The Gatheration is a new band featuring the four brothers Blomberg, Simon and Daniel from M:40 plus Ulf of Grace.Will.Fall and Jesper who is apparently the black sheep of the family with no notable band resumé. Anyhow, they've come together with the intention of playing straightforward punkrock and, if this song's any indication, I'd say they've succeeded mightily. Look for their debut 7" on / in May with a European tour to follow.
and will be collaborating on the vinyl release of Totalt Jävla Mörker's "Söndra och härska" LP. 1000 copies total, due out January 28 with 200 (100 for each label) of those being special "diehard" editions.
MisantropicYou know the score with the type of music that Sweden's Misantropic play; the crusty punkthrash that's rapidly becoming more and more popular to the point of oversaturation. Plenty of choice is, of course, a good thing, but that also means that there's an awful lot of crap to trudge through in order to find that elusive golden nugget. The problem with abundance in the genre in which Misantropic reside, is that it's a form of music that doesn't lend itself to much deviance from its foundations. In that case, much like the melodic death metal of Göteborg, we find a genre with countless bands that all sound the same. One might say that the inclusion of a female vocalist in itself serves to set Misantropic apart from most of the other bands, and it does to an extent, but unless you're aware of the fact that it's a girl on vocals you might simply assume it's a weak male vocalist at the helm. Musically, it's all above average stuff, but not to the point where "Insomnia" is something you'll be busting to tell people about. Rather, this is a decent listen with some interesting moments. It's like Rotten Sound meets Waklevören in places, only an incredibly weaker version of both that gets tired quite quickly. Next time I give this a spin will probably be in a couple of years when I'm stuck for something to listen to and can't quite remember what this Misantropic album sounded like when I last heard it.
- John Norby
Aktiv DödshjälpThis is the second in what is touted to be a trilogy of albums from Swede Tomas Nilsson and it marks a decidedly more metal outlook than the übercrusty "4:48" that he unleashed back in 2007. Back then it was a standard crust/grind ethic that Aktiv Dödshjälp was adhering to, and one that didn't stray one iota from the tried and tested formula utilized by so many before them. There was definitely a heap of potential in there, though, despite the fact that the debut full-length was really nothing more than a poor man's Skitsystem. Fast forward to 2010 and Aktiv Dödshjälp has definitely progressed, injecting a heftier dose of metal into the mix while retaining that crust mindset that has been the musical driving force of the project since day one. There's a bit of a problem, though. Put simply, it doesn't really work: at best the riffs are generic creations that offer little more than a familiar nod toward a multitude of bands playing the same crusty, punky hardcore; at worst they're clichéd, second-rate compositions that pale in comparison to the genre legends that have gone before. Special mention must be made of the vocals, specifically for the fact that they're way too high in the mix and become totally unbearable very quickly. If this album is to be commended, it's only for the fact that the band have tried to do something different with their sound, probably in order to keep things fresh and exciting. The fact that they have put out something quite the opposite is unfortunate.
- John Norby
Passiv Dödshjälp/LivstidPassiv Dödshjälp, completely out of the blue, blew me away with their debut CDr last year which clearly demonstrated that these Swedes were indeed able to write some 'catchy' crust tunes. Although you could clearly point out their influences, their songwriting ability and the way they incorporated dismal metallic tunes into traditional d-beat structures was simply captivating. Fast forward a couple of months, I got their new split 7" with Bergen, Norway's Livstid and I can safely say that Gävle's finest has managed to outstrip the quality of their debut. The record, which contains three songs from Passiv Dödshjälp and four from Livstid, is barely under 15 minutes and its length is perfect for those who prefer their crust punk as short and direct as possible. I don't want to downplay the caliber of the Livstid side (which is very good on its own terms), but the three Passiv Dödshjälp songs on this record superlatively fuse the ferocity of Swedish kängpunk luminaries with their contemporary, melody-instilled protégés. One of the most striking aspects of these new songs is that the band has managed to shape this integration in an almost seamless way, which in the end greatly strengthens the overall quality of their sound. The other participant of the split, Livstid has a similar game with their Swedish counterparts in terms of performing a cross-genre variant of hardcore/punk. Yet, Livstid embraces a faster approach with regularly bursting blastbeats and a discernible black metal vibe underneath a thick layer of fast-paced picking, obviously as a reflection of their hometown's grim legacy. This split 7" is a must-have for fans of Scandinavian hardcore/punk and for those who still regard vinyl as the ultimate medium to experience extreme music.
- Burak Tansel
M:40The band's follow-up to their solid "Historiens svarta vingslag" full-length tones down the metal for a more streamlined, raging d-beat hardcore attack, though they manage to retain the dark melodies that elevate them above also-ran status. On this particular EP they seem to do best when they turn down the tempo and compensate by amping up the intensity. Closer "En av dom" ("One of them") doesn't quite reach Breach-like levels of bleak desolation, nor does it match up with "My war" in terms of pure vitriolic rage ("'82 demos" FTW), but it does exemplify the approach, especially when the band gives the music proper breathing room and embraces the far reaches of their dynamic range. Unfortunately, no matter how good the songs are, it's completely ruined by the shrill audio quality. I've heard mixed things about Pirates Press/CZ in the past, but this is the first record I've heard pressed through them that lives up to the bad hype. Without any low-end, the M:40's capacity for heaviness is essentially neutered, thus capping their potential at an unfairly low level. It's hard not to be disappointed.
- Avi Roig
Personkrets 3:1This 3-track 7" serves as the band's swansong, but considering that I had never heard them until this record showed up, it hardly matters. A fitting epitaph? Eh, probably not. Anyhow, Personkrets 3:1 play(ed) crusty hardcore with a pronounced metal influence that creeps through in the various breakdowns and quick solo breaks that pepper each song. They put it off competently enough, but it's just not that interesting for the most part. The one exception however is "Krigssång", a track based on an old poem by Dan Andersson which is by far the most melodic and best composed tune on the record. It makes me feel like if they embraced their metal side a bit more, they'd be a better band, but I suppose that's a moot point considering their current inactive status. Perhaps the ex-members' new band Misanthropic will tip the scales further one way or another, wait and see.
- Avi Roig
