Stream Two New False Light Tracks! They're Back!

South Carolina finally gave us something really great two years ago, when a little band called False Light emerged from the muck and graced us with some of the gnarliest, filthy powerviolence to come out that year. They firmly planted their foot down and made their presence known in the underground with their debut "S/T' EP (later reissued as a 7" by Dead Chemist and Headfirst! Records). And if you're like me, you've been sitting pretty and waiting patiently for any talk or samples of new material from these guys to come up on the internet. Desperately hoping that False Light was not just a "one-record-then-break-up" band. Well I am very happy to say that now, after two years, the boys are coming back with a new 7" EP entitled "Forced By Flame"! Teaming up again with Headfirst Records! for the pressing, this new EP will be a thirteen song, thirteen minute distortion orgy of powerblasting destruction, and are now streaming two of them on CVLT Nation! I'm delighted to say that False Light really have stuck with the sound that attracted me to them, and these songs fucking bring the pain!. The only sort of polish you'll hear on these songs are the drums and vocals, which are practically swallowed by the tidal waves of bass and guitar beef. No easy listening here, just carnage.  I'm so happy that I'm able to write about these excellent dudes again! "Forced By Flame" is tentatively scheduled to come out this summer, I'll be keeping up as close as I can with updates. Check out the new songs HERE.

~VII 

In Disgust/SFN - Split Review

I honestly can't believe I'm finally getting to review this record. FINALLY, after years 

of far to little updates, record plant qualms, etc. The long awaited split 1-sided 7" between SFN and In Disgust is out and available to purchase, and I finally get to review an In Disgust record! Man, I remember reading about this split a few years ago on the Drugged Conscience label site. Back then it was going to be a 5", and all it said that it was coming out soon, no other details. I believe this was after I was still healing from the soul crushing news of their break-up, so I was excited as can be! The thought of new material, even after disbanding warmed my heart. On top of that, they would be sharing wax with the incredible SFN! 

In Disgust are a band that has over the past several years become widely accepted and loved by grind fans around the globe. A simple power trio from San Jose who created some of the most beastly and crushing grindcore I've ever heard from 2006-2010. I don't think I have to introduce the infamous "Reality Choke" 10" to any of you, or get into explaining the fucking masterpiece that it is. Seriously, it's in my top 5 favorite grindcore records ever. To this day, I still get that I-wanna-destroy-something feeling when I listen to it. It hasn't lost a drop of it's intensity in the 6+ years since it's release. Though it was a record that they never really managed to top in my opinion. They came close with their side of their split 12" with PLF, but then called it quits in 2010. Laying any chance they had to outdo themselves to rest. But now we have this split, reconfigured as a single sided 7", featuring almost a minute and a half of new In Disgust material. 

So I've been listening to it over and over and over again, and each time I keep having the same thoughts: What the fuck is going on here?! What is this? What happened? Did all of them just get the most insane fetishes for microsongs and feedback? Or an overpowering OCD phobia of writing songs with more then two riffs? Or even writing songs in general? Need I remind you that this is the recorded comeback of one of the best bands in modern grind, and their final conclusion was to put four songs to wax and have half of it be feedback? That's seriously what's on here, there is an equal amount of feedback to actual music. And no, it's not just because they were given a short amount of space for split, this is just lazy songwriting. I have no idea when this recording session actually took place (it was at least before 2013), but this shouldn't be acceptable for any release from a band of this caliber.  It's like they were just given half an hour of studio time available and came up with stuff on the spot! I'm shocked that the same band who gave us "To Live A Lie" settled with "Sketch" (one second of blast, four open string hits, 2 more second of blast, end). Oh please, say it isn't so that the band that wrote "Cali Smile" also put out "Steel Trap" (a 30 second instrumental with one riff). Matt's incredible growl vocals aren't even here, come on! To me this is just a huge middle finger to anyone that waited for this record. I was not expecting just the sheer amount of laziness or lack of ambition that smothers these tracks. This is In Disgust we're talking about, they have it in them to do so much better then this. Fortunately, the SFN tracks are definitely no disappointment. This sadly broken up Wisconsin grind trio bring three posthumous tracks to the table, and they proudly display everything I love about this band. Incredibly tight and frenzied songwriting with much more colorful and inventive riffs and drumming then fast bands normally use. SFN waste no time ripping everything apart on their "side"; riffs and snare rolls fly out at warp speed under some genuinely aggro sounding vocals. Here more then ever, SFN sound to me like an excellent hybrid of Sidetracked and Iron Lung. SFN are masters of that herky-jery/stop-start songwriting style, but still manage to be heavy, gritty sounding. Using lots of dissonance and sudden tempo shifts for extra beef. On top of that, this is the best recording they've ever had. This here, is a good way to go out. So in the end, I guess at least one band came out of this a winner. And It seems that In Disgust have broken up yet again, so yeah, I guess that's it. Bada boom. Not a way to great way to go out for good,  Listen to "Reality Choke".

Rating: 5/10

~VII

New Phobia 7" EP To Be Released! Gee, Wonder What It Will Sound Like.

West Coast grindcore legends in the flesh, Phobia, are spearheading what I'm sure will be one of several releases for 2014. One of the longest running and most consistent bands in grindcore, almost reaching 25 years of existence. Phobia always have been a band that I can rely on to supply me with a very solid, easy to get into bunch of songs with every release. It's a tried and true formula of just 100% no bullshit grindcore that they've stuck with through it all. So why not just cut to the chase, drop any bits of pretense they had to begin with, and just flat out call your new EP "Grind Core"? That's "Grind (space) Core". Not even gonna give this title any shit. It's fucking Phobia, I can give them a pass this kind of stuff. Need I remind you that this is a band that's put out records called "Grind Your Fucking Head In" and "Loud Proud And Grind As Fuck". "Grind Core" seems totally fitting at this point. Honestly, I'm excited to hear this. Phobia really have been doing some quality work lately. Their last record, "Remnants Of Filth" was excellent, and I've enjoyed all their recent splits. I'd bet money that this record also features the guitar wizardry of Mr. Dorian Rainwater and either Danny Walker or Bryan Fajardo on the skins (can't go wrong with either). "Grind Core" will be released on Deep Six Records sooner then later I assume. No release date or any songs have been posted yet. There also seems to be talk of a full-length as well, we'll see what comes of that. And in addition, Willowtip Records will be reissuing remastered versions of "Means Of Existence" and the "Destroying The Masses" EP. I think I remember seeing on the Jesus Crøst Facebook page that they're doing a split 7" with Phobia too, damn right!

~VII