Hielo en Varsovia-st (2012)

Hielo en Varsovia is a band from Madrid and I suppose their self titled record is their first release, apart from that I don't know much about them, exept that I really like thir music.
how does it sounds like? you have elements of post rock, new wave / post-punk, shoegaze and noise rock, something a bit like a mix of Godspeed you black emperor!, The Cure and Sonic youth. they develops a very strong dreamy and melancholic and dark atmosphere with shoegazing and noisy guitars and far distant vocals. but in comparison to other bands with a similar approach they also, occasionaly, get more into punk beats or nearly "free" noisy parts. I think it's a very stong debut from Hielo en Varsovia and if you're into this kind of stuff or just curious I really recommend it.

you can listen to it and download it for free on their Bandcamp

Detroit-Reality denied (2013)

Detroit was in my "best grind record list" for 2012 (you can have a look at this list HERE and HERE's my review of the record, with an interview)  so I was really pleased to receive a message from their drummer about their new album, Reality denied. and it turns out that Detroit's fastcore / grind is still really exiting and fuelled with all the energy and intensity that is needed in this kind of music. and the "icing on the cake" is that this sonic destruction comes with a welcome diversity and unpredictability in the songwriting that keeps you stuck in Reality denied's whirlwind. with this album Detroit are confirming their well deserved status as a band that really matters in the grinding hardcore scene. the only weakness in the album is the two noisy / improvised tracks at the end, but at least they tried (and well, the first one is ok actually but the second one is two long) and I'd say that since it's at the end of the album it's more useless that annoying (and maybe you'll like it..). 

Very highly recommended!

you can listen / download it for free on their BC page
if you like it supports them one way or another!

Batillus-Concrete sustain (2013)

Batillus are back with a second full lenght called Concrete sustain. the quality of their first LP, Furnace, and their splits (see HERE my review of their split with Witehorse) put them on the radar of many and it's good to see that they don't disappoint with Concrete sustain. they still offer a very good mix of doom riffing with an industrial sound and atmosphere. it's heavy, cold and bleak. and beautifull.
it sounds a bit like Godflesh playing doom metal or something like that. but while carrying the influences of other bands they develop their own style, their own brand of urban doominess and they do it with style and talent so it's a really good thing.

you can check it on their Seventh rule BC page

and here's their website.

Bastard sapling-Dragged From Our Restless Trance (2012)

I'm not that much into pure black metal but this record is truly excellent and really pleasing to listen to (yes pleasing sounds a bit bizarre for black metal but..). Bastard sapling is a band from Richmond (US) with guitarists from Inter-arma and it their ability at finding cool riffs and good songriting is found in both bands. Bastard sapling can be described as old school black metal except it's not so grim, in fact it reminds me more of the epic side of Immortal or Emperor. Dragged from our restless trance is four long songs and each one is different and really good. it's black metal but at the same time can satisfy anyone into traditionnal metal (trash, heavy metal, etc..). I really recommend it.

you can listen to it on Bandcamp.

 

Comadre-(st 2013)

Comadre is a band from California that has been around for nearly ten years now and they released a few very good punk / screamo records. they are back this year with a self titled record and that show that they get even better! how it is better?
they kept the intensity and feel of urgency of punk / screamo and added unusual elements with it like keys part or even some bits of trumpet! and more melodies with sometimes somehing like a new wave kind of feel. the results sounds a bit like a great mix of screamo, The Cure and Refused's Shape of punk to come. it makes a great record full of originality, personnality and good songs. I recommend it highly, but I have to warn you against its addictive properties!

check it by yourself on their BC page.

Afgrund-Corporatocracy EP (2013)

Afrund is a solid purveyor of modern "post-Nasum" grind. They now are back, a few month after their "The age of dumb" album, with an EP called Corporatocracy. eight original songs and three cool covers ("splattered cadavers" by Repulsion, "shadows" by Nasum, and "The nightmare continues" by Discharge). a clean (by grind standards I mean) but powerfull sound, tight playing delivering mass sonic destruction with a dealy precision, metal heaviness with a punk vibe, plenty of blast beats and some big grooves when it slows a bit. a tried and tested formula, nothing new but efficient and enjoyable! a really good record in that style.

check it on their BC page.

Whoresnation - self-titled (2012)

Whoresnation is a new crust/grind band from Besançon (France). They released last year their first self-titled album and, even if it has some of the usual flaws of first albums, like a production that could be better,  it's a solid first album. All the attitude and straightforward aggression of crustgrind is well displayed on the album, so if you like this kind of stuff, I advise you to check and follow this band. The cover art which borrow from the famous Delacroix painting La Liberté guidant le peuple gives an idea of the sarcastic nature of their lyrics. At this point, they don't bring something new, but I'd say another cool crust / grind band is always welcome!

Here's their Bandcamp page
and website : http://www.whoresnation.net/

 

O.D.R.A-Karl Denke blues (2012)

O.D.R.A is a band form Wroclaw (Breslau, Poland) and Karl Denke blues, named like after a psycho killer, is their third album. What they play is pure sludge in the NOLA tradition (exept that the singing is in polish!). So what do we have,? acidic shriekings, slow tempo heaviness, sabbathian riffing, a very noisy and dirty guitar sound, some punk accelerations, all that creating a suffocating despreate and nihilisic atmosphere . they do all that the way it should and what they do especially good is keeping the blues base of the sabbath inspired guitar parts, while having at the same time the noisy sound and the punk hardcore parts in their song. so if you like sludge i'm pretty sure you'll like this band.

check it on their BC page.

Murders calling-All you need is violence (2012)

I'm more into the crustpunk side of grindcore than into its death metal side, but when a death/grind record is as cool as All you need is violence I sure like it. and if you like bands like Carcass, Exhumed or Haemorraghe you'll probably like it too. it's the first record of the italian band Murders calling and it's an excellent display of the cachy / groovy potential of brutal death mixed with the urgency of grindcore. low tuned, heavy, fast, relentless, simple, straightforward and oh so efficient in making you headbang and air drum like a maniac. audio violence fun! 

here the FB page of the band

Cash crop-Roar out the hiss (2012)

This first record by Cash crop went largely unnoticed up to now, and that's a pity because it deserves some attention. Roar out the hiss is their first record and it sounds both fresh and very well crafted. the californian trio plays a very dynamic punk / indie / noise rock with very good melodies  and a post-punk / hardcore / noise abrasive sound. a melting of screamo bands like Touche amore and an Unsane gone softer and a Sonic youth gone harder could maybe give an image of how it sounds. that without being really close to any of these bands. an interesting and enjoyable first record. 

check it on their BC page.

Cut to fit-Havoc supreme (2012)

Cut to fit, that's we all are in a way, and it's also a really cool finnish grindcore band (and the name of a Nasum song). they formed in 2008 but I discovered them with their 2012 album called Havoc supreme (they also released recently a split with Nistikko). everything on this record, from the screams to the drum sound and the riffs has GRINDCORE stamped on it and that's fine with me 'cause I sure bloody love grindcore. it's very typical grind, say something in between old Napalm death stuff and a cool grind band of the 90' from Czech republic (or any more recent but not really recent grind band). well you know it's really cool and enjoyable grind, that's all but that's already a lot!!

just enjoy it!

here's their bandcamp

and their website

Rorcal - Világvége (2013)

Whatever they do, they do it radical. When Rorcal, from Switzerland, played a mostly doom / post-HC influenced music it was especially heavy, dark and intense (especially impressive live). their new record, released by Lost pilgrims records (and others) and called Világvége (which means the end of the world) is mostly black metal, with remains of doom / drone / post hardcore. and guess what? it's also really heavy, dark and intense! but with a more straighforward agression and a lot of blast beats. I'd say the evolution of the band on this record is a success, they happen to be really solid as a black metal band and managed to do it while keeping their own style. forget Norway, Switzerland is the new cold hell!

listen to it on bandcamp

and check their website.