It would be redundant to label End Reign an angry band. Metal tends to breed a dime a dozen of those. And metallic hardcore isn’t a previously untapped subgenre. Besides, the two have probably worked in tandem long before we subdivided every possible combination for the sake of clarity.
In recent months, there have been quite a few “sophomore” releases that have been exciting to look forward to. However, none have been as highly anticipated as Jesus Piece return in …So Unknown (Century Media) after their debut took the metallic hardcore world by storm five years ago. While the lyrical emotions of just being pissed off about past trauma is left on the previous album, Aaron Heard still brings a level of aggression and chaos, yet a level of positivity. Either way you slice it, this record really hits the marks for a sophomore effort which will excite fans.
It never ceases to amaze me how far and wide heavy music can be found, and good music at that. Japan’s own Kruelty is a good example of this as they drop their second full-length album, Untopia (Profound Lore).
When we last heard of our New York heroes in All Out War they were still practicing a charged-up, violent brand of Metallic Hardcore on 2019’s Crawl Among the Filth. Yet it’s now 2023 and a global pandemic later and those gentlemen are again picking up that metallic mantle like it never went out of fashion on Celestial Rot (Translation Loss Records).
In yet another striking example of music being used as an outlet for some of life’s most traumatic misgivings, Fit For A King have returned with their seventh – and quite possibly most impactful – full-length record. The Hell We Create (Solid State) is eons more than a collection of compelling, thought-provoking metalcore.
Well, God’s Hate has gone out of their way to make sure you don’t confuse their sophomore LP with anything else on the rack. You know the one, God’s Hate (Closed Casket Activities) featuring the track ‘God’s Hate.’ And yes, that was a record store joke. If you don’t know what that means, ask your parents. It’s fitting too considering that the stuff on God’s Hate recalls an era before streaming or even iPods and Zunes (okay, really ask your parents).
In a year which has seen a global pandemic, mass protests and rioting, explosions, fires, floods, earthquakes, and even fucking murder hornets, wouldn’t it be nice to not have to worry about what final cruel tricks 2020 might still have left up its sleeve, and just have something nice and dependable to enjoy?
It’s a fascinating time to be in the Code Orange camp. It’s been a little over three years since the bruising Forever stormed the Metallic Hardcore gates and they’re finally releasing the proper follow-up, Underneath (Roadrunner) to a hungry world. And the hype is certainly a factor. Continue reading
On Absolute (Rise Records), Kublai Khan ticks off a lot of the boxes I’m looking for in modern Metallic Hardcore or extreme music, but something isn’t quite passing state inspection. They’re blending equal parts Hardcore and Metal fury, have meaty breakdowns, occasional Thrash tempos and happen to be from Texas. I should like this. Or I should like this a bit more. Continue reading
Let’s take a minute and give a proper shout out to the lovely state of Kentucky because despite not being typically known for its extreme music scene it is somehow home to the bruisers in Knocked Loose. Not familiar with Knocked Loose? Well, just know that in the span of two LPs and a handful of splits and EPs they’ve secured themselves a plum spot in the modern Hardcore pecking order. Let’s skip the formalities, A Different Shade of Blue (Pure Noise) is only going to further entrench these gentlemen into the hearts of slam dancers and tough guys alike.Continue reading