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JANUARY 2015 JB Hi-Fi
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Title Fight Hyperview
The fact that US punk rockers Title Fight signed with Anti Records –
instead of better known, tougher older sister Epitaph – for this, their third
album speaks volumes before you can even peel of the plastic packaging.
The band say they were “chasing the energy off something that had
never been done before” and with their adventurous effort they’re certainly light years
ahead of any of their previous punk rock peers in achieving that lofty goal. Muted vocals
slip effortlessly over discordant and defiant bars of endlessly adventurous audio. It’s shoe-
gazey, it’s kind of sultry, and it’s definitely going to blow a few minds. Anti/Warner
Sidekicks Runners in the Nerved World
Ohio’s The Sidekicks have grown up a lot since their sophomore effort
Awkward Breeds. Their youth seems have slowed its strut into a mid-paced
meander. Sounding more Band Of Horses and Fleet Foxes than the punk
prodigies they promised to be a while ago, this album takes some time to
adjust to. Just make sure you don’t hold your breath waiting for any real pace. The Sidekicks
suggest the album is about “getting past the excitement of growing up”, which could possibly be
the dreariest theme of the decade. Epitaph/Warner
Napalm Death Apex Predator - Easy Meat
Napalm Death are a great band. Their attitude and ability to maintain a defiant stance in the
face of adversity and social injustice is admirable. They’ve flown the flag for individualism
for decades and you’d be hard pressed to find a grindcore band appealing to such a diverse
audience. Their 16th studio album Apex Predator – Easy Meat continues to expose the bias
of multi-national corporations and governmental corruption. This attitude is what drives the
band, and Napalm Death have never wavered in their pursuit of helping the common man.
Musically, Napalm Death has not stagnated. They continue to push themselves on all levels,
to prove that age is no barrier. The years have given them the experience to make dynamic,
challenging music. A welcome addition is the way the band has experimented with vocals:
the chants, drones etc. add to the atmosphere, giving Apex Predator – Easy Meat many
dimensions. Napalm Death may no longer define extremity for some, but they continue to push
the envelope as only they know how: quite an achievement after 33 years. Metal Blade/Rocket
arcass Surgical Remission
fter the global success of Surgical Steel – their 2013 reunion album,
arcass wraps up the album cycle with an EP titled Surgical Remission
Surplus Steel. This is for the fan that missed out on the bonus tracks
hat appeared on the digi pack editions of Surgical Steel, as well as an
attached flexi disc track: it’s a great idea and something more bands should do. Being
bonus tracks, the songs aren’t as strong as the album cuts, but even an average Carcass
tune is better than most.
Nuclear Blast/Caroline/Universal
ob for a Cowboy Sun Eater
ob For A Cowboy broke the rules back in 2005 when they got a record
eal based solely on MySpace traffic. Looking back now, it’s no big
eal, but at the time it showed how social media can be manipulated
or individual gain. Nine years later, and Job For A Cowboy has
released their fourth studio album Sun Eater. Like any band forced to grow up in the
public eye, the criticism is magnified and the band has learnt from it. Sun Eater is a
well-rounded effort and whatever your thoughts of the band, Job For A Cowboy has
nailed all the nuances found in deathcore perfectly. Metal Blade/Rocket
avalera Conspiracy Pandemonium
ax and Igor Cavalera have been releasing some interesting material since
euniting under the Cavalera Conspiracy moniker. The music on their third
tudio outing is as the title suggests, an energetic blend of styles. From death
etal to thrash, hardcore and punk Pandemonium is unrelenting, leaving
very little room for any subtleties. The album’s one-dimensional nature may unsettle some, but
it’s comforting to know the Cavaleras can still whip up a storm together. Sitting somewhere in
between Sepultura and Nailbomb, Pandemonium is proof that the Cavalera brothers haven’t
entirely forgotten their ‘roots’. Napalm/Rocket
bituary Inked in Blood
Death metal has evolved in extraordinary ways, but Obituary have stuck
o their style. The environmental concerns of 1994’s World Demise may
ave thrown a few, but they haven’t really deviated from the murky death
etal sound they created in the mid-’80s. This has also become the band’s
greatest hurdle, as they try to remould their style with each new studio album. Writing new
songs that sound like old songs is not an easy task – just ask Motorhead or AC/DC. Inked
In Blood is an example of an old dog that could care less about learning any new tricks.
Relapse/Rocket
Emily Kelly is not generally as angry as the music she listens to.
Enter Shikari
The Mindsweep
Enter Shikari have always possessed a mildly infuriating inflated sense
of self worth. They seem to approach every album as though they’re
bestowing unparalleled musical genius onto their audience. It can be
terribly off-putting at times, but the scale and pompous grandeur they lend their newest
album The Mindsweep admittedly lends itself to some interesting output. Sounding as
though they’ve been commissioned to pen the soundtrack to a cheesy Channing Tatum
scifi screened exclusively in iMax in 3-D, Enter Shikari are on an unrelenting futuristic nu-
metal bender here, with production as slick as Tatum’s chest. Liberationl/Universal
Hellions Indian Summer
Hellions are good. They’re ballsy, young and aggressive in their quest
to produce something different, and for that alone they ought to be
praised. Indian Summer is one of the most exciting local releases of the
past twelve months because it doesn’t just tip its hat to its influences;
it takes them out for a fancy dinner and dessert. Tangoing between genres, this cohesive
concoction keeps you on your toes, with the only disappointment being the vocals’
occasional inability to keep up. Unified/Warner
Raised Fist Fistful of Hollow
One can’t help but wonder what a young hardcore fan might make of the sixth
album from Sweden’s Raised Fist. Their unique sound, exempt from the modern
day monotone hardcore mandate, has admittedly aged a lot since the band’s
epic Burning Heart debut – but it remains epic. Alle Hagman’s awkward grasp
of the English language and the way his frantic high pitched vocals tear through
regimented guitars like a gym junkie through a protein bar, is as cathartic and
comforting as hot summer rain on a tin roof. Raised Fist have always revelled in
the inherent simplicity of their regimented range of hard rock, and that’s pretty
much the basis of their appeal. Despite their tough guy posturing, Raised Fist
aren’t pulling any punches in From The North, and that’s just the way we like it.
Epitaph/Warner
Simon Lukic’s belief in heavy metal is utterly unassailable.
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