Funeral Rain Press Corps

Genre: Hardcore, Punk, Grind
Label: Independent 

After submitting my review for Seizure Crypt a couple of days ago, it was suggested that I gave another hardcore band from New York a shot. After a couple of days of letting Expendable Humans sink in, it is crystal clear that I owe my brother-in-metal, Dave, a big ol’ THANK YOU!!! I’m not ashamed to say that Vise Massacre had me won over in a matter of minutes with their hyper aggressive hardcore style and filthy, almost grind percussion tactics!

The overall sound that Vise Massacre spits out is a grimy hardcore masterpiece full of fresh ideas and time tested structures. There are tracks here that are reminiscent of If He Dies… He Dies, Oroku and even a little bit of a sped up Fog Wizard. So it’s safe to say that I had a massive erection forming over the first two tracks of this album.

I mentioned aggression just a few sentences ago and I don’t think that that description alone does the mood that this album conveys any justice whatsoever. Imagine walking through a crowded shopping mall, the day after Thanksgiving. You’re overheated, tired from getting up super early and fed up with all of the idiotic mouth breathers that are usurping your oxygen. An overweight house frau steps on your toe and doesn’t so much as break her waddling stride to apologize for crushing your big toe under her bovine hoof that’s crammed inside a two sizes too small croc.

Getting pissed yet?

Well, now imagine that in your hands, you’re holding two .357 Desert Eagles that never need reloading and all of the doors leading out of the mall have been locked from the outside…

Expendable Humans is the soundtrack pumping out of the P.A. system overhead as you mow down the annoying and tolerable alike.

Aggressive! Psychotic! Hateful! Fucking Perfect! Vise Massacre unlock the homicidal maniac in you through their blend of loud pounding drumwork, hardcore bellowing and grinding riffs. Expendable Humans is a hardcore adventure unlike any other that I have gone on before and couldn’t wait to take it again as soon as the album was finished. And I did. Over and over again. Once while I was strolling though the mall even…

Overall: When all is said and done, a recommendation  to listen to this album couldn’t be glowing enough from me. This is easily an album that I could listen to for days on end, tell a friend about it and listen to it with him/her for more days on end! Vise Massacre may prove that humans are expendable, but they themselves are invaluable to the metal/hardcore community!

10/10

-  Typhon

Vise Massacre On ReverbNation
Vise Massacre On Facebook 

Genre: Hardcore
Label: Closed Casket Activities

I’ll be perfectly honest with you guys; I chose to review this album based entirely on the name of the band. Although, I think “Weretigers Fight” or “Where Tigers Fight” would of been better…

Immediately, I’m reminded of the likes of Pulling Teeth (US), Runiner and a prog-less The Pax Cecilia. And that means driving, simplistic beats, roaring screams, gritty riffing and a Take No Shit approach to music! If that sounds like something you’d enjoy, then I suggest you skip the rest of this review and seek this album out because that it exactly what Death Songs exemplifies!

When Tigers Fight do a great job at mixing old school hardcore sentiments and style with the tighter modern style of hardcore without anyone losing face or sounding too “slick”. This journalist appreciates that more than you’ll know since he’s been on the fence about which side of that whole argument to jump over to. And thanks to Death Songs, I can remain comfortably seated for just a while longer.

Lyrically, you have some of the best examples of capturing the stress and angst that come from strife and repression that I have heard in years! The songs just leap out at you and embed themselves in your brainspace and stick with you long after the album is finished! And the fact that they’re delivered by hardcore heavy hitter Mike McTernan make this tiger fight that much more ferocious! McTernan’s shouting on this album is what I’d imagine a human cement mixer would sound like if it suddenly gained sentience and fronted a hardcore band. And I mean on the nose!

If I’m going to fault this album for anything, it’ll be the same thing that haunts most other hardcore/punk releases: repetition. Just about every song sounds similar to the song before it in structure and lyrical content (as awesome as that may be). Other than that, I really shouldn’t complain since they managed to get EVERYTHING else right!

Overall: After listening to When Tigers Fight for less than a minute, you can tell that this is one of those rare bands that is comprised of 100% heart! Don’t let this tremendous piece of hardcore escape your interests and check out Death Songs for yourself and let it speak to you the way it spoke to me.

9/10

-  Typhon

When Tigers Fight On Facebook

Genre: Hardcore, Metal, Punk, Fucking Fun!
Label: Independent

It’s been a while, but hitting play on Seizure Crypt’s latest testament to the D.I.Y. lifestyle, You’ve Been Had, is like reconnecting with an old friend. That may seem weird to anyone who knows about my older reviews (back at E-Metal Reviews/E-MetalSpace) of their albums, Hello My Name Is… MADNESS and Under The Gun since I barely gave the first one a chance and said that the second, “only kind of sucks”. But here, wherever I am and in whatever year this is, I’ve grown older and wiser. And guess what? I think I’ve spent enough time in the Crypt to understand what these motherfuckers are all about!

Where to start…

Well, I guess I can address the fact that this album does, in fact, sound like it was recorded using Do It Yourself methods, but by guys who’ve been doing this sort of thing for a while. Yeah, the sound can be a little rough and grainy at times, but Seizure Crypt seems to know how to tweak it to their advantage. That or their music is so full of “FUCK YOU!” that even sound itself bent the laws of physics to accommodate their hardcore lifestyles! I’m going to go with that last one.

Normally, you don’t go into a Seizure Crypt album thinking that it’s going to be a mindblowingly awesome experience with complex riffs and off-time drumming… and this album is no exception. It’s just simple but entertainingly aggressive punk/hardcore tunes that will be the perfect soundtrack to a wild and drunken night of slamming people through bar furniture! Also note that both vocalists give there all to shout, bark and psychotically rant their message at you in the scuzziest, most street level way possible! It has become a matter of charm at this point, believe it or not.

I’ll probably be cutting this review short since my hard-on for these guys keeps growing and I can’t bring myself to understand why exactly… The guys in Seizure Crypt do what they do because they love to do it. If more bands were like this, then there would be better music all around for everybody!

Overall: I’ve since gone back and listened to my other two Seizure Crypt albums and I can safely say that You’ve Been Had is the best offering to date. If you’re a fan of the D.I.Y. spirit, pick up this album (and maybe the others later) and bang your skull until that gray mush come out! And remember, “Life is not a fad you fucking poser!” Throw yourself into the Crypt!

8/10

-  Typhon

Seizure Crypt Official
Seizure Crypt On Facebook

Genres: Deathcore, Hardcore, Metalcore
Label: Independent
Format: CD (Physical Promo)

Marry Me, Murder are a local band, who some will remember were one of the bands at the first Funeral Rain Records show. They have since gone on to press some merch and record themselves an ep proper. Five tracks of MMM’s brand of death influenced hardcore is something I’ve been hoping to hear ever since I saw them live. I wondered if they would be able to pull off their show in a studio, and it would seem that they did.
The heavy Killswitch Engage/Sepultura/Alexisonfire style riffage that I loved from these guys is in full force. Vocals are pretty varied, from death growls to clean singing. I just wish I could remember which dude is Dion and which is Rick! Drums and bass are solid, with some gorgeous snap on the snare, but I would have personally brought the bass up just a bit in the mix, or even just turned the mids up a bit more on the amp.
In all, this is a great first EP. Now if only the band credits were present on it…
7.5 out of 10.

Victimology Tracklisting:
1. Cold Blooded Calibers for Cold Hearted Men
2. Ernie Doesn’t Like the Monsters
3. Crepitus
4. Chivalry is Dead
5. Giant Killer Space Bees Vs. Flying Sharks

Victimology Personnel:
Jaydon Bunney: Drums
Jessey Bunney: Guitar
Dion Amphlett: Vocals
Jake Leggo: Bass
Rick Holmberg: Vocals
Matt Reimer: Guitar

Marry Me, Murder on Facebook.

2/22/12 – The Branx – Portland, Oregon

Anther night, another show at The Branx. After a close call at roll call after the attendee almost didn’t find my name on the press list, I made my way to the floor…

Burning Leather - I made it in just in time to catch this local act’s set. Truth be told, I didn’t know these guys were local and would of guessed that they were from the U.K. based on their down ‘n’ dirty Killers-era heavy punkin’ metal! Unfortunately, their set was criminally short and the only song of theirs that I can remember was set closer Annihilate Us. But you know what? That song ruled and the crowd seemed to agree with me that Burning Leather should feel free to Annihilate Us any time!

Havok –  This was my second time seeing these guys and the other time was at the Branx as well. Fortunately, this time David Sanchez’s voice wasn’t on the fritz, so he was able to sing every song this time around. Just like last time, necks were WRECKED! The thrashin’ that these guys are dispensing is genuine through and through and nowhere is this more apparent than on stage. Havok loves what they do and the audience loves them for it. Case in point: “COVERING FIRE!!!” the cheer for that announcement was probable the loudest I heard all night (though, I personally cheered louder for Afterburner). Bodies were flying off of the stage and into several circle pits that sprang up with the wave of Sanchez’s finger. In short: they came, they saw, Havok conquered.

Toxic Holocaust - I don’t think that there is a band who’s live set inspires a bigger, “Meh.” feeling in me than Toxic Holocaust. Don’t get me wrong though, I sit love Toxic Holocaust on their albums and whatnot, but their live shows are just so humdrum. There is hardly ever any crown interaction, Joel’s voice is almost always tired or lazy sounding and they almost always play the same songs. I made it through about half of their set before *Yawn* fuck it, what’s going on outside…

The Casualties - Gotta be honest, I didn’t give two shits that these guys were on the bill. I was only mildly entertained by them the last time I saw them, so I skipped their set and ended up getting wasted with the Corey Boyd and Gabe Franco of Spellcaster. After a few (too many) belts of vodka, we found our way to a McDonalds were we came across a begger. The dude was standing in mid-thirties weather, asking for money for a McFuckingFlurry. So, of course, Gabe helped a brother out. The guy immediately ran inside and bought a McFlurry, stunning us all… except Gabe. (Love that Franco.) When it was our turn to order, Corey proceeded to inquire about the Cock-Meat Sandwich. “How much for the Cock-Meat Sandwich?” he asked the barely English speaking attendant. (Love that Boyd.) I’m pretty sure that I made the right decision.

English Dogs - Ho-Lee-Sheeeeet am I glad I made it back in time for these rowdy motherfuckers! English Dogs delivered the goods on a seismic scale with their pissed off ‘tudes and “fuck it or kill it” mentality. Vocalist Wakey seemed the sort on sight to be a bit of a loutish oaf… I was oh so wrong! Screaming like a madman possessed by a long since dead madman, Wakey ran and jumped around the stage and even into the crowd on occasion! Guitarist Nick Wynch, engaged the audience with his intense axe slinging and even asked if we’d all be in a picture for him. Yeah, watching the crowd crunch together like that was pretty fun. Even as drunk as I was, I knew that it wasn’t going to end well… but aside from the couple of moonings and a fat girl titty flash, things didn’t go so bad. Suffice it to say, the audience ate up every ounce of what these English Dogs left behind…

Burning Leather On Facebook
Havok On Facebook
Toxic Holocaust On Facebook
The Casualties On Facebook
English Dogs On Facebook