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Defeatist know what makes good grind: ripping at Siege or Repulsion-like velocities. Their debut full-length (Willowtip, 2009) compiles all of their 7″s. Thank them for recording it all in one session, which creates a uniform sound throughout. Defeatist play meat-and-potatoes grind; there’s something comforting in their traditionalist take on the genre. From artwork to lyrics, […]

On their third full-length, Minsk brew a swirling cauldron of massive sounds. It’s not unlike Through Silver in Blood. Both records fuse the anguish of early Swans with the crunch of Sabbath. Though Minsk are no Neurosis, the band is almost as adept at depicting the existential wasteland of modern man. Almitra’s Premonition Minsk aren’t […]

Stinking Lizaveta are a band you’ve heard of but haven’t heard. [Ed. note: I have. See live review here.] The Philly trio continues releasing albums and touring after fifteen years of eschewing trends and embracing creative freedom. It’s refreshing to listen to a band not entangled in any music business machine. There is no artifice […]

During the ’90s, Coalesce played the villain in a hardcore scene dominated by bands preaching positivity and unity. Their lyrics were malevolent and their music off-putting. While most of their peers sang about brotherhood or political consciousness, Coalesce mined the dark recesses of the human psyche. The Villain We Won’t DenyBy What We Refuse It’s […]

Rock musicians, like most professional athletes, peak early in their careers. Extreme music is equally unforgiving to old-timers. Tours coupling brash youngsters with metal oldheads often result in cruel wake-up calls for the elderly. Sea WitchA Restoration Effort The members of Narrows cut their teeth in such bands as Botch, Unbroken, Some Girls, and These […]

Fans have a hard time handling change. They take it as a personal affront when a group that, for instance, once reveled in uniform hardcore adulterates new material with questionable elements. Such has been the case with Pulling Teeth‘s Paranoid Delusions/Paradise Illusions (Deathwish, Inc., 2009). UnsatisfiedParadise Illusions (excerpt) Though these Baltimore old-timers continue the Integrity-meets-Scandinavian […]