Interview with Yautja

- How has Songs of Lament been received so far?

Better than I assumed. Everyone's been really supportive. In our book it's an EP even though it's on a 12" so I thought it might get overlooked.

- The visuals on ...Lament are stunning, and really enhance the feel of the record. Did you just give Anderson carte blanche or did you have a specific idea of what you wanted going in?

We're all fans of Anderson Cook's art and trusted him to do something appropriate. He did the art for our demo tape as well as a large majority of the art on his label Tapes of a Neon God. We gave him a rough mix of the EP to listen to and let him do his thing.

- The three of you seem to be good friends. How long have you known each other?

Tyler and I met around 2007 or so playing locally around Nashville. I met Kayhan sometime between 2007 or 2008 seeing his band Legion play a house show in Nashville. He's from Birmingham so we didn't really get acquainted until he moved to Nashville around 2010.

- Any notes about your recent tour with Maruta?

We had a blast. One of my first bands ever opened for them years ago, and I've been a fan ever since. Coolest dudes.

- What was your favorite Yautja tour?

One of my favorite tours was maybe our first tour in 2010. In terms of it being successful, financially or otherwise, it was a shitshow. But was super fun and and a good learning experience. Our then bass player quit about a week before we left so we had a member of our tourmates in Dawn fill in super last minute. Tons of shit drives, days off, etc.
Also our first and only venture into Canada last year with our friends in No Brainer was a blast. Made a lot of new friends and saw some new things.

- Has Shibby always run two rigs live?

Yeah. Mostly to try and create the illusion of two guitar players.

(pieces from my personal Yautja collection)

- Both Songs of Descent and Songs of Lament have bold, impactful visuals that speak volumes to your artistic vision. At what point in your career as a band did you decide to push the visual side of your work in this way? 

I'm not sure. Once we were planning to have 500+ copies of anything, I think we probably wanted to be happy with how it looked.
None of the way our album art turned out has much to do with us though. We just let the artists do their thing 99% of the time. A close friend of ours, Caleb Gregory, did all of the art and layout of our first record. He's a local Nashville dude and wonderful person and musician. Out of the whole process of making that record, the art was the only thing I was completely satisfied with. I think we all really like the idea of having the artists listen to the record while preparing to or while creating the art itself.  

- Does Songs of Lament have a singular artistic idea to convey, or is it a collection of songs that represent your current state as a band?

Eh, kinda neither. All the songs on SOL are actually older than the Songs of Descent songs, for the most part. So while we haven't changed our sound necessarily, they aren't the most current songs we have written. There isn't one ongoing concept or theme in every song on SOL, but majority deal in a lot of the feelings and thoughts involved with loss, in many interpretations.

- I saw you in the back of Cafe Coco with Full of Hell and Weekend Nachos some time in early 2012. It was an incredible experience, as I don't think they had ever had a heavy show there and didn't know what to expect. Do you think that Yautja would still gravitate toward smaller venues if given the opportunity commercially to play larger ones?

Totally. We still play and often prefer house shows/DIY spots to venues with weird shaped stages and pushy sound people.

- There are a handful of obvious influences sprinkled throughout your discography, but most of the appeal of your work, at least to me, is its uniqueness. When did you realize you could be more than just another metal band?

I think we are just another metal band, but we all play and listen to a lot of different music, and tend not to try and categorize ourselves in any particular sub-genre.

- Are there any long-term plans for Yautja, or do you take it one step a time?

 

More or less one step at a time. We're planning to start jamming around and writing a new record this Winter. We have a split 7" with Fórn coming out before the end of the year. We wanna make it overseas sooner or later. More touring sometime in early spring.

Cult Leader - Lightless Walk (2015)

Salt Lake City iconoclasts Cult Leader recently released their much-anticipated debut LP, which has many claiming it to be the next Jane Doe or Calculating Infinity. Is it?

Artwork: The symmetrical tarot card-style artwork honestly didn't appeal to me when I first saw it, but as I have listened to the record, I see how it suits the atmosphere of the record.

Structure: Lightless Walk is 11 tracks, strung together in various ways, some as singles and others as pieces of the whole. Each song deals with a unique subject, exploring the emotions and headspaces surrounding it.

Sound: Cult Leader has found their stride. Nothing For Us Here was killer and Useless Animal was at least interesting, but here, Cult Leader is raising the bar and setting the standard for heavy records to come. Every song on Lightless Walk is perfectly crafted, smacking of Gaza and other progressive bands but wielding an animalistic ferocity and grit that makes Cult Leader stand head and shoulders above their peers. Many bands can play complex music, and many bands can play hard-hitting music, but Cult Leader does both simultaneously in an awe-inspiring display of emotion and artistic catharsis.

Lyrics: Anthony Lucero has written poignant verse after poignant verse in Cult Leader this far, but with Lightless Walk the bare openness of sadness and loss reads like Hemingway or Steinbeck. I typically enjoy bands with more poetic lyrics, but Cult Leader stopped me my tracks here with what feels, instead of a beautiful melancholy, swirling sky of depressive emotions, like collapsing with your face against a cardboard flooring, and struggling between giving up and getting up.

For Fans Of: Converge, Gaza, Thou

Favorite Lyrics: "Someday you will be at peace
Someday everything will be alright
Someday your heart will be full to bursting
Someday, but not now"

Favorite Track: Sympathetic

1. Great I Am
2. The Sorrow
3. Sympathetic
4. Suffer Louder
5. Broken Blades
6. A Good Life
7. Walking Wasteland
8. Gutter Gods
9. Hate Offering
10. How Deep It Runs
11. Lightless Walk

Rating: 10 / 10 

Merch: Deathwish // Holy Mountain Printing
Listen: Bandcamp
Follow: Facebook

Cool Hand Luke - The Fires of Life (2002)

When I was 14, a dear and now lifelong friend showed me this record. We were into lots of heavy artists and didn't take much time to explore alternate genres, but this one... this one.

Artwork: The Fires of Life presents itself as nothing more than what it is, finding its meaning in what it lacks. There is a beautiful image presented here, but nothing about it suggests that Cool Hand Luke takes itself too seriously. It simply is what it is, and it is beautiful.

Structure: The Fires of Life is a storybook, 11 stories long, worth listening to from beginning to end.

Sound: Blending 90's alternative with indie and emo presentation, all with a finesse that sings of lifelong dedication to each musician's craft.

Lyrics: Cool Hand Luke will sing to your soul. Each song wrestles with an imagined scenario that plays out as a metaphor for daily life. "Cinematic" is a tale of gratitude for one's friends, as they are the real heroes in your life (sidenote: I played in a band called HERO in college, named after the chorus of this song) and "Rats In The Cellar" is about sin and darkness in your life being like rats in a cellar that you don't want anyone to see. The highlight of the whole record is "Friendly Jas" - a 6 minute epic detailing a long friendship that has fallen apart. The song hits me like a ton of concrete every time because, on a personal note, it accurately chronicles my relationship with the person who showed me this band. It is about someone rejecting you and leaving your life but you still caring for them and being willing to accept them at any time. "Everything has changed / but my hope remains the same / and I want you to know that I'll be here / through a hundred years of rain."

For Fans Of: Third Eye Blind, Matchbox Twenty, Fuel

Favorite Lyrics: "I want to live in such a way
that when I'm gone, my friends will say
that if my life was turned to film
I'd be standing on a mountain shouting victory in the end"

Favorite Track: Friendly Jas

1. Sky Dive
2. The Foster
3. Rats in the Cellar
4. Cinematic
5. I'm Not Ready
6. Sequence #3
7. Friendly Jas
8. I'm Not Running
9. Zombie Song
10. Rest for the Weary
11. The Fires of Life

Rating: 10 / 10 

Purchase: Storenvy

Brian Hurt - Road Songs (2016)

A bit of shameless self-promotion - I'm working on a record right now of folk/singer-songwriter oriented songs, single released a few weeks ago. I'm hoping to have the record finished by December.

Required Listening Classics: Bad Brains

When I Against I dropped in 1986, it was unlike anything ever heard. The predominantly white network of hardcore bands had been slugging it out in dingy clubs and VFW halls, playing loud and as fast as possible, cramming as much emotion into a 30 second song as they could. Then, Bad Brains showed up on the Washington, DC scene like an atom bomb, bringing true musicianship and skill to the table, blowing everyone else away. Ian MacKaye and Brian Baker of Minor Threat recall being terrified when they were booked to play with the Bad Brains, as the bar was set impossibly high. Ironically, HR (singer of Bad Brains) took Ian under his wing after their DC shows and would act as a mentor to him for years to come.

The track actually begins at the 1:00 mark after some impressive riffing and bending of time signature. It's hard to pick a stand-out Bad Brains track, but this one shows the incredible nature in which they blends reggae stylings with straight-ahead juggernaut punk energy.

Issue 4

The Loser tape (BCT01) is still in the works, should be in hand by January. The reborn Sector 7G building, The Iron Heights, is on hold pending legal resolution of zoning problems.

Apologies for the delay in publishing this issue. I have recently become a part-time dad.

-Brian

"The most important things are the hardest to say. They are the things you get ashamed of, because words diminish them...."
SK

Interview with Torch Runner

- Committed to the Ground is one of my favorite heavy records, possibly because it's the first thing I heard from Torch Runner, but you seem to have really found a distinct sound with Endless Nothing. Do you feel like Torch Runner has grown to be more than the sum of its influences?

You know, honestly I would have a hard time even telling you what our influences might be. We obviously listen to and love a lot of bands within and outside of our genre, but I don't know that we've ever consciously set out to do something because of something else that we've heard. There has been a definite progression through each one of our 5 releases, but I feel like every single song we write is a continual progression of the song before it. We are constantly trying to write good songs that progress and flow well, and in our minds that is probably the only definite goal we have when writing... Just please don't say we sound like Converge. That is a comparison we seem to get stuck with that I will never understand.

- Some incredible records have come out of Legitimate Business. Can you describe what working with Kris is like?

We've had the opportunity to know and work with Kris, and watch him and his studio grow, almost the whole time he has been recording bands. He is a goddamn work horse, and every penny he makes gets funneled right back into Legit Biz. He, his equipment, and his facility are constantly getting better. He has great taste, he knows what he's talking about, and he has a passion for what he does. Ideally we will make every record we ever do with him. I've never had a better experience with anyone else or in any other studio. And, obviously, the records he has been producing speak for themselves.

- What kind of influence do you think recording at Legitimate Business has on your sound?

Kris not only knows and understands heavy music, he knows how to record it to make it sound how you want it to sound. He's always done an awesome job of figuring out amp configuration/mic placement/all the other shit I don't know about to get the record to come out exactly (and in some ways better than) how we want it to be. Working with Kris at Legit Biz makes the initial process of, "tell me some records you like so I can get an idea of how you want to sound" unnecessary because he just gets it. For that reason, we're able to easily create the sound that we want.

- How long has your current lineup been active?

Well, the three of us have been playing together since November of 2007. Josh and Scott were playing together for a few months before that, and then I tried out for vocals on the same night that our friend Matt tried out for bass. At the time the four of us didn't know each other. Matt played bass with us through early 2009, and was eventually replaced by our friend Chuck who played bass (and guitar, toward the end) until early 2012... We had a couple fill-in second guitar player's for a while but eventually decided to stick it out as a three piece and it's been smooth sailing since then.

- Was Locust Swarm recorded as a three- or four-piece?

Locust Swarm was recorded as a four piece, but we only had one guitar player (Scott) at the time. Shortly after the recording of Locust Swarm, I started playing bass and doing vocals so that the band wasn't completely at the mercy of our old bass player's rigorous touring schedule.

- I noticed that you play your bass with your fingers. That is fairly unorthodox on this side of the music world, but your bass tone has a characteristic thickness and heft to it under the grime and grit. What made you decide not to use a pick?

 Haha... The honest truth is that I can't play with a pick to save my life. I started playing bass when I was about 13 years old and a dude who I thought was super-cool-punk-rock-god told me to "drop the pick, it's making your bass sound twangy" and I haven't picked it up since. When I started playing bass in Torch Runner, I started with a pick but had so much trouble trying to do it I eventually just said fuck it, what's the point in learning now. I definitely think that playing with a pick sounds better, but it's just made me be super anal and find a bass rig and tone that still sounds good.

- Your lyrics have a distinct style that seems to fit Torch Runner's music perfectly. Where do you draw inspiration from when writing? Do you usually bring lyrics to a song, or write to a song after it's written?

My process for writing lyrics always starts with me sitting down, clearing my head, and just writing whatever comes to mind... basically stream of consciousness. When I feel like I hit a wall, I go back through and read it all and try to pull out common themes. Any thoughts/lines/etc that seem to match all get pulled out, and that's the skeleton for a song. From there, I go back through and try to rewrite what I have as one complete thought with a beginning, middle, and end. I really like to have anywhere from 5-10 potential sets of lyrics when I start trying to find a song to work them into. After a song is written, we will usually try to do scratch recordings of them. I take the scratch recordings and try to read the lyrics I have written along with the song to see if they will roughly fit. Whichever ones I feel like match, feel right, and at least somewhat work from the beginning then finally get reworked one more time to fit the song

-What is it like being on/working with Southern Lord, alongside legendary bands like Black Breath, High On Fire, Sunn O)))?

Being on Southern Lord is great. It is our first experience with a bigger record label, and Greg runs it just like a small record label. He hasn't asked us to do anything differently than what we've always done, and he is just genuinely stoked on heavy music. Being on Southern Lord hasn't really changed anything for us, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't simply make everything we try to do a little bit easier. It's super hard to be in a band and try to start touring. Nobody wants to give you shows because nobody knows who you are, but no one is ever going to know who you are if you don't tour... That's not a problem we really run into as much anymore, which takes a lot of the stress of touring away.

-What do you attribute your success as a band to, as far as you measure success?

I don't know that I would really classify what we've done as success, but only because those are terms we've never really considered. The band/playing shows/touring has first and foremost always been an enjoyable way for us to be together as friends and do what we love. Any measure of success that we've experienced has come to us because we put it as a top priority in our lives for the past 8 years. 7 years ago we all quit school, sold our cars, bought a van, and just fucking tried. Scott moved to Greensboro and we shared a bedroom for about 6 months. We left home for our very first tour with $65 of band money that we immediately put into the gas tank before leaving town. We had no guarantees, no idea what any shows were going to be like, but to us there was absolutely no other option. If you aren't willing to take risks with your life and your band, you can't reasonably expect anything to happen for you. We've spent years touring and trying as hard as we can, and when you put in the time and effort things just eventually get easier- Whether that's because of a record label taking notice, or simply making friends that hook you up with shows the next time you come through. There are definitely bands that get "big" or popular without putting in the work... But fuck that bullshit. It's cheating, and what fun is the internet?

- Any advice to bands just starting out, e.g. what to do/what not to do?

I guess that last question really covers my feelings on it. You just have to fucking put yourself out there. No matter what your goals are- Whether they are to get on a big record label, get to tour with bigger bands, or whatever... No one is going to work for you if they haven't already seen you work hard as shit for yourself. Also, I've always been of the mindset that I'd rather try and fail then not try at all. Luckily, Scott and Josh are, too. There's nothing more annoying to me than people talking about what they used to do or almost did.

- Any touring plans through the rest of 2015?

We have one more show this year, which is on Saturday Nov. 28th in Greensboro. It is a record release show for a fucking sick band called Ivadell. If you haven't listened to them yet, you definitely should. Up to then and after that we decided to not play any more shows this year so that we can focus on writing. We have about 7-8 songs that are all partially written, and it's definitely time to start getting to work on them.

- When can we expect a new record?

There are no concrete plans as of right now, but we really hope to have one written by the end of the year. Our goal is to do at least 1-2 more solid tours on Endless Nothing early next year, and then start setting our sights on recording again. That's about as far as we've gotten in the process.

Torch Runner - Endless Nothing (2014)

Greensboro, NC crust champions Torch Runner have managed to follow up 2012's Committed to the Ground with an even more monstrously gnarly crusher of an album. Everything that made Committed... great is here - the warm tube tone brimming with life, the consistent juggernaut drumming, memorable riffs upon memorable riffs, and lyrics that stick with the listener long after the song is over - but Endless... brings these elements to the table with new tenacity and vigor, creating a unique musical work that deserves a place among the great heavy records of the 2010's.

Artwork: The overall presentation of this record is eerily similar to Torch Runner's previous record, Committed to the Ground, with its circular/cyclical imagery shown in dark, organic tones. This record cover shows Torch Runner's at-times unconventional approach to their grimy craft - maybe not typical, but always highly effective.

Structure: Endless... is 13 songs that hover around 1:30 in length, besides the eighth track, which reaches boldly to the 4:00 minute mark with a consistently dirgy headbanger's dream. It plays like a straight-forward crust/grind album, plain and simple.

Sound: The crusty grind brought forth on Committed... continues full-force here, with some subtle adjustments that seem to point toward Torch Runner maturing as a band. This record sounds absolutely killer - Legitimate Business studio at its best, as always. The production on this record is a touch less harsh than on Committed... which works in the record's favor. Every minute detail of every track is detectable, even if they are flying by a breakneck speed.

Lyrics: Rob Turner returns here with the same grace and intention found on Committed... speaking of internal unrest and the struggle against nihilistic and existential thoughts. Torch Runner always has a point to make, even if it will only take 30 seconds to make it.

For Fans Of: Cursed, Neurosis, Thou

Favorite Lyrics: "we walk above our shallow graves without fear or hope. treading unbroken with no sorrow - it died with our gods. having no purpose, because we have rejected our world. standing or fallen, there is only tomorrow. unwavering and endless."

Favorite Track: Congregation

1. Attrition
2. Bound By Misery
3. Congregation
4. Circuition
5. Godlust
6. Rebirth
7. Calloused Mind
8. Circle of Shit
9. Wordless
10. Endless Nothing
11. ALEL
12. All We Have
13. Unspoken

Rating: 9 / 10 

Merch: Headfirst Records
Listen: Bandcamp
Follow: Facebook

Yautja - Songs of Lament (2015)

Prodigious craftsmen of song and verse Yautja announced two weeks ago that a new album was on the way, streaming the opening track of what seemed like an advanced successor to their previous record, Songs of Descent. This masterwork will make whatever you were listening to previously sound brutishly rudimentary by comparison - because, after all, raising the bar is what Yautja does best.

Artwork: Anderson of Tapes of a Neon God designed and released the cassette version of Songs of Descent. Given full reign over the visual aspects of this record, Anderson has taken Yautja's already shattering presence even deeper into unsettlingly beautiful territory.

Nashville, TN's Yautja have returned from Songs of Descent with what seems to be a follow-up EP titled Songs of Lament. This record tops the impossibly high standards set by ...Descent in 2013 by every measure and is an absolute jaw-dropper of an album. I drove two and a half hours to see Yautja last week, bought this tape, and played it on repeat the entire way home.

Structure: The song titles' format would hint at an A-B-A-B... sequence to the track list, but after many listens, I can't find that type of rhythm. Songs of Lament seems to be seven songs strung together in several ways, namely, effects and noise that are consistent with the tonal quality of the songs. This EP stands with its foot on the boundary of "LP" without crossing it.

 

Sound: This record opens with Shibby Poole's guitar establishing the opening passage with a tone that somehow sounds even clearer, thicker and more razor-sharp than on Songs of Descent. The production here captures the animal aggression of Yautja, keeping it loosely leashed while allowing it to writhe and thrive in its environment. Every passage that goes by demands the listener's attention. Riff upon riff upon oddly syncopated beat upon melodic butchery of key signature - Yautja's only rule seems to be that they abide by no rules. These songs break all barriers of normalcy like they never existed, and thus stand as something truly great. 10/10, buy it HERE before scrolling any further.

For Fans Of: Neurosis, Gaza, Rush

Favorite Track: Crumbling

1. Breed Regret
2. Thankful; Appalled
3. Of Lament
4. Revel; Writhe
5. For Naught
6. Disgust; Disguise
7. Crumbling

Rating: 10 / 10 

Merch: (tape) Tapes of a Neon God // (LP preorder) Forcefield Records
Listen: Bandcamp
Follow: Facebook

IDYLLS - PRAYER FOR TERRENE (2014)

The ferociously engaging Brisbane, Australia outfit Idylls dropped their debut LP in March of last year, raising eyebrows worldwide with a mammoth aggression and infectiously body-shaking rhythm unlike anything heard before... except on every single Converge record after When Forever Comes Crashing.

Artwork: This is one of the weirdest album covers I have ever seen. After staring at it intently many times, I feel like there is supposed to be something happening here, but I just don't get it.

Structure: In a rather unorthodox fashion, Prayer For Terrene opens with a nearly 7-minute long opus of calculated chaos and emotion, and follows it with 9 short tracks that are 1/3 its length. Maybe they were trying to distance themselves from Converge, by structuring their album exactly opposite of Jane Doe.

I listen to the first few minutes of the first track about once a week. When I want to hear Idylls, that song scratches the itch perfectly. The track, and only that track, does drag on far too long, building into some unbelievably noisy passages that just don't add anything to the song. Each track that follows plays like an experiment with a random assortment of explosive chemicals, whose results were recorded in musical form. There isn't a lot of consistency, besides the trashcans-falling-down-stairs momentum of the band and the overwhelmingly loud production. Each song is different and worth checking out.

Sound: The fact that their name, album title and song names always appear in all-Caps is appropriate. I should start by saying that Idylls does have a unique take on some aspects of their sound, and those aspects make them worth listening to, repeatedly. Even if this record had not been mixed and mastered by Kurt Ballou (guitarist of Converge, owner/engineer of God City Studios) It would still be a killer record that really stands out as having its own voice worth listening to, if only for the insidiously catchy riffs and rhythms. However, with this record, Idylls had many listeners wondering exactly how many times they have listened to Converge's discography on repeat. About 30 seconds into the first track, an interesting 6/4 rhythm is presented that simultaneously made me want to buy this record and made me think "Is this a B-side from Jane Doe?" and when 1:30 hits, Idylls bares their unique stripe in full view. If you like Converge, you will like this band. If you don't like Converge... get out of my face.

Lyrics: I have no idea what he is saying and I can't find the lyrics. Sorry.

For Fans Of: The Chariot, Converge, kangaroos

Favorite Track: LIED TO

1. LIED TO
2. FAGGED OUT ON THE BEACH
3. SOW CONTROL
4. ANIMAL TEST
5. DENIGRATING IN THE TANKS
6. PCP CRAZY
7. PAY WITH YOUTH
8. CONCORD PRISON
9. CRASHING BOAR
10. TERRAFORM

Rating: 9 / 10 

Merch: Bandcamp
Listen: Bandcamp
Follow: Facebook

Required Listening Classics - SS Decontrol

When hardcore was born in the late 1970's, most enthusiasts were only able to keep up with the growing movement through zines, mail order flyers, and word of mouth. There were very few actual scenes in the US, so in the beginning, countless hardcore kids would pile into borrowed cars and drive incredible distances to see bands that they were interested in. In some cities, the desire to bring hardcore home was strong enough to drive kids to start their own bands, and when enough bands were started, a scene was created.

Most hardcore scenes were identified with one or two bands from the area. In the very early days of hardcore when Black Flag ruled the West Coast and Minor Threat ruled the East, and there were very nearly zero notable scenes in between, a straight edge band called SSD (Society System Decontrol) would rise up and put Boston on the map. SSD is the prototype of all "Boston hardcore" to come, and The Kids Will Have Their Say is an absolute must-listen for any hardcore kid of any generation. The opening track, "Boiling Point" is just as intense and emotive today as it was when it was written, and is always cited as my #1 song to mosh a hole through a wall to. Check it out below.

Issue 3

Design for quarterly print publications of Black Cloud Talk is complete.

Black Cloud Tapes: Recording for BCT01, Loser's Saturday Mourning Cartoons, is nearing completion, digital artwork below. BCT02 is also being recorded currently by an undisclosed band that I am thrilled to be working with.

I was fortunate enough to catch Yautja last weekend, and they proved yet again that they are pushing boundaries and making incredible art with every step they take as a band.

Until November.

-Brian

"Sigh no more... / Men were deceivers ever, / One foot in sea and one on shore, / To one thing constant never. / Then sigh not so, but let them go..."
-WS

Interview with AXIS

Photo Credit: Augie Ruiz

- I first heard Axis on the Weight of the World split 7" you put out a few years ago, and from the live videos I've seen of Axis recently, it seems like you still play "Irreversible" at most of your shows. Do you feel like that song still represents Axis' spirit and sound?

For a lot of people in Florida, especially since the album isn't out, it's the AXIS song.  I love that split and that song but it was with our first vocalist and it was before I feel like we really found our sound. It's more of an attempted emulation of the nineties metalcore sound rather than our own thing. We try to get away from playing it except for special occasions and it'll be hung up in the rafters soon.

- I hear the term "90's hardcore" thrown around a lot when describing your sound. How do you feel about being described that way? Is Axis heavily influenced by any specific bands from the 1990's?

I don't mind the term at all, it's definitely one of my favorite eras of any music genre. We try to capture what those bands did with a lot of what we do but I don't think that's all we're limited to. We draw influence from a multitude of places but the core of our inspiration nowadays would be bands like Turmoil, Kiss It Goodbye, All Else Failed and late 90's Converge.

- Axis has gained a great deal of recognition in a relatively short span of time, and it is encouraging to see what was a smaller regional band become a noteworthy name on any showbill in the Southeast. Do you feel that Axis has risen to that level because of your hard work, touring, networking, or good fortune, or...?

I think it's sort of a mix of all of that. We've just passed the 5 year mark as a band so I'm sure being at it for a bit has helped. We've just tried to tour as much as possible and really tried to hone our craft these past couple of years. We've had some good luck and some bad luck but I think that was the main benefit to whatever success we've had.

Axis / Self Defense Family split: "The Least Violent Time In Human History"

- How was the connection made between Axis and Self Defense Family that led to the split 7" last year on Deathwish?

Our drummer Tommy is a big fan and threw the idea at them on a whim. They were into the idea and it all fell together. I really love that split because it's basically two bands from opposite ends of the spectrum, not giving a shit and just doing something cool together. It reminds me of the Get Up Kids/Coalesce split.

- It seems like the split garnered attention from a spectrum of fans who wouldn't normally have listened to you. Have you been approached by anyone who first heard you through Self Defense Family?

There's some run over between the fanbases of both bands for sure. But I've definitely had people tell me they've discovered us through the split and probably wouldn't have otherwise. It's cool to have people checking you out beyond their scope of familiarity.

- Do you think you will continue to pursue connections with bands outside your genre?

I think it's likely in some capacity. All of us are into so many different things and as we get older we care less about being par for the course.

- I read in the notes for The Least Violent Time in Human History that "both Mikes quit and Jesse came back." Has Axis had to go through significant lineup changes to keep going as a band?

As of the past couple of years, I'm the only original guy from the first incarnation of the band. It's difficult to find people that all get along, have real musical chemistry and are down to hit the road as much as we do. Our main songwriting core (Tommy, Dylan and I) have been together since 2012, so considering that we've just kept adapting and I think we're a pretty solid unit at this point.

- For myself and others that play in hardcore bands, what advice can you give for being successful as a band? And on that note, how do you feel that Axis defines "success"?

Learn from your peers, write good riffs, find an aesthetic, find band members who are truly compatible together, don't be afraid to be a little different, tour a lot and put all of yourself into every aspect of what you create. Some of those things took me a long time to discover.

Personally, is if it makes you happy and there's others who honestly enjoy what you do, you're there. I get to keep pushing myself creatively and travel the world with my best friends. So in that respect, I feel really successful.

Photo Credit: Davey Burns

- I've wanted to ask this for a year now; I have a copy of Rites of Passage that has a different cover than the normal one, and I can't find it anywhere online. Even the label on the record doesn't look like the normal labels. Is it a tour press, or...?

If it's the Botch rip with the gun or the water panel cover, it's a tour press from between 2013-2014. We ended up with a stack of those 7"s without covers so we had a few different ones done.

- So you just announced that this August, you're touring with Old Wounds. I saw them for the first time a few months ago and it was like walking into a hardcore show in 1998. How does it feel to be able to tour with another current band who has chosen to forego the current hardcore trends in favor of the spirit and zeal of what many consider a bygone era?

It's pretty cool, they're all really awesome (and handsome) guys who take what they do seriously. Old wounds definitely has some 18v and Martyr A.D. feel to them. I think our bands compliment each other really well and if you are into metalcore pre-2003 this tour is right up your alley.

- This blog is based out of Augusta, GA and it looks like 9/4/2015, Axis will be at the New Brookland Tavern in Columbia, SC. Expect to see some Augusta kids there!

Awesome, thanks for the interview. I really enjoyed answering some of these. See you then!

AXIS - "Show Your Greed" Stream

Florida hardcore heroes AXIS drop their debut LP this Friday. Preorder link below. Augusta kids, check out the 9/4 date in Columbia.

PREORDER

loser - saturday mourning cartoons - Side A Stream

The two-piece Augusta hardcore outfit Loser has teamed up with Black Cloud Talk to stream the first half of their newest recording, a narrative of the inner struggles of a misfit high school kid, which will be released on Black Cloud Tapes this Fall.



"i’ll walk back and forth 
until i wear a hole in the ground 
long enough to lie down in 
'…the grasses waving over one’s head…'
no, i want the sun to warm my face every morning 
cycle neverending 
while the earth grows over me and i return to dust 

every sideways glance is 
another inch sunk into my chair 
every look in the mirror is the
hopeless salvation of seeing someone else 

you would think being nobody would be easy"

Pallbearer - Foundations of Burden (2014)

Arkansas doom practitioners Pallbearer set the bar impossibly high with 2012's masterpiece Sorrow and Extinction. The record garnered attention from nearly all corners of the heavy music world and firmly planted the band among the modern doom metal staples. Sorrow... was and is a timeless album that will maintain its value for decades. With expectations soaring high, Pallbearer returned to the table with Foundations of Burden, which is effectively a sequel to Sorrow... in both sound and execution.

Artwork: The overall feel of Foundations... is reminiscent of the early Castlevania games, which is actually what drew me to this record. The image is simple in its meaning but beautifully complex in its execution, and it almost looks like the map screen of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse. This blend horror, fantasy and surrealism was a sucker punch to my "buy this record" button.

Structure: Foundations... flows through the same vein as its predecessor, featuring a handful of slowly developing dirge-like songs, averaging about ten minutes apiece. The length of these tracks may be intimidating, but each one flows like a slowly winding river, taking the listener gently by the hand on an awe-inspiring journey through a wilderness of emotion and rhythm. "Ashes" is the only track that falls distinctly outside the doom metal genre, featuring a piano and a quiet but emotionally-charged vocal backed by a beautiful string arrangement.

Sound: The most notable feature of Pallbearer is the melodious voice of its frontman Brett Campbell, which sets Pallbearer apart from a sizable majority of doom metal bands. Thick, chunky guitars create dense walls of beautiful chords and slow metal riffs throughout the album, but the sense is never given that Foundations... wants to raise your heart rate or excite you with speed or harshness or flashy performances. Every section of this album is heartfelt and real. Tonally, there are few standout sections offered here; Pallbearer seldom veers from their slow churn, but rhythmically, Pallbearer creates some intimately engaging head-nodding passages that stretch and morph into entire songs, grabbing the listener, again, by the hand gently and letting them coast through this whirlwind of beautifully slow riffage and tribal rhythms. The one and only flaw I feel exists in this record is that some of the guitar harmonies seem thrown together (see beginning of "Watcher In The Dark"), as they don't always... harmonize. It works, in a way, but in another way, it doesn't, and this happens throughout the record, which is why this is a 9/10 record and not a 10/10.

*Note: The video below is absolutely worth your time!


Lyrics: Pallbearer brings a surprisingly mixed bag of observations of the positive and negative aspects of the human condition. Existing in the "doom metal" spectrum sets a band under an assumed umbrella of negativity or hopeless, but on Foundations... Pallbearer creates many parallels that both create interesting imagery and prod the listener to question the meaning behind the verses. The opening passage "Without light, the dark encloses all..." is followed by "Without dark, the light burns out our eyes..." setting the stage for a record about comparisons and things being out of balance. The opening track ends with some beautiful verse: "I'm reaching out / Across frayed tapestry of lives / Eroding worlds / Cut through unraveled cords of time / Within this rift / Where lays our heart of hearts defined / My darkness and your light, still yet remain entwined."

For Fans Of: Mourning Cloak, Thou, The Body

Favorite Lyrics: "Endless and obscured
The watcher in the dark
In the sea of illusion
A voyage to beyond, within"

Favorite Track: Watcher In The Dark

1. Worlds Apart
2. Foundations
3. Watcher In The Dark
4. The Ghost I Used To Be
5. Ashes
6. Vanished

Rating: 9 / 10 

Merch: Holy Mountain Printing
Listen: bandcamp
Follow: facebook // website

New Lows - Abhorrent Endings (2014)

After dropping their 2011 debut full-length Harvest of the Carcass on Deathwish, Boston bruisers New Lows returned last year to sum up nearly everything that defines the last decade of Boston Hardcore. Everything that was good about Harvest... is here, and with significantly less material to dig into, Abhorrent Endings delivers the goods, and more.

Artwork: Abhorrent Endings's cover shows Jacob Bannon reaching out to the edges of his familiar style. The vinyl release of this (the only record that I have a complete collection of) is essentially one-sided, with the songs all on one side and the back side perfectly flat, with the bands NL logo spray paint stenciled in lovely DIY fashion, giving each record a completely unique feel. The front and back cover art are very reminiscent of stencil art, as well, and the design aesthetic of the whole package gives Abhorrent... a hands-on feel - this wasn't just designed on a computer and spat into stores - the effort of which sings of the love and passion put into it.

Structure: This 12" EP plays like an average band's demo, featuring only five tracks. Some are more memorable than others, but this record plus Harvest... made me buy tickets to see them play a one-off show in Boston, 17 hours away.

Sound: New Lows still sounds like New Lows here, but Abhorrent... sounds more like a really good demo than a professionally produced album. Fortunately, this works in New Lows' favor, as these songs gain a degree of ferocity from the grit of their raw production that would be missing if extra polish was applied. It's a rager of a punk record that so shocked me when I first heard the first song, I had purchased the record online before the song was over.

Lyrics: P-Boy, vocalist and lyricist, pens some of the most beautifully pensive lyrics in punk music that I have ever read. Every line is trimmed to the bone - there is absolutely no filler, not a single word that does not serve a purpose, and the momentum of these songs grinds the verses into the listener's memory. These are tracks I have listened to over, and over, and over again, and will listen to in the future.

For Fans Of: Figure Four, Trash Talk, Converge

Favorite Lyrics: "Jagged jaws gnaw
Gnash at the past
Traveling troubled trails
Treasures in trash bags
Grief-gripped eyes blind
Insomnia tinged skies
Serpents search Earth
For life left behind"

Favorite Track: Shelter Shard

1. Abhorrent Endings
2. There's No Roses In The Rubble
3. Osaka Sun
4. Carving Crosses
5. Shelter Shard

Rating: 8 / 10 

Merch: Deathwish
Listen: bandcamp
Follow: facebook

Issue 2

This month, I was fortunate enough to talk with AXIS, and some friends of mine and I are carpooling to see them this Friday in Columbia. Next month will feature another interview with another great band and more album/track reviews, but will also contain a new segment that will continue through December.

I am working on plans to make Black Cloud Talk a quarterly print publication.

Also, Black Cloud Tapes will soon take form, beginning with the release of the new Loser cassette.

As always, submissions are encouraged. Send whatever you want to talk about to blackcloudtalk@gmail.com and I'll try to work it in.

Until October.

-Brian

"Hearts can break. Yes, hearts can break. Sometimes I think it would be better if we died when they did, but we don't."

-SK

Interview with Full Of Hell

Photo Credit: Angela Owens

I spoke with Spencer Hazard, who plays guitar in Full of Hell, about their latest release (Full of Hell & Merzbow), touring, maturing as a band, and their recently completed collaborative album with experimental duo The Body.

- How long have you been a band?

This coming February we will have been a band for 7 years.

- How did you form the relationship with Merzbow that led to your recent collaboration?

It was all due to his drummer Balazs Pandi from Hungary. We met randomly at a Phobia show we played in NYC. His was impressed with our performance so we kept in touch. Years later, he suggested we do a collab with Merzbow because he had shown us to Masami and ran the idea for the collab by him and he was totally into it. We had the Merzbow material almost for a year before we actually began working on it. We only ever exchanged emails until our performance together in Tokyo this past spring.

- Could you describe the live performance that you were able to put on with Merzbow? Did you play any of the Sister Fawn tracks together, or was it more free-form?

The performance was 100% improvised. We discussed briefly backstage a concept for the performance but there was still a language barrier, but we were able to pull it off. We wouldn't been able to pull off Sister Fawn live just because those tracks were basically put together on the spot at the studio. Plus, Masami's contributions were very manipulated from the initial tracks he had sent us. It would have been impossible unless computers were used during the show.

- On your recent tour with the Body, I noticed that your set list had changed significantly from previous tours. How do you decide what songs to play on a given tour?

We do tour a decent amount so we want our sets to be fresh for us and our audience. Some of our older material we have played so much we just have to lay it to rest, or we cannot relate to the material anymore. We are constantly trying to push ourselves musically so some of the older material feels out of place in our sets these days.

- The guys from The Body seem like pretty cool dudes. How much fun was touring with them? Any tour antics to report?

They are some of the coolest guys we have ever shared the road with. No antics to report, but we did eat alot of unhealthy food together almost every single day.

Photo Credit: Angela Owens

- I think I remember the Roots of Earth... records you had on that tour being the fourth pressing. How does it feel to have had so much success commercially? Did you expect for your releases to be as desirable as they are now?

It's very shocking to me personally. I was so stressed releasing that LP since it was our first. I am still surprised today that that record means so much to certain people and that it's still being talked about however many years later.

- How has your relationship with A389 helped to further your art?

Working with Dom has very been a very good experience on the business side and musical side of things.  We loved Pulling Teeth so we very much respect his opinions and he has always been there pushing us.

- Full of Hell is in the very top tier of current bands, lyrically. Your whole catalog features highly literate and evocative writing that reads sometimes like ripped pages from a madman's diary. Where does the inspiration for that come from? Do you read a lot, while on tour, etc?

I personally don't write any of the lyrics, but I know everyone in the band likes to read at home or on tour. From my understanding, most of the lyrics Dylan write come from a personal place, but he puts his own twist on them with inspiration from other artists we enjoy.

- In a scene of bands who don't venture beyond the given boundaries of hardcore, metal, etc. Full of Hell is one of a handful of bands actually pushing the boundaries outward. Did you decide one day that you wanted to be pioneers, or is your sound just the sound that you wanted to create?

I don't think any band ever really sets out to be pioneers and I don't consider us pioneers in the least bit. I feel like bands try to push boundries because they are making music they want to hear or they want to challenge themselves artistically. Since we started as a band I looked up to more aggressive/experimental bands and I wanted to put those influences into a hardcore spectrum. I still feel like we are connected to hardcore but even at this point I think we have pushed ourselves beyond that and are just trying to challenge ourselves as much as possible.

Photo Credit: Angela Owens

- How do you think Full of Hell has matured over the years as a band?

I think from being on the road so much and being in so many different bad and good situations we have learned a lot. We have always tried to carry ourselves as professionally as possible, but everyday with the band is a new learning experience and has made us wise up on how we handle situations much easier.

- It seems like early on, Full of Hell took that crucial step in creating more than the sum of your influences. I play in a hardcore band and had someone tell me at a show after our set that we reminded them of Full of Hell. How does it feel to have reached the point of influencing other bands so early in your career?

I personally think it's cool that we can be a stepping stone band for other kids. I like being able to wear our influences on our sleeves and help other people learn about different genres or bands. I just want people to take those influences from either us or bands they discover from listening to us and put their own spin on it, and not just be a clone.

- Where do you think you are headed sonically in 1, 2, 5 years, etc.?

I'm not sure. It's something I try to think about, but I'm sure it will come naturally. The newer material we have been writing has more of a metal spin to it, but I also don't want to lose focus on where we came from or not have room to experiment. Hopefully with the years we will just keep getting more experimental as well as more sonically devastating.

- Would you like to add anything about your upcoming collaboration with The Body?

With this collab I feel as though you can feel more of an imprint from both bands compared to some of the negativity we heard from the Merzbow record. I think both bands took aspects we liked from each other, combined them, but also had fun with it since it's a one-off recording project. I can say it's very industrial and there are a lot of electronic elements.

Full of Hell & Merzbow (2014)

American powerviolence/noise titans Full of Hell and Japanese noise artist Merzbow worked together to create a hugely dark, evocative work, When this thing dropped last November, it hit like a dirty bomb on a highly populated city - sooner or later, you're going to feel it.

Artwork: After multiple viewings, I realized that the  cover is not purely abstract and features a human being either being consumed by fire or dissolved in acid. It is a beautiful work, brutal in its simplicity, able to inspire while unsettling, much like the sounds delivered on this record.

Structure: FOH/Merzbow is a two-part release, with the primary offering sounding like a new FOH record with Merzbow weaving atmosphere and noise into each crevice of FOH's compositions. While the album as a whole works to create a single effect, each track is its own small entity with a unique identity. The second half of the release, titled Sister Fawn, was released both as a very limited cassette (first 100 pre-orders) and as a second disc with the CD version of this album. Sister Fawn works to complement the primary portion of this release by placing Merzbow up front, creating whirlwind after whirlwind of noise and sound effects, with FOH working to support his compositions with their dark, ruthless assault in a secondary role.

Sound: This release features FOH taking another subtle step away from their hardcore roots, this time in a death metal direction, occasionally featuring pounding beats and discordant riffs in the vein of bands like Suffocation and Cannibal Corpse. The production here is similar to Rudiments... - dark, brooding, and savagely kinetic, but unique in the way that it leaves room for Merzbow to add textures through it. All of the ferocious hardcore/powerviolence energy showcased throughout FOH's history is still being used to its maximum potential here, but the nuanced changes of dynamic throughout this record make it more than a sequel to their previous release, showing that FOH has a unique artistic identity, vaguely reminiscent of other bands but still completely identifiable, even on a first listen, as Full of Hell.

Lyrics: FOH's lyrics, from the first releases to the present, read like the dark poetic ramblings of a genius gone mad. Each song on this collaborative record paints a new picture, and the peak of the experience of listening to this record, like every previous FOH release, is found when piecing together the difference elements described, being ripped from the larynx of vocalist Dylan Walker, into a mental image as the song blazes by like an electric charge, too quick to grasp any single piece. FOH sets itself apart from the majority of current bands that exist under the hardcore umbrella, in that their lyrics are just as important as the compositions being played. It is hard to sit down with a FOH record with its lyrics sheet out and not be inspired.

For Fans Of: Charles Bronson, Weekend Nachos, Man Is The Bastard, Gasp

Favorite Lyrics: "human violence turns the gears
voices cry, no words form"

Favorite Track: Blue Litmus

1. Burst Synapse
2. Gordian Knot
3. Humming Miter
4. Blue Litmus
5. Raise Thee, Great Wall, Bloodied and Terrible
6. Thrum in the Deep
7. Shattered Knife
8. Mute
9. High Fells
10. Ludjet Av Gud
11. Fawn Heads and Unjoy
12. Ergot
13. Merzdrone
14. Aphid
15. Crumbling Ore
16. Litany of Desire

Rating: 8 / 10 

Merch: Cold Cuts // Topshelf
Listen: bandcamp
Follow: tumblr // facebook // A389

Yautja - Songs of Descent (2014)

Last year, Nashville, TN three-piece Yautja (pronounced "yowt-juh" / named after the antagonist of the Predator films and comics) created Songs of Descent, one of the greatest records of 2014. The artistic depth and brute animal strength of this record have captivated my attention with every single listen, and I feel that it is a must-listen for anyone interested in any corner of the heavy music spectrum. It is not a "something for everyone" record - it is a "something in everyone" record, as it will tap into something within you and demand your attention.

Artwork: The seemingly unrelated images held together by splatters of paint and God knows what else, with the two faces in the center - it's actually mildly unsettling. The LP format of this album has all of the text on a clear sticker on the jacket, so when you take the record out to play it, you're simply holding the image, which is hard not to stare at. The CD format is impressively identical to the LP, simply being a sized-down version, complete with insert. The cassette format (currently sold out, repress scheduled for September through Tapes of a Neon God) features re-worked artwork. Every time I listen to this album, the artwork takes several minutes of my attention before the music even begins.

Structure: Songs of Descent is presented in "LP format," with the first and second halves of the record grouped together. Each song has a distinct theme that is presented in a beautiful blend of fluid, evocative prose and to-the-point hardcore ethos.

Sound: Tyler Coburn opens this album with an inventive tribal rhythm, foreshadowing the deftness with which Yautja approaches their craft - nothing is overplayed, and nothing is overstated. Despite being an overall loud and aggressive record, Yautja's effort in Songs of Descent is impressive in its subtlety, especially in all its varied beats and rhythms. For one, it is impossible to listen to this record and not be taken aback by Tyler's world-class drumming. Bassist Kayhan Vaziri, who also plays bass in Coliseum (Deathwish), completely satisfies and then expands his role as bass player, adding to each song with a mature touch unknown to most low-end thudders in heavy music (and as a bass player, myself, the distinct grimy growl of his Precision Bass brings joy to my heart.)  Shibby Poole approaches his guitar with a nimbleness that belies the simple kinetic force it creates (also, some of the best guitar tone I have ever heard in a live setting.) The final touch is that all three of the guys in Yautja handle vocal duties, so their sound is completely organic, derivative of each member in turn. Watching them live is like watching three best friends come together to form a rare beast that disappears once their set ends. Songs of Descent is volatile, but beautiful; it is unpredictable but engaging; mysterious, but accessible, and incredibly inspiring. Immerse yourself in this album.

For Fans Of: Gaza, Torch Runner, Isis

Favorite Lyrics: "i'll be there too
wretched viewing
with your jaded eyes...
and when the tar and blindness
is replaced with clarity
i'll smile and shake my head
as your lungs flood
and there is no place for this
only tar is left
and the rats will swarm to you
like the god that you are
you could fill
lakes with what
comes from your
eyes"

Favorite Track: "Tar and Blindness"

1. (path of descent)
2. denihilist
3. blinders
4. concrete tongue
5. tar and blindness
6. teeth
7. faith resigned
8. (path to ground)
9. an exit
10. a crawl
11. of descent
12. humility/humanity
13. a cleansing fire
14. chemical reign

Rating: 9 / 10 

Listen: bandcamp
Merch: bandcamp
Follow: facebook

Torch Runner - Committed To The Ground (2012)

Greensboro, NC crust champions Torch Runner dropped this, their first LP, in 2012, making an impression on the Southeastern hardcore community. While it is a ferocious work of energy and aggression, Committed To The Ground is a criminally underrated album, as Torch Runner has never received the attention that they deserve for the incredible creative works that they consistently put out.

Artwork: This is one of my favorite album covers, for its simplicity and its execution.  Marissa Zarrabzadeh's work here defines Torch Runner visually - an overall simple design made of intricately fashioned parts, woven together seamlessly into an awe-inspiring display of both imagination and creative ability. The feel of this cover is the feel of the album - grey, vaguely threatening while radiating an intriguing beauty that is all its own.

Structure: Committed... is simply 12 songs, barely over 22 minutes in total. The tracks are short, with many under the 1 minute mark. If your job is 20 minutes away and you have to be there at 7AM, you need this record.

Sound: Recorded at Legitimate Business studio in Greensboro, Committed To The Ground embodies "crust" in every sense while raising the bar for production values in the genre. Torch Runner sounds like any number of powerviolence bands combined with the metal edge of Nails or Black Mask and given a +5 bonus to Intellect. Bands like Weekend Nachos and Blistered plow through hardcore mosh anthem after anthem, but only occasionally do I get the impression that real work or artistic talent was put into crafting the songs. Torch Runner acts with calculated precision, here and on every other release, having honed their abilities into a monstrously inspiring force unique to itself.

Lyrics: Rob Turner's largely unintelligible roar contains some surprisingly eloquent verse. While most bands in the crust/punk arena tend toward hyper-simplified message-driven sermons about social issues or political ideas, Torch Runner wrestles with the concept of a person choosing to stray from the herd and forge their own path, and how doing so is a conscious decision that sets them apart from the world around them. Committed To The Ground is a record you can either put on and rage to, or sit down with and dissect.

For Fans Of: Cursed, Black Mask, Narratives

Favorite Lyrics: "committed to the ground for the sake of the life it has given me... the life that is given is the same that i will return... what once represented an unending fear now serves as my proudest truth - my complete nothingness. i am committed to the ground."

Favorite Track: Harrow

1. Current
2. Incendiary
3. Feeding
4. Canon Cast
5. Clocked In
6. Committed To The Ground
7. Rede
8. Harrow
9. The Holy Are The Broken
10. Tolled
11. Pulpit Plague
12. Vestige

Rating: 8 / 10

Merch: Headfirst Records // bandcamp
Listen: bandcamp
Follow: facebook

Cult Leader - Useless Animal 7" (2015)

Born from the ashes of Gaza, Cult Leader is a Salt Lake City four-piece who dropped their debut full-length last year on Deathwish to scattered applause. Anyone who was into Gaza was floored by Cult Leader, and many people picked up the record just because it was on Deathwish, but their overall reach seems to have been stunted by a lack of word of mouth, as I have yet to meet one person who says they know who Cult Leader is. They are a great band, their first record was killer through and through, and then... this....

Artwork: Honestly, I feel like they got lazy with this one, as the design is the same featured on the insert of their first record, Nothing For Us Here, as well as on stickers sent out with every Deathwish order during the time of Nothing...'s release. It's an iconic design and serves its purpose well, but when I saw this posted as the album cover, I figured it was a hold-over until the real cover came out. Nope. Just recycling the old. To each their own.

Structure: The A side of this record features two new Cult Leader tracks, both gnarly crust anthems that are barely distinguishable from one another. Having listened to this record ten or more times, trying desperately to fall in love with it like I did with their first record, I still cannot recall any particular sections of either song. The B side of the record, however, is what makes Useless Animal a memorable and noteworthy release. On this track, Cult Leader teamed with SubRosa to create a unique rendition of Mark Kozelek & Desertshore's "You Are Not Of My Blood" which stands out among Cult Leader's previous work as a quiet, overall reserved piece that uses subtlety and grace to channel its emotion. This track is about 7 minutes long and builds slowly into some incredibly lush instrumentation toward the end that I was genuinely wowed by on the first (and second, and third...) listen. It's not a happy song, but it is a bold artistic statement made almost with sleight of hand, as it is more powerful through its unassuming nature than both songs on the other side of this record. The A side weighs the record down heavily, and the B side lifts it up high. It averages out to okay, which again, is a shame, because this could have been the 7" of the year, and it borders on being forgettable.

Sound: The first two tracks sound like Nothing For Us Here if it was mixed and mastered by someone who didn't care. As much as I want to say it's great, it isn't, and it's a shame, because Cult Leader is a great band. "You Are Not Of My Blood," however, is treated as a standalone track, and is a beautiful display of what both Cult Leader and SubRosa are capable of. The production alone makes the track a worthy listen, and the song is an understatedly powerful piece of emotional writing that is a must-listen for anyone into either hardcore/punk or alternative rock.

Lyrics: Cult Leader delivers some lines that sit somewhere between succinct and half-baked. There is maybe one impressive line on the A side, which does not meet the standard set by their first record. I don't know what happened here. Maybe they're trying something new, or maybe they're just not trying.

For Fans Of: Coalesce, Converge, Yautja

Rating: 5 / 10

Merch: Holy Mountain Printing
Listen: bandcamp
Follow: facebook