Two Faced-Everlasting Pain album review and interview By Mark J. FFO: Crucial, unrelenting PERFECT hardcore!!!
Two Faced-Everlasting Pain album review By Mark J.
FFO: Crucial, unrelenting PERFECT hardcore!!!
I am so fucking happy to hear releases that are straight-up old-school hardcore, that are free of trends and music that goes straight for the jugular!. This is a modern hardcore record that utterly reflects the peak of Australian Hardcore in the '90s, and I am not being a purist or elitist, but there are very few current bands except maybe Fever Shack or Eight Count that reach that high bar that Mindsnare, Toe to Toe and other great bands are or were at. This record grabs your attention from the first listen and is pacey and every track is killer. This is a stunning beast of an album.
What makes a sensational hardcore album; for me, it's skin ripping and raging vocals with emotion, catchy riffs that are equally well situated in a breakdown as much as in an intro to a track and a rhythm section that shatters windows and eardrums. Add solid song structure and clever track placement and a superb album cover and you have an instant classic.
First up the production is first-rate; punchy, energetic and gritty. The album is 12 tracks of solid hardcore that is damn pacey, super catchy and intelligent. The band hail from Western Sydney and has been kicking for ten years and their previous and only 2015 release Still Searching was a ripping mix of melodic and abrasive hardcore. Thank fuck they kept going to now drop their debut album.
Choice is as perfect an opener for a hardcore album as you could ever possibly want. Supercharged vocals and mayhemic pace crossed with that essential Toe to Toe/Madball vibe. This pummels straight into Start Today, no it's not a Gorilla Biscuits cover, but equally as inspiring and a super catchy anthem. The guitars were savage as fuck on this track. Force Fed follows and not only has some sick guest vocals from Jesse of All In/No Peace fame, but like the opener doesn't piss about and shoots you straight in the face from the get-go. Three songs in and you already know this album is a raging success.
But hang on, the heat is just beginning on this beast of a release. Never Change definitely has the most Toe to Toe intro I have heard in a while, but also reminiscent of Melbourne band Her Nightmare and also Trial and Error records type of quality bands. Not only do you have mad bass work on this track, but the vocals are so abrasive and how are those solid lyrics; a huge track that's for sure; plus wicked gang vocals as extra icing on the cake. PC101 is a driving and hectic track that has some sick dark tone throughout and they also pack so much variety in a track. And here is part of the Two Faced magic formula, the intense build-up and tension is searing in most songs and this is a huge joy for each listener.
The title track doesn't disappoint with its resonating and oppressive bass, massive sonic energy and utter reminders of early Toe to Toe circle pits etc. It also has the wildest breakdown in the middle, which always wins me over!!. The Rain is track seven and is probably the most progressive song on this release. Progressive in terms of a more modern style of hardcore with some underplayed but absolutely well-placed melody by some slightly emoish (and I believe guest ) backing vocals. It shows the diversity and skill at play with these hardcore wizards. Full Circle wins me over with its title alone but is an overpowering cracker of a track with thick riffs, mad gang vocals and to be honest, awesome song structure; yet another burly anthem off this record. Slip is another one of my faves on this album, the intro is so solid and draws you in and the intensity on this is off the chart. The drums just destroy you and Blake sounds like he is about to have an aneurysm, and the lyrics are so acidic on this as well. Pulling Teeth fools you by having a super melodic almost Fat Records intro that goes sideways in the most aggressive Sydney hardcore way and is as moody as it is embracing its unhinged fury. Like I said, tons of skill and effort on this track; like every other track. As we reach the pointy end of the release we are greeted and savagely punished with two sensational tracks to close proceedings. Regret is as pounding as the fiercest artillery regiment and the gruelling tone is vicious as hell. White Ribbon is the album closer and as per the title addresses the severe injustice and pure evil of domestic and family violence, in particular against women. As the brilliant and purely factual spoken part of this track indicates; the statistics are frightening and we all need to play a part in ending this gender violence. Musically, it is a definitive caustic effort from this band, the brutal layers are evened out by some clever tempo changes and the vocals are as coarse as hell!.
Overall a solid album that is full of chunky riffs, intelligent and well-thought-out song creation and a bonafide classic. So pleased they pushed to record and release this gem. Support this band hard!!.
Out now!!!
Watch this:
The band's Links:
and now a ripping interview with Blake and Dylan from the band. Top blokes and the passion and genuine legit hardcore spirit flows through the band as evidenced by the monumental energy of this killer release!!. Enjoy.
Two Faced interview:
You are dropping this week the killer debut album Everlasting Pain, which to be honest is equal parts aggressive and sensational and is a total hardcore masterpiece. Congratulations and tell us how this album came about, and why you had some serious downtime between releases (not that we are not grateful!)
Blake: Thanks for the kind words mate. We’re extremely happy with how it turned out. We went through a bit of a lineup change between Still Searching and Everlasting Pain, so the writing has a lot more aggression and is definitely a lot heavier. That’s probably due in part to Matty (ex-Toe To Toe, Headbutt, Unpaid Debt) coming in on bass and being a part of the writing. The whole process started pre-covid and then recording was interrupted by the pandemic so that put a massive halt on the progress of the album. But it’s here now and we’re all excited to unleash it on the world.
Let’s rewind to the past and tell us how the current members got into hardcore, some of the first bands you got into and why and how the band formed? Also, the historical pedigree is very strong in this band, does this give rise to the absolute dedication to the Old School hardcore style you excel in?
Dylan: Blake’s our frontman, Shane and Tatts on guitar duties, Matty rumbling down under and me smashing the drums. We’ve all got different influences but we’re definitely all big fans of old-school Aussie hardcore: Mindsnare, Toeys (which is killer having Matty in the band), Against, Her Nightmare and the like. The mentality of hardcore does play a huge part in our music. The Two-Faced iconography reads Family, Honor and Respect, and that’s something we all hold true to both in and outside of our music.
As we dipped into the past in the last question, why do you think Australia, particularly Sydney and Melbourne produced such groundbreaking bands in the ’90s and 00’s that really set the foundation for such a solid base of hardcore and metal that we have built up and flourished(maybe not financially but as a consistently deep musical scene)
Dylan: I’ve actually spoken to Matty about this a lot as he’s a dinosaur and played in Spilt Milk and Unpaid Debt as the scene was establishing its roots in Australia.
Back then there was no social media, so the only way to be involved was to go to shows, buy CDs and discover new bands. Pre-internet, the only real networking was done at shows and you had everyone know and support each other. I think I caught the tail-end of that before social media came in and gave you everything at your fingertips. To this day though, nothing matches the feeling of going to a show and hearing a band for the first time and getting into them the old-school way.
I still think the two biggest names in Australian Hardcore will always be Mindsnare and Toe To Toe. They both brought something different but fuck, they did it so well. They truly set the benchmark for that sound that so many bands have tried to imitate.
Dylan: Blake’s our frontman, Shane and Tatts on guitar duties, Matty rumbling down under and me smashing the drums. We’ve all got different influences but we’re definitely all big fans of old-school Aussie hardcore: Mindsnare, Toeys (which is killer having Matty in the band), Against, Her Nightmare and the like. The mentality of hardcore does play a huge part in our music. The Two-Faced iconography reads Family, Honor and Respect, and that’s something we all hold true to both in and outside of our music.
As we dipped into the past in the last question, why do you think Australia, particularly Sydney and Melbourne produced such groundbreaking bands in the ’90s and 00’s that really set the foundation for such a solid base of hardcore and metal that we have built up and flourished(maybe not financially but as a consistently deep musical scene)
Dylan: I’ve actually spoken to Matty about this a lot as he’s a dinosaur and played in Spilt Milk and Unpaid Debt as the scene was establishing its roots in Australia.
Back then there was no social media, so the only way to be involved was to go to shows, buy CDs and discover new bands. Pre-internet, the only real networking was done at shows and you had everyone know and support each other. I think I caught the tail-end of that before social media came in and gave you everything at your fingertips. To this day though, nothing matches the feeling of going to a show and hearing a band for the first time and getting into them the old-school way.
I still think the two biggest names in Australian Hardcore will always be Mindsnare and Toe To Toe. They both brought something different but fuck, they did it so well. They truly set the benchmark for that sound that so many bands have tried to imitate.
Blake: I've always been a fan of the depth that hardcore lyrics have. They often get overlooked due to the heaviness and groove in the music. On the album, there’s a broad range of self-reflection, politics, mental illness, domestic violence, loss/grief, sustainability and even a little bit of PMA. But I do like to leave it open so the listener can have their own interpretation and form their own connection to a song.
I wrote the lyrics for Regret after I lost my aunty and grandfather within twelve months of each other. My aunty in particular was such a shock and it took me back to when I was young and lost my grandmother and the speed and aggression with which it happened. The song is a reflection of how those little moments and interactions you have with those important to you are so easily taken for granted.
Although it’s deeply personal for me, it’s still open to a degree so that way the listener can relate to the lyrics in their own way.
The album art is excellent, who did this and what was the background to this?
Dylan: The album artwork was actually a painting called ‘But No Sound Comes Out’, by RF Pangborn. He’s a brilliant artist who does some really amazing and intriguing work. His Instagram handle is pangbornrf if you want to show him some love! I saw the painting and thought it was a perfect representation of the album's title track. I spoke with him about using the artwork, he liked the music and in the spirit of punk, he was kind enough to allow us to use the artwork for the album.
One thing that stands out on this is the production, it’s energetic, dynamic and not overproduced, what's the background to this killer work in both recording, mixing and mastering?
Blake: We really wanted to capture the rawness but have it sound more polished than the previous two releases so we got onto Adam at Main Street Studios down in Wollongong who had worked with our mates in Maggot. He did a top job capturing the raw energy of the band. The bass is fat, the vocals are angry, the guitars have a killer tone and the drums still have that rawness to them.
Shane and Dylan were looking into who we would use to master the album. A few names were thrown around but they were really loving what Brad at Audiosiege was doing with Inclination over in the States at the time and we wanted to see what he could bring to the table and he definitely did not disappoint!
Blake: We all love the music and the fundamentals of punk. We’ve all got that DIY ethos in our hearts and it’s great to see Aussie hardcore getting some worldwide recognition in the last couple of years. Bands like Speed are absolutely killing it at the moment, so hopefully, we see more bands like those guys getting more international recognition. There are still heaps of bands that don’t get the praise they deserve. The boys in Dark Horse have a great ethic and sound and it’s good to see them still kicking on and putting out awesome music.
As for hardcore in general, it’s about community at its core and having people that don’t fit in getting together, being passionate about something we all have in common and getting out that energy.
What’s next for this band? Touring? Videos? More merchandise?
Dylan: We’ve got a few shows lined up before the years out and we’re hoping to organise a run of shows down the east coast happening early next year on the back of the album. There are definitely talks of a video happening and there’s always gonna be more merch!
Thanks so much for your time and again congrats on such a stellar release, any final words/messages etc for the peeps out there?
Blake: Thanks so much for taking the time to sit down with us to chat about the release! We’ve put a lot of effort into this release, if you like what you’ve heard, hit up our online store at twofacedhc.bigcartel.com or come to a show to support us. Thanks to all of those that have shown support so far, we wouldn’t be here without you!
Cheers! and buy the album and the merch, it's all killer!!
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