So yeah. Free/pay-what-you-want download over here: http://nevertrustanasshole.bandcamp.com/album/kollapse-10-vinyl
Do itttttt.
(TNS/Never Trust An Asshole/5FeetUnder/Throw Me Off Balance, 2012)
1. Coffins
2. Man Machine
3. Liberate
4. Grief
5. No Gods
6. Minamata Disease
Keywords to describe this band and record are: dark, hardcore, crust, punk, Denmark, good. I think the main rule is that bands that start with a K are crust bands and bands that begin with a D are D-beat? Something like that. I don't have clue actually. I guess crust bands use a lot of D-beats as well?
Anyway, this is supposedly a Danish hardcore band, influenced notably by crust punk. Even just the distortion level on the bass gives that way. It's hella distorted, which makes it sound really cool, really shred-esque. The intro to this record is basically such a bass riff, building up to a climax (cfr Ceremony's Dead Moon California but filthier). And the climax in this case is basically a really catchy yet ominous riff to the song Coffins. Listening to this record makes me realise why I don't listen to crust all that often, I think one of the reasons is definitely the vocals. With Kollapse, there's 2 singers and I like the shrieky, screamy vocals, but not so much the grunty, bellowed vocals. But it's no reason to stop listening, though. It's definitely audible and probably really good in its genre. I can get used to it. Maybe I'll like it after some more listening. And for me, dual vocals are definitely interesting. The vocals work together in a collaboratory sense, which plays out really well in a song like Man Machine. Lyrically the album is pretty dark, as it is costumary for such music. "Is happiness for the clueless?" they ask. I don't know, man. It makes me sad thinking about that. "Growing up means watching all my heroes turn to humans." Oh damn. If you're in a good mood, I suggest you don't listen to this record. But you can tell by the artwork I guess. Dark shit. Good shit though. Not everything dark is evil.
There's a nice balance between slow 'bash your head into a wall' parts and faster 'jump around and hate life' parts. In my book, those are good parts, although their names may deceive you. They're real good. I think what strikes me about this record is firstly that they bring down my entire perception of crust punk, secondly that they pull it off so well. They just rely on writing good riffs and combining them into good songs, and they don't try to fancy it up with unnecessary elements. They embrace the power of full-measure-length chords/notes and they don't try to get a bass or guitar line in it, or do a silly drum fill. No, they just let it go and that's powerful enough. Other than in No Gods - which features a bad-ass movie sample or something - there's little actual soloing going on. And I mean that in a good way. I think. I mean, like I said, they just write good songs and go with that, and I admire that. They don't get really monotonous. Closer Minamata Disease is proof that they know what they're doing and can do it for about 4 minutes even, without getting super boring. It's to god-fucking-damn heavy to be boring. And I'm just listening to the mp3's now. I can't wait to put on the vinyl and hopefully someday see them perform, cause they sure as hell have spiked my interest! The a capella break (in Danish! (I presume)) in this middle of the song is super intense and the screams that kind of go beneath the covers of the music afterwards just penetrate the mind, it's like you're walking the corridors of a mental hospital. Sick.
Although I'm unfamiliar with the genre other than the occasional Tragedy record, I really enjoyed this. This 10" record came with a DIY hand-sewn screen-printed bag, which is pretty freaking rad. Blood-red vinyl, too, this is a work of art an sich. But the music is the most important and most impressing part of this package of course. I suggest you go get it now! Do itttttt.
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