Rhythm & Booze An online music webzine created by music lovers for music lovers.

10 October, 2014

Frameworks/The Saddest Landscape-Split Single

Filed under: hardcore,Recorded Reviews — Tags: frameworks, soft speak records, the saddest landscape — willmunn @ 10:45

Melodic hardcore five-piece Frameworks and veteran screamo mob The Saddest Landscape team up for a split single in support of two deserving charities chosen by the bands, To Write Love On Her Arms and AccessSportAmerica as well promoting their joint short trek around the UK.

The split single is a stunning introduction to newcomers of both bands, Frameworks decide to unleash a high octane, feedback drenched cover of Fell In Love With A Girl originally by The White Stripes, whilst The Saddest Landscape deliver a crushing version of fellow hardcore legends Inside Out, with Burning Fight.

Fell In Love With A Girl is drenched in feedback, crashing riffs, pummeling drums and a glorious hardcore holler as Frameworks career out of control with an energetic rendition that has to be heard to believed.

The Saddest Landscape are no less impressive, with a slow sludgy take on Burning Fight, down-tuned riffs collide with brash drums and a wonderfully anguished howl as the band deliver a crunchy metallic take rather akin to a hardcore version of Sabbath.

This single is well worth hunting down for all you hardcore lovers out there, both tracks clobber you like a ton of bricks, if you only buy one single of this nature make it this one!!!

Rhythm & Booze Rating 9

http://www.softspeakrecords.com/

 

3 July, 2014

Rykers-Hard To The Core

Filed under: hardcore,metal,punk,Recorded Reviews — Tags: hard to the core, new album, rykers — willmunn @ 10:38

German based hardcore heroes Ryker’s first formed way back in 1992 since then the band have released numerous albums and performed on some of Europe’s biggest stages, playing alongside the biggest names on the 90’s hardcore scene.

The band’s ultra aggressive, high energy live shows saw the band amount a massive following both in their native Germany and further afield, before the band eventually took a long hiatus around 2008, only to reform with two new members in 2012 to mark their twenty years in hardcore. With the new found energy the band decided to hit the studio originally just for fun to see what the new incarnation could achieve. The band felt reborn and decided to set about recording a brand new album, hard To The Core, their first new material for fourteen years.

Now I openly admit that it’s been a wee whilst since I listened to anything remotely hardcore but back in my metal/punk heyday I loved Ryker’s alongside the likes of our own Stamping Ground and the alike.

Right from the off, the band set their stall with the brutal, The World As I See It Today, unleashing a crushing metallic chugging riff, a bombardment of beats and Kid D’s gruff bark to create a superb introduction to the band’s latest full length opus. From there Rykers deliver a collection of their finest slowed down sludgy riffs and pulverising speeded up choruses.

Obvious highlights include the shout-a-long old school hardcore title track, with it’s time changes and short yet fiery solo. The brutal Can’t Kill A Dream with it’s Sabbath like doom riffs, heavy groove and melodic outro, the crushing Born To Fly and the sub three minute brutality of Slave Cruel World.

Hard To The Core, is an aptly named, glorious return for Germany’s finest, if you like hardcore you’ll love Rykers!!!

Rhythm & Booze Rating 9

www.rykershardcore.com

 

24 April, 2014

Das Sexy Clap-A Bit Early For Kung Fu

Filed under: alternative,hardcore,metal,post hardcore,Recorded Reviews,rock — Tags: a bit early for kung fu, das sexy clap, New EP — willmunn @ 23:40

kung fu front

The last time I wrote up a review of Das Sexy Clap they were a noisy alternative rock duo, since then the band has had something of a restructure, frontman Chris Wemyss is now joined by bassist James Willis and Ben Pemberton on drums, who both help to up ante even further, to create a wonderfully angry combination of filthy fuzzy rock, hardcore yelping and full on rage on their brand new five track EP, A Bit Early For Kung Fu.

Everyone’s A Ghost opens proceedings and sets the stall out with a pummeling beat and a howling guitar before developing into a brutal slab of driving, near hardcore, rock  complete with a Sabbath like rhythmic groove, frantic, feedback drenched dense riffs and pretty much the most anguished vocal ever committed to record, with Chris howling and bellowing as if he was dogged by the hounds of hell.

The EP continues in the same rich vein, with Das Sexy Clap somehow submerging groove-laden hooks in a barrage of riffs and hard hitting riffs to subliminally seduce the listener whilst simultaneously bludgeon them over the head, they’re sound is infectious yet full of aggression, it’s contagious yet razor sharp. Take Rats!! for instance, sure there’s a big rowdy riff but there’s also a melodic groove running alongside that you can’t help humming along. Then there’s Wear It, a track that’s based around a wonderfully infectious drum beat that echoes throughout competing with the wall of fuzz ridden guitars. And even during the down tuned, downright filthy sounding EP closer, Bold In The Dark the band still manage to hide a repetitive groove that’ll have the listener scrambling back for a future spin.

The new look power trio, Das Sexy Clap have produced something very special indeed with,A Bit Early For Kung Fu, an EP that’s full of ferocious, dense hooks and intense grooves. If you like music from the heavier end of the musical spectrum but still want something that draws you in, Das Sexy Clap have created the perfect CD!!!!

Rhythm & Booze Rating 10

www.dassexyclap.bandcamp.com

1 February, 2012

run,WALK!/Sirs Split Single

Filed under: hardcore,noise,post hardcore,Recorded Reviews — willmunn @ 17:04

Can you name a single two-piece band that create uncompromising hardcore lead by just a driving bass guitar and a frantic drum attack? I can run, WALK! do just that they create a devastating blend of frantic shouty hardcore that wipes the floor with most other bands of a similar ilk.

Since the band’s formation they’ve been destroying audiences up and down the country, touring in recent with the likes of Lavotchkin and Crocus as well tearing the US a new orifice with a frantic and fabulously noisy performance at last years SXSW festival.

Last year the band also found time to release a glorious split single with fellow noisemongers Sirs, the split 7 inch which is really worth tracking down for the cacophony of noise that run, WALK create on Rainhouse and Straight Lines, two gloriously down tuned slabs of distortion fuelled angst ridden noise that fans of nasty hardcore will lap up hungrily.

Sirs performed alongside run, WALK! at SXSW and share their love of loud noisy hardcore, but Sirs add their own twist to proceedings on their duo of tracks. Being Straight offers up a math/prog rock influence with dense passages and gruff vocals, whilst Buzzard Kill offers a more melodic yet twisted take on the hardcore genre.

Both run, WALK! and Sirs are loud driving hardcore acts, both have a unique yet equally compelling sound, that are essential must hear for fans of the harder end of the musical spectrum.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 8

www.facebook.com/runwalk

www.topshelfrecords.com

The Detours-Ignite EP

Filed under: hardcore,punk,Recorded Reviews,rock — Tags: ignite EP, the detours — willmunn @ 11:44

The Detours are a Glasglow based five-piece whose blend of energetic riffs, hook-laden choruses and punky attitude is really beginning to turn heads. The band first formed back in 2006, since then the quintet have performed countless shows amassing a legion of loyal fans along the way.

Back in 2009 the band really turned heads by beating off over 10,000 other acts to win Live & Unsigned of that year as well as appearing on Channel 4’s Orange Unsigned show, since then then the band have shared stages with the likes of Asking Alexandria, The Answer and Slaves To Gravity among others. Last year saw the band perform at their first festival, release their first single and unveil their debut video, whilst this year they’ve already been selected to play dates around thier native Scotland with Attack! Attack! and also see’s the release of Ignite, the band’s debut EP.

The three tracks offered up on Ignite, should further enhance the band’s reputation as one of the best up and coming purveyours of melodic punk/hardcore bands around. The Detours weld searing riffs, to frantic, frenzied beats to create instantly infectious hooks, whilst frontman Matt Littlefair delivers a clean yet attitude soaked vocal that’ll have fans of You Me At Six, Funereal For A Friend or even Hundred Reasons bouncing around gleefully, whilst hollering the contagious choruses to their hearts content.

The EP is opened with a stunning statement of intent in the form of One Last Chance, a glorious punchy number, with a damn catchy melody, buzzing riffs and the obligatory fist in the air soaring vocal that captures the very essence of the band in one sub four minute burst. The title track proves the band are no one song wonders, as The Detours up the ante with a series of urgent riffs and beats whilst still managing to create a gigantic commercial hook, whilst the EP’s closing number, Free is all stop-start rhythms, crunchy, almost metallic guitars and group sing-a-longs, completing the disc with an andrenaline fuelled frenzy.

If you like big bold, breassy melodic punk with serrated riffs, huge hooks and a good sing-a-long then you’ll love The Detours, they have it all, attitude, energy and short sharp spiky songs to fall in love to.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 9

www.wearethedetours.com

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