swagger and packed with more answers than any questions that could be asked of them at this stage of their career, whilst making one unholy din. 'Ex Lives' is, to repeat, ETID's most accomplished album to date, still managing to stay one step ahead of everyone else when it comes to merging heavy-ass grooves and punk rock intensity with a bloody good time.

Peter Clegg

Buy 'Ex Lives' here

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