In 1995 Testing the Limits of Infinite would have been standard fare by any big league hardcore band. You see, back then many bands liked to play metal. They really loved their Slayer riffs interspersed with their mosh parts and we all ate it up because our dirt bag metal head friends wouldn't piss and moan about what we played … Read more
Rise And fall are a hardcore band from Belgium formed in 2002 out of the ashes of bands The Deal and Kingpin. One of the more successful European hardcore bands, Rise And Fall have been consistently putting out albums since their conception. Faith is their 4th full-length album.Right off the bat with this album, you are pelted with some of … Read more
Progression in music is never an easy thing to accomplish without getting mixed reactions; the hardcore community seems to be especially critical. You're always going to have that fan base that talks about how the older material is better, which in some cases, that is true. But in other cases, development and experimentation can lead to superior songwriting and material. … Read more
This record has been a long time coming. It had been announced quite awhile back with little to no info given to anyone outside of the Deathwish camp. In the meantime Rot In Hell went about further building their name as one of the next great European Hardcore bands. Rot In Hell are generally related to the sound Integrity has … Read more
Walk into a Boston hardcore show and ask a random kid if they like the Dedication, and there is a 95% chance they will do one of the following: A. Call you a faggot. B. Say, "You like that make up wearing band of faggots?" C. Turn around to their group of friends and say "Hey guys, did you hear … Read more
Shipwreck burst onto the scene last year with their debut 7" on Rumble Records. The four-song release was an instant hit and eventually brought them to Deathwish's door. This release, another self-titled affair, is comprised of two new cuts and a reworking of "Heated" from their debut. "Mirage" kicks things off. The song is a rager deeply rooted in 90's … Read more
This 7" has launched Shipwreck to the forefront of the hardcore scene, and with their recent signing to Deathwish, further fuel has been added to the flames. Side A opens with a little acoustic number akin to the theme from Desperado before things really kick off. "Au Pach" draws heavily on the mid-90's scene that first combined elements of metal … Read more
Let's be honest about things. Deathwish has hardcore locked down and Shipwreck A.D. is a key part of their commanding roster. After two self-titled 7" releases that have fueled the band with a fair amount of hype - which isn't always a bad thing - Shipwreck A.D. have brought forth their debut full-length, Abyss. Abyss begins with "Squall," a song … Read more
This one didn't immediately catch me like The Rains did. After maybe a half dozen listens, I think I'm starting to get it. I guess my main complaint is that some of the songs sound too similar to each other, but that starts to fade on closer examination. Oh well, first impressions are key often times. I'm also bummed that … Read more
Wow, a new Starkweather album, and so soon after their last one (Croatoan)? Seriously, it is exciting to hear another album from this long running and challenging outfit; and maybe being on a label run by fans of theirs, Starkweather may finally see some recognition for their forward thinking music (hopefully they do not remain a band's band). In any … Read more
Following the vinyl issue of Rise of the Great Machine (their first full-length album), Supermachiner finally offers more music with Rust. This two CD collection combines a remastered version of their first full-length as well as a second CD that collects more material from the group. As exciting on a personal level as this release is, there remain quite a … Read more
Heavy. Right off the bat, that is the word I would use to describe this band, and this record. Fucking heavy. Heavier than a chain-mail sack full of battle axes. The first time I heard The Blinding Light was well over a year ago, and though it didn't exactly inspire me to run out and pick up the band's latest … Read more
The Great Deceiver is the long running project of Tomas Lindberg, also of Disfear and formerly of At the Gates, The Crown, and others, and Kristian Wahlin of Necrolord. There is a great deal of parallels to Lindberg's past work in At the Gates, with a bit of commonality in the guitar sound but with a bit more simplicity and … Read more
For those that did not hear The Hope Conspiracy's recent teaser 7" Hang Your Cross (which was later released as a CD and in digital format), now is your chance. Let me just say, WOW! I figured that the new full-length, Death Knows Your Name, would be good (this opinion was solely based off of the quality of said 7"), … Read more
Okay, okay, yes The Hope Conspiracy is back and Hang Your Cross is the clarion call for their abrasive take on hardcore. Keeping with the their usual revolving door of a line-up, Neeraj Kane (also of The Suicide File) is back on guitar, and Tim Cossar (American Nightmare, Bars, and Ten Yard Fight) joins as the second guitarist. In essence, … Read more
Hang Your Cross is déjá vu; my ears relay the message to my head, "We've heard this before... we think." The Hope Conspiracy has made some steps since their last effort, Endnote. However, it's up to the listener to decide in which direction these steps were taken. Depending on how you feel about the band - or if you are … Read more
Always an air of mystery or uncertainty surrounding The Hope Conspiracy due to their status and rare live appearances, the group provides us with a bit of a tease in the three-song EP, True Nihilist in order to remind people that they are still out there lurking on the edge of existence stewing in whatever fuels the angry sounds for … Read more
Thou, in this particular rendition, throw down great song thud after thud, right on the table, while permeating a delicate scent through their carefully constructed EP, Rhea Sylvia. Each song is a steamy dish, smelling like Tool, Starkweather, and Isis mishmashed together. The vocals have a Maynardish-Alice In Chains chest voice, a Starkweather scream, and a shimmering lead guitar tone. … Read more
Looking for the SPB logo? You can download it in a range of styles and colours here: