Well friends, it's been far too long since my last post and I do so apologize for the wait. Only now has my life stabilized to the point where I can regularly update this blog again, so expect more frequent updates in the future. So what's been happening? Well, I joined a band some months back and as much as I wanted it to work out, it just didn't. They're still kicking, and have a new EP coming out in the near future that you'll want to get your hands on. Basically, my exit from the band has left me with enough free time to revive Funeral South and I'm very stoked on doing that. I hope you are too.
Now, rather than kicking off the return with a feature, I figure I'll let you guys in on some of the sick records I've been jamming as of late. Some of these aren't out yet, but when they drop, you better be picking them up. As you know, here in the Funeral South, we ONLY listen to quality. You should do the same.
Xibalba- Madre Mia Gracias Por Los Dias (A389 Recordings/Southern Lord)
Anybody remember how hard late 90's metalcore was? You had a bevy of artists like Disembodied, Harvest, Arkangel, and Turmoil holding it down and destroying everything in their paths. Well, if you've seen the current state of metalcore, you know that those days are long gone. However, thanks to the dudes in Xibalba, those glorious days of devastation might be making a serious comeback. If you took the best elements of 90's metal and hardcore, combined them with abrasive dissonance and old school death metal, then you'd have Xibalba. It's that simple. Southern Lord has released this compact disc compilation of all the material the guys have released up until now (the vinyl version came out on the incredible A389 Recordings imprint) and I feel the world may not be ready for the punishment that awaits. Xibalba is visceral, ugly, oppressive, and downright mean. If you're into listening to music that inflicts legitimate pain, look no further. The new kings have arrived.
Harm's Way- Isolation (Closed Casket Activities)
I've been into Harm's Way for a while now. I first heard their earlier material, which was more powerviolence/grind than hardcore and I was instantly hooked. As the Chicago-based band began transitioning into a more streamlined hardcore act, I continued watching and listening with great anticipation for what the future held. The first LP wasn't what I'd hoped it would be, but the EP that followed, aptly titled "No Gods, No Masters", was a step in the right direction. That right direction helped them arrive at this little destination called "Isolation" that they're preparing to drop on an unsuspecting world. After witnessing a host of these songs when I saw the band live in May, I was eager to hear if the brutality of the songs in a live setting would translate to the album.
I'm just gonna go on record and tell you, with all certainty, that this is the heaviest album of 2011. No questions asked. "Isolation" is a beast of an LP that finds Harm's Way fully realizing their vision of metallic hardcore, on a scale that some bands spend whole careers working towards and never reaching. Mixing uncompromising lyrics with an equally vicious vocal delivery reminiscent of Barney Greenway in his younger days, to the sounds of drums that attack from start to finish and some of the most absurdly heavy riffs I've ever heard, "Isolation" is a non-stop punisher. Even the Godflesh-inspired ambience is heavy! Did I say "Heavy" yet?
This record is going to do what so many others have attempted to do, in the full-on bridging of that seemingly massive gap between heavy metal and hardcore. Dudes with denim vests and black metal patches are just as likely to mosh to this as kids in gym shorts and crooked baseball caps. According to Harm's Way, the future is bleak but for them, it doesn't get much brighter.
Children of God- Coup De Grace
Have you ever listened to a record and felt dumbfounded immediately after it's over? For me, that's "Coup De Grace" by Children of God. I don't know much about this band, or where they came from. I don't have much to say in regards to the content of this EP. All I can really say is that in the case of this EP, the "Play" button on your stereo or Mp3 player should actually read "Detonate". Five songs, five minutes of pure, unadulterated carnage. I want to hear more by this band as soon as possible.
Drainland- And So Our Troubles Began (Southern Lord)
Another compact disc reissue by Southern Lords, Anderson and O'Malley. Drainland might as well be the bastard child of Noothgrush and His Hero Is Gone, as the Irish violators prefer to distribute their articulated bile with the tact of a chimp holding a 9mm. Believe me, that is a sincere compliment. Like a baby snake, this band has not yet learned to restrain their venom and aren't fully aware of their powers. I felt like I needed to take a long shower after one listen to this EP from start to finish, knowing in my heart that there's not a shower long enough to wash away this kind of filth. Savage, uncomfortable, poisonous, and menacing. If any of those adjectives tickle your fancy, I suggest you acquire this record as quickly as you can. As the years progress, I see this band becoming even more vile and damaging with age. Don't sleep on this.
That's all for now, but tune in for more updates coming very soon featuring interviews with Mike Apokalypse from the legendary Gehenna, Mike Abominator from the mighty Gravehill, and much much more. It's good to be back.
Thorne
