Review / 200 Words Or Less
The Recluse
Summer Showers

Heart In Hand (2009) Michael

The Recluse – Summer Showers cover artwork
The Recluse – Summer Showers — Heart In Hand, 2009

Summer Showers is my first exposure to Alabama group The Recluse. I swore I heard their name before, in fact I think I saw them once... maybe not. I can't quite place where/why/how I know them.

"Pre-Death Realizations" is the leading cut and it is an odd song as it walks the line between equal parts melodic hardcore and metallic hardcore. Strangely enough, it works. "Dead," "Post-Death Realizations," and the title-track continue this fusion of fast, melodic hardcore with a harder edge thanks to the occasional chugging riffs and the throaty vocal delivery. Occasionally I heard a bit of two that reminds me of American Nightmare, though not quite as aggressive.

The Recluse definitely has a sound I enjoy; yet there is still something that leaves me not quite sold on them. Keep tabs on them; they have potential with their next release.

6.5 / 10Michael • July 29, 2009

The Recluse – Summer Showers cover artwork
The Recluse – Summer Showers — Heart In Hand, 2009

Recently-posted album reviews

Painkiller

The Great God Pan
Tzadik (2025)

Painkiller, the trio of John Zorn, Bill Laswell, and Mick Harris shows no signs of slowing down. The Great God Pan is their third full-length, since their reunion in 2024, and in many ways it is an unexpected offering. In keeping with their interests in the metaphysical realm, Painkiller find inspiration from the famed Arthur Machen horror novella. Here, the … Read more

Painkiller

The Equinox
Tzadik (2025)

Painkiller sees three absolute masters of extreme music join forces. John Zorn of Naked City and a billion other projects, Mick Harris who transcended from Napalm Death drummer to illbient guru with Scorn, and producer extraordinaire Bill Laswell. Their first two records, Guts of a Virgin and Buried Secrets are strange meditations traversing between free-jazz, grindcore and dub. Still hungry … Read more

Dauber

Falling Down
Recess (2025)

The lazy approach would be to call Dauber "ex-Screaming Females," but that barely scratches the surface. If I had to pick one band to namedrop a comparison to, it would be labelmates Night Court. They play a familiar style but with a lot of quirks that set it apart from the genre standard-bearers. It's driving and energetic -- more importantly, … Read more