Smut
First Kiss
Iron Lung (2020)
Punk rock, man. Sometimes a band just does it right. Iron Lung released First Kiss on February 28 and it’s a doozy. There are only 8 songs here, and they fly by in probably 10 minutes. It’s fast and furious, with a whole lotta swagger and vitriol. The record sounds like aggression, pure and simple. I’m generally not an angry dude but this record has some alleyway anger that can’t be denied. Raw vocals and pummeling drums define the sound, mixed atop some driving bass rhythm and tempo-shifting power chords that know when to chugga chugga and when to slow down.“Cum Inside” delivers fierce hooks that stick in your head. Next up, it’s the pounder “Party Pimple,” which is all about the drums, though it has some nice breakdowns within. “Alone” breaks up tempo, drawing things out—this bad boy lasts almost hits two minutes, thanks to a feedback-laden intro before the chaos ensues. At 2:57, “Bag” sounds downright epic, with movements and everything.I try to avoid track-by-track reviews because I personally don’t like to read them, so I’ll use these examples to highlight the real point. Smut is fierce and fluid throughout First Kiss. It has hardcore roots, but not … Read more
The Black Dahlia Murder
Verminous
Metal Blade (2020)
Humankind has always had an uneasy relationship with rats. Many people hold on to the belief that they are disease … Read more
Golden Light
Sacred Colour of the Source of Light
Iron Bonehead (2020)
Black metal has a limited association with light-emitting objects. The genre's name references a void, or space that is absent … Read more
Alien Nosejob
Suddenly Everything Is Twice As Loud
Drunken Sailor (2020)
With a name like Alien Nosejob I was expecting something a little more spacey or out there than what you … Read more
Dodenbezweerder
Vrees de Toorn van de Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels
Iron Bonehead (2020)
You ever get lost while driving in the woods at night? I grew up in Wisconsin and this happened to … Read more
