Southern Lord

Poison Idea – Kings Of Punk Review

Poison Idea – Kings Of Punk Review

By Dr. Fisting on November 14, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Hardcore, Non-Metal Metal Things, Not Metal, Rating, Releases, Southern Lord, Hardcore, 3 comments

The phrase “underrated” gets thrown around a lot, but it’s a pretty apt description for legendary Oregon punks Poison Idea. These guys somehow never got the respect or notoriety that their contemporaries did, despite having their songs covered by everyone from Turbonegro to Machine Head to Pantera (yes, that fucking song from The Crow). Led by larger-than-life frontman Jerry A. and equally huge guitarist Pig Champion, PI were a force to be reckoned with, both musically and physically (legend has it that the band weighed over 1,300 lbs. at the height of their substance abuse days). Here’s a weighty slice of classic hardcore for you, re-released with many bells unt whistles. Mr. Fisting rubs the belly and tells us what kind of sounds to expect from this seminal punk crew.

All Pigs Must Die – Nothing Violates This Nature Review

All Pigs Must Die – Nothing Violates This Nature Review

By Noctus on August 4, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, American Metal, Hardcore, Reviews, Southern Lord, Hardcore, 0 comments

“I suppose incorporating sludge and black metal into hardcore punk is the logical way to bring it to even more intense heights, all the while making it delectably filthy to those who like their metal abrasive, raw and covered in grit. Of all the bands to catch wind of this style, All Pigs Must Die have been in the forefront with a couple of really great releases under their belt – their short and sweet self-titled EP along with their more ambitious and equally impressive debut album, God is War. Both releases are absolutely furious, pummeling you with the huge, fast riffs reminiscent of grindcore and hardcore punk in one of the most in-your-face and take-no-prisoners approaches in recent memory.” How does the latest piece of filth from All Pigs Must Die hold up against their earlier works? Join Noctus and find out!

Centuries – Broken Hymns Review

Centuries – Broken Hymns Review

By Natalie Zed on April 22, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, American Metal, Reviews, Southern Lord, Hardcore, 1 comment

“Recently signed to Southern Lord, Florida-based hardcore act Centuries combine the frenzy of hardcore with emotive metalcore, hardcore punk ferocity and even some d-beat heaviness. After participating in SXSW, the band are currently holed up in Greensboro, North Carolina to record their next record (and full-length debut) for the venerable American label, Southern Lord. In advance of that all new release, indie label Halo of Flies is releasing Broken Hymns, a collection of all of their available work to date. The record includes material from their Creation/Extinction 7”, a split EP with Patsy O’Hara (from which the titular track of this record comes) and another split with Homestretch, as well as four original songs.” Natalie Zed is here to tell us about some hardcore punk, which we don’t normally deal with. Be diverse and read it!

Nails – Abandon All Life Review

Nails – Abandon All Life Review

By Natalie Zed on March 17, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, American Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Southern Lord, Death Metal, 4 comments

“After whetting listener’s appetites with recent 7” Obscene Humanity, a palate cleaner of reconfigured and re-recorded material that was both tantalizing and ultimately unfulfilling, South California’s abrasive hardcore hatemongers have finally released Abandon All Life. An able follow-up to their breakthrough record, Unsilent Death, Abandon All Life displays depth, maturity and sophistication while losing none of the blistering rage and ferocious energy that first captured their audience’s attention.” Natalie Zed takes a gander at the crusty, bruising noise being churning out by these Entombed-influenced death rockers.

Nails – Obscene Humanity 7″ Review

Nails – Obscene Humanity 7″ Review

By Natalie Zed on January 31, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Hardcore, Reviews, Southern Lord, Hardcore, 0 comments

Nails are known for being an excellent, abrasive metallic hardcore with defiant punk elements. Based in Southern California, Nails are currently on deep-South, boozehound, sludge-loving label Southern Lord. The Obscene Humanity 7” comes to whet their audience’s appetite, filling in a gap between their recent split with Skin Like Iron and their forthcoming full-length, to be titled Abandon All Life, which will also be released on Southern Lord later in 2013.

Xibalba – Hasta La Muerte Review

Xibalba – Hasta La Muerte Review

By Alex Franquelli on August 9, 2012 in 2.5, 2012, American Metal, Hardcore, Reviews, Southern Lord, Hardcore, 1 comment

Xibalbá is the name of the Mayan underworld: not exactly a nice place, it must be said. A cave next to Alta Verapaz, somewhere in central Guatemala, is the entry to this domain whose hottest places, to quote none other than Dante Alighieri, “are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.” If there’s a circle which refuses to stay neutral in favour of a purely negative stance, it’s a band from Southern California whose name, doom and gloom take us straight to the Mayan idea of hell.

Earth – Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II Review

Earth – Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II Review

By Dr. Fisting on February 9, 2012 in 2012, 3.0, American Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Southern Lord, 5 comments

To those in the know, the arrival of a new Earth record comes with a lot of baggage, mostly due to bandleader Dylan Carlson’s well-known personal struggles and his infamous role in Kurt Cobain’s untimely demise. More significantly, there’s the fact that Earth’s recent output is surprisingly laid back, and bears almost no resemblance to their pioneering doom-drone works of the ’90s. Old-school Earth fans can forgive Carlson for giving Kurt that shotgun, but they cannot abide by this mellow hippie shit, man. So with the release of Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II, the question becomes: will Carlson a) give the people what they want, or b) continue with the current musical direction, unencumbered by giving a fuck about what people think?