Sonne Adam-transformation (2011)

With their first album called Transformation and released last year by century media, Sonne Adam ("he who hates man" in Hebrew) from Tel Aviv, Israel, hit a major blow and gain the reputation of a band that matters in the death metal scene. Like many bands they are heavily influenced by the old school US bands and mostly Morbid angel, but they do it better than most. They really master the art of writing slow /mid tempo death metal songs with mysterious and menacing atmosphere, and they do a good job in the weird melodies and the occasional dissonant riffs.

Not original but a very strong record for those who dig that kind of death metal.

Sonne Adam on myspace

Alaric / Atriarch split

this is a split between bands from the american west coast (Oakland / Portland) playing a slow and dark music. both have released good full lenght records last year (self titled for Alaric, Forever the End for Atriarch). And this slit is also really good. 3 songs for Alaric, 2 for Atriarch, around 25 min of music.

Alaric's music is a kind of dark and melancolic slow tempo post punk (think Joy division, The swans, the best and darkest moments of early The Cure, stuff like that).

Atriarch's music is dark melodic doom with death/black metal elements.

All the five songs on the split are really good.

you can listen to it HERE

INTHESHIT-This failed jokes over

They are from Boston and they play grindcore. Intheshit had already released demos (2009-2010) and an EP "king of the grindcore jungle" (2011), which are really good. They now are back with a cool album called This failed jokes over. it's somewhat different from what they did, seems to me that they slowed down a bit (they kept many fast parts and still are grindcore) and added a heavy dirty sludge touch, the results sounding a bit like a clash between Crowbar and grind. Too me it's a good move cause they gained in groove what they may have lost in speed and they now are doing something more different from other grind bands. The vocals also are special, most of it is semi spoken and understandable, reminding a bit Henry Rollins. to sum it up Intheshit offer with "this failed jokes over" a special and really strong record. recommended!

check it on their Bandcamp

Iron lamb-The original sin

The original sin, by Iron lamb and released last year by Pulverised records is swedish hard rock at its best. Iron lamb features members or ex-members of General surgery, Dismember, Exhumed, Dellamorte, Ghost and others, these guys are not newcomers! Their music sounds like a mix of Turbonegro, Motorhead (they cover "poison") and old school speed metal (remembering at times the first Metallica, Kill'em all, or Mercyul fate maybe).

The result is really cool no bullshit hard rock with a fucking attitude!

you can succumb to it on Pulverised Bandcamp

Shoveit!-Hated by all

Shoveit! from the UK just released this grindpunk record (grindpunk/powerviolence with a a drum machine) called Hated by all. It's fifteen tracks (the longest one is 36 seconds!) full of grinding groove and sonic violence with typical grind vocals, a huge chainsaw like guitar sound and grind/d-beat rythm with the drum machine. It's their first record (after a demo) and it's really a cool start. such a loud and abrasive music can sure be hated by lot of people but I'm sure that grind lovers like me will like it!

judge it by yourself, check it on their BC page

and read this interview with Simon (vocals and drums) from the band :

-to start with can you present the band and its music ?

yeah we are shoveit! simon (vocals & drums) and greg (vocals and guitar) from the depths of south england, and we play fast raw grinding punk violence or try to!!

-you just released your first (if we don’t count the demo) record, can you describe it?

an all out assault from start to finish. we wanted to make something that from when you pressed play you didnt wanna turn off.

-can you tell us how the songs were written/recorded/produced?

basically guitar and drums were laid down first, then lyrics and vocals last. we recorded about 41 songs and 18 made the original cut for hated by all, then we took 3 tracks off which didnt go well in the end. we have around 20 more tracks that will see the light of day at some point.

-are you going to tour to present this new record? How are your live shows?

this is hard due to family and work commitments. but we have a couple of festivals lined up over here in the uk. and when we can we will play as many shows as possible.

-in your opinion what is grindcore? Why do you like it?

grindcore to me is all about raw no holds barred passion. ive always loved the no frills bare essentials side to it, you dont get from conventional metal. ive always loved that l.a powerviolence scene. bands like despise you, dropdead, lack of interest to name a few. it represents everything enjoy about this kind of music.

-are you coming from a metal background or a punk background, or both?

if im honest my roots are all over the place. i love it slow, and fast.

-what are the lyrics of the songs about?

29 years on this planet, and all the shit that comes with it. broken promises, and bullshit tradition.

-the visual for your records are different, are you tired of the typical grind/crust records cover arts with grey photography of war/starving children or stuff like that?

i wouldnt say it is different. i just had a concept for what i wanted the release to represent and i think we captured it well. like i said before the album is about everyday struggle and being put down from the moment you wake till you go to sleep for it to all start again, and being strong enough to overcome it.

-which bands from your area would you recommend?

one of my favourite bands from our small area has to be "Cachexic" (who just until recently split up). theres a few other bands up and coming who i like "Human Cull" is one, and "Cast Iron Jaw".

-is the UK a good place for playing grind?

yes and no, its hard anywhere to play shows when you are in the "scene" but when you do its hell of alot of fun, although there are alot of posers, people who come to the shows majorily love the music and respect the bands.

-any last words?

thanks for the support its meant alot and keeps us going to make more music. look for our next release before the end of the year, either and album or split or both. big thanks for Blastingdays peace

Torch runner-Commited to the ground

recently released by To live a lie record, Commited to the ground by Torch runner is really an intense record. it's taking the "worst" from chaotic hardcore and grindcore, like a clash between Converge and Rotten sound, and the result is quite terrific. Mostly really short (around 1 min) and fast songs, ewept two songs that shows a kind of sludge side of the band. the songs are really well crafted and executed with a deadly precision. 

If you like the most brutal hardcore or chaotic/hardcore grind with a dark feel then you have to listen to this record.

you can do it on BC

Traveling circle-Handmade house

Traveling circle is a Brooklyn based psychedelic rock trio. They released this year a really good record called Handmade house. The record is filled with beautiful and original melodies (guitar and vocals). It sounds like a good ol' 60/70' psychedelic records but with a modern and bizarre twist that makes it more interesting than the good retro bands. And the vocals are really special, reminding me sometimes of Mike Patton on his melodic moments (but without sounding like a Patton clone).

If you're into melodic garage bands or into psychedelic rock you'll be happy to discover Traveling circle.

listen to the record on Soundcloud. 

http://www.travelingcircle.com/