Album reviews: Fange(Industrial Sludge/Death), Rancid(Punk),Drip of Lies(Hardcore/Crust) ,Thatcher's Snatch(UK82 punk) and Serotonin Zero(Blackened Crust) all ripping releases!!.

 

Album reviews: Fange(Industrial Sludge/Death), Rancid(punk), Drip of Lies(Hardcore/Crust) , Thatcher's Snatch(UK82 punk) and Serotonin Zero(Blackened Crust)all ripping releases!!.

You know the drill, straight up no bullshit reviews like the zines of old. No fancy writing, just straight-up facts. Five killer releases here, all bangers!!!.

Fange-Privation album. Yes, not a new release but it is one I recently heard about and adore. It is abrasive and sits somewhere between Amenra, Godflesh and even tons of gothic-tinged metal. This trio from Rennes, France are sensational and whilst not recorded in English, the gloomy and harsh atmosphere makes this a must listen, and buy. The riffs are so nasty, the songwriting is perfect and the glum atmosphere is equalled out by raging and monstrous vocals. I loved how it is downtempo at points and often is in a depraved war of death metal vs industrial sludge. The whole album just utterly obliterates you, it is catchy, psychotic and noisy, but 100% necessary. Out now and it's a flawless, ugly gem:

Rancid-Tomorrow Never Comes album. Well, fuck me not only did this album pop out of nowhere, but it's really fucking decent. Like literally some tracks could easily sit on ...And Out Come the Wolves or their self-titled. The thing is they have finally come back to what they do well, tight and catchy classic punk anthems with solid vocals and just being, well classic Rancid. Personally, I disliked the first two Rancid albums, to me they were boring as hell and my faves were the three albums that followed. Indestructible and Let the Dominoes Fall had some decent tracks but mostly filler. The last two were utterly forgettable on many levels. There are no long songs, they sing about the same topics, but the energy here is top class, the songwriting crisp as hell and how awesome does every instrument sound on this beast. Particularly the drums and bass, like so dominating and punchy owing to great production. Highlights are Mud, Blood and Gold, Drop Dead Inn, New American, One Way Ticket and Don't Make Me Do It. Seriously a ripping punk album, heaps of fun and energy!!!.

Drip of Lies-Hell album. Yes, this is a few years old, but I don't give a fuck, it is one of the best albums I have heard in years. Think of a super desolate metallic hardcore/crust band from Poland that sounds as much as a cross between Tragedy, Amebix and Deviated Instinct, whilst sounding completely not copycatish. There is definitely also tinges of black metal here as so many crust bands have, all without the dodgy politics etc. Hell has multiple anthems across it, especially like The Blind, Hell of Life(which reminds me of one of my fave UK bands Agnosy) and the opening track Murderer. Rest assured whilst every track is sombre, at the same time the riffs are abrasive and the song structures are all dynamic as hell. So check out this band and this album, and much more recently-like March this year they dropped two amazing singles-Burnt Out and Zero Connection as they are aiming for a new album this year. So excited to find this brilliant band and also that they are dropping a new album!!

Thatcher's Snatch-White Collar Man EP. Yes, your fave ratbags are back and as solid as ever on this cracking release on Melbourne's awesome Hardcore Victim label. The title track definitely sounds like Flux's Tube Disasters and several other punk classics and that's no mean feat, but this is very much their own anthem. It's punchy, obnoxious and lyrically right on the money as all UK82-ish-influenced punk should be. The riffs are hooky as hell and I loved that gloomy backing vocals, so sick!!. Don't Be a Victim is the next killer track and is full of cheesy as fuck guitar wizardry and this is a hallmark, not the cheese but the sheer power of the band-all thunderous power in both music and vocals. And also has aggro as fuck gang vocals, which win me over every time. No Disco closes out proceedings on this EP and these mugs hit us again with brutal chugga chugga riffs and searing vocals which are as much early The Exploited as Menace or even Blitz. No pissing about and all bangers on this EP, now stop sinking piss you yobbos and record a full album!!
Out now:

Serotonin Zero-Broken Worlds album. Yet another amazing Polish band that is a fierce blackened crust band, with gritty vocals and belligerent riffs. The album is incredible, it is one endless fistfight of robust guitarwork, warlike drums/bass and has so many cool influences sprinkled throughout. I hear some early Behemoth, Converge,Dillinger Escape Plan, but also and much more importantly Fall of Efrafa,Nux Vomica and Wolfbrigade. The mix of sounds is fierce, hostile and pummelling. I also loved the wondrous curveball of Empty, as it dips into some Neurosis/Amenra etc post metal greatness. The whole album is flawless, but the peak tracks are the last two tracks, oh man!!. Oh man, they are magnificent slaying gems and are so intense and emotive as fuck. Confused is total mathcore meets stadium crust brilliance and check out those phenomenal lyrics. Behind the curtain closes the album out in a gigantic manner, grim and crushing metallic crust with a huge blackened style. Wow, killer band, support them hard, rapt to review two killer bands from my in-law's homeland, Warsaw.
Out now:

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