PELIGRO SOCIAL
No Religion
(Tankcrimes)

THE FUNCTIONAL
BLACKOUTS
The Very Best of the Monkees
(Dead Beat)

MOTHERFATHERS
Kolchak!
(R.A.I.G.)

WORLD BELOW
Repulsion
(PsycheDOOMelic)

MEMFIS
The Wind Up
(Candlelight)

THE HUGUENOTS
Discography 

(Hydra Head)

ATAVIST
II : Ruined

(Profound Lore)

MORE REVIEWS

Who would have thunk it? That with so much metalcore overload, music as abrasive and embracing as the aggressive hardcore of Wellington, New Zealand quartet Strangers comes off as surprisingly fresh and even ground -breaking. Well, when compared to your typical run of the mill metalcore combo anyways.  To actually get the difference between this and the rest of the bestial hardcore herd perhaps the listener has to put a bit more effort. Yes, this is the type of extreme music that indeed requires effort on the part of the listener.  Especially to appreciate some of the best guitar riifs courtesy of James and the dubiously named Boob, because simply to the untrained ear this comes off as less arranged than it actually is.  Vocalist Rhydian is of the throaty kind, his pipes are strong, raw and well-pronounced, which is sort of a service to the band, especially with lyrics like, ‘yesterday I killed a man; with the sun in my eyes and my feet in the sand’.  Can anyone say Camus? 

Still this band is doing nothing new besides offering some seriously pummeling hardcore, but judging by this four-song recording that’s all they were aspiring to in the first place.  Released by New Zealand’s Action Man records the Holding demo as it is known comes in a three panel card sleeve. The presentation is nifty and though perhaps taking care of it might be a bit of a challenge I am still surprised because I haven’t seen any other label presenting releases this way.  I’ve said it about a bunch of bands when I’ve ran out of adjectives and I say it again with zero shame, judging Strangers by the power of this recording they are worthy of a ‘to watch’ status.

Official Site