Hardcore Sucks, Motorhead, Kvelertak and Inter Arma

Inter Arma - Sundown. You need to listen to this.

No gold, sadly. Tragedy were just too thin-sounding for my taste. That’s a problem I have with a lot of hardcore. There’s buckets of aggression and speed but the guitars lack the heft of metal and leave me cold.

I guess that’s why I am quite partial to sludge due to its fusion of hardcore/crust with the supremely thick tones of Sabbath-worshipping doom.

I was also underwhelmed by DS-13, despite the awesome Pushead artwork Given that I can’t really be bothered with Amebix, maybe d-beat isn’t for me. Maybe Disfear are just so astoundingly good that they transcend their so far so shitty genre.

Then again, His Hero Is Gone – The Plot Sickens, wasn’t terrible despite the appalling album title. While I didn’t quite make it to the end, I may return to it.

The disappointment just made me crank up Live The Storm again. And again. And once more for luck. I think what keeps drawing me in is not only the depth of Cederlund’s second guitar but also the contrast between Lindberg’s somewhat gruff tones and the cleaner gang vocals.

It’s more than just the sound, which is apocalyptic in the best way possible, but Disfear can really write songs. These songs are laced with barbed hooks that don’t let go, whose melodies glitter amid the galloping grime.

Listening to Disfear gave me a hankering to crank up some classic Motorhead. While I absolutely love Ace of Spades (there is little better than doing your best Lemmy impression on Rock Band after a few ales) and a few other anthems, the classic triumvirate of Bomber, Overkill and Ace of Spades sound a little, ahem, tame after three decades of ever more extreme metal.

DS-13 - Killed by The Kids. Great artwork, shame about the tunes.

Still any band that channels classic Motorhead tends to be alright by me.

After all this music failing to hit the spot, it was time to pull out a banker. Something that would smack me between the eyes like a giant feral badger then drag me kicking and screaming into the night.

That’s right – Kvelertak.

This album deserves a post on its own but there’s nothing quite as bracing as blasting their brand of blackened hardcore-inflected rock and roll. It dusts off the cobwebs and leaves you ready for anything.

I really love the video to Mjod too, which gives me an excuse to post it.

Other listening nuggets from the last day or so:

• Marduk – Panzer Division Marduk. Utterly dreary nonsense with childish riffs and tedious growling. “Black Metal’s Reign in Blood” my arse. Sorry Invisible Oranges, I love your blog but you’re dead wrong.
• Inter Arma – Sundown. Another album that deserves a full post. Blackened sludge (which is amazing live, incorporating NWOBHM gallop into their extended jams – check this video on Mann’s World) with earworm melodies. I keep coming back to this – top 10 album of the year contender for me.
• High on Fire – Death is this Communion. It took me ages to get into HoF. I just didn’t get it. This was the album that changed it for me, although it took half a dozen spins to work its magic. I love Sleep, so I persevered. It was well worth the effort. Although I really don’t get the “Slayerised Motorhead” description. To me High on Fire sound nothing like either of those bands and I fucking love Slayer.
• Victims – Killer. It’s not Disfear but it’s the best of its crust/hardcore ilk I’ve listened to this week. It will definitely get another spin.

On the menu for the rest of the week is:

• Melechesh – Epigenesis. Arabic black metal
• Electric Wizard – Black Masses. More superior doom from the masters.
• Have Heart – Songs to Scream at the Sun. Hardcore, which I will probably dislike (but hope I don’t).

Until next time…