HARCORE TILL DEATH
Posted: 9/04/2009
Posted: 9/03/2009
Posted: 9/03/2009
In Cold Blood is one of the most important bands of the 90’ and along with the names like Integrity and Ringworm defined the dark and sinister sound Cleveland is famous for. If you want to know where all the Clevo wannabe bands take their influences from, look no further.
When I heard In Cold Blood for the first time couple of years ago I had been already introduced to the sinister and dark vibe of Cleveland hardcore by the almighty Integrity and Ringworm, but even if it lacked the something new factor, I immediately knew this band gonna stay in my player for more than couple of spins. What we got here is a compilation of their Suicide King demo from 1999 (vinyl version pops up on ebay from time to time), self titled 7” from 1995 and some live tracks recorded in Germany in 1998. So this is actually the first time you can listen to these songs from a CD. If you’re not familiar with In Cold Blood, think of harsh and raw hardcore hybrid with one foot in the punk stylings of Discharge and dark metallic riffs that make you think of Slayer. The drums are punishing and thrash infused guitars add a big dose of heaviness. The production sounds dirty but fits the music and is not harsh on the ear. On top of it, you’ve got the insane and pure evil voice of Bourbon Ziegler. Most of you probably know their successful Victory release called Hell On Earth where different guy called Jason Popson did all the vocal work. Well, both guys fit the music just perfectly and are mostly responsible for the devilish feeling of In Cold Blood’s delivery. As with the rest of the players in this league, vocals are definitely the driving force of the band. And when we’re talking Cleveland, we’re talking devil in the music. Hatred, frustration, misery are some of the words to describe the overall feeling of the album.
If I had a gun to my head and had to say what wasn't perfect, it had to be the package of the album. I mean, to me In Cold Blood is as important as Integrity or Ringworm in shaping what we call Clevo sound and this re-release was a great opportunity to shed some light on the band’s history or just to share some stories from the band’s short existence. Instead, the CD booklet doesn’t provide much information and there are even no track titles or photos of the band. Nonetheless, it was a great idea to release this stuff nowadays. I hope more of the classic, hard to find gems will get such a treatment. In Cold Blood is a band that has a certain item in their music and important name in shaping the hardcore as it is today.
Author: Dloogi
Demons Run Amok 2009
Demons Run Amok Records
Posted: 9/02/2009

Except for hanging out with strange looking people and listening to noisy music, what does hardcore mean to you? What’s the best thing in being part of hardcore scene?
Do you guys listen to any European bands? Is hardcore from over here popular in states?Posted: 8/31/2009
"Hey what's up! We have select sizes and color available in these designs and we're trying to get rid of the last of them. So here's your chance to get a sweet bargain. click on the banner for our webstore."Posted: 8/31/2009
Posted: 8/31/2009


Posted: 8/31/2009
Trapped Under Ice - Secrets Of The World
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The Secrests Of The World carries on almost exactly from where Stay Cold left off. While they haven't made any radical changes to their music, they’re using the same winning formula that's provided them success with their previous recordings. What makes Trapped Under Ice so great is how they stay true to the basics of hardcore while playing their music with a certain freshness and vitality in the sound. They don’t limit themselves in terms of songwriting and directions they can go with their music. Some parts are fast and heavy and just as often the band slow down just to do awkward things. The songs are very diverse and organic but without losing the catchiness and accessibility. Part of the reason that this band differentiates itself from others in the game is how they are not afraid to shift their music by giving room to heavier parts as well as bits of groove and creative riffing. There aren’t many bands nowadays that are able to keep their music so balanced and mature keeping in mind it’s their just first full length album. What I like is the fact that each one of the songs has its own style and signature sound. They manage to shell out some catchy and memorable tunes by way of Believe (nice beatdown part in the end), The Vortex, From Birth or Against The Wall (my favorite one on the album!), but to be honest, it’s really hard to pick the best one.
From start to finish the drums and punishing, and the guitars are full of life and vitality. The fluid and tight delivery walks hand in hand with the powerful vocal work and Justice definitely sounds like a man on a mission. His voice fits the music flawlessly and makes it appear even more powerful. The lyrics are really personal and deep. Somehow they set really bitter and dark tone and are important part of an overall feeling of the album. Lyrics like See God, From Birth or Against The Wall will send shivers down your spine no matter how many times you’ve heard ‘em. The production is superb, with a fat and forceful sound and a bit more punch then on a previous material.
To put it simply, it’s gotta be one of the best albums of the year and there are small chances anything will top it. TUI doesn’t fake the funk at all and if you’re in the mood for some rugged and no bullshit hardcore, they will get your blood rushing.
Author: Dloogi
TUI at Myspace
Demons Run Amok Records
Reaper Records
Posted: 8/28/2009