|
The
label Halo of Flies continues to rule. While most big independents
keep releasing predictable steaming turds Halo of Flies keeps
it high quality and dishes out bestial after bestial
release of truly special music. Best of all, when I say
that this is a extreme label I mean it. And I mean it as
in they cover all the right bases, absorbing the crusty
edges, embracing the doom and the grime and forgetting it all about
whatever it is that is actually moving units. Absolutely
priceless.
I was
completely foreign to California’s Mohoram Atta and I was
actually confused after I read the spine of this vinyl and it
said Moraham instead of Mohoram but what the fuck. Their half is
essential, it will give you a headache and by the time you get
to their last track “Forever Sleep” beware, 'cause your ears will
be bleeding. You will just suck it. Mohoram Atta do not put
limits to their art, so just saying that they play hardcore music is the same
thing as saying that Metallica sucks and not explaining why.
Here is the
rare group that sounds as acerbic when going soft as when they
are dropping some truly sick riffs. Yeah, their half ends
softly, but after the pummeling they’ve served you’ll be
grateful. Plus, their music doesn't really get soft, it just
simmers for a while to a slow boil.
Thou on the
other hand are more well-known in my household. I was a big fan
of their 2008 recording Peasant, unfortunately, it is one of
those rough diamonds that got lost in the shuffle. Read; my big
trunk of promos, so I got to it when it was too late. For those
who don’t know, Thou are from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and if the
first thing that came to mind when you read that were the words
‘doom’ and ‘sludge’, then you are absolutely right on.
Thou’s first
song is titled “Don’t Vote” and it’s just as ugly as you would
expect from a bunch of anarchists with a distaste for
capitalism. The guitars are absolutely crushing, detuned to the
point of absurdity and everything else just hangs in there for
the sake of the acetate. Yeah, it is kind of hard to listen to
this and not think of Eyehategod but who said that was a bad
thing? Plus, with a discography spanning six splits, five EP’s
and two full-lengths it is obvious that those that really sweat
it will come out on top.
Thou is a tough bunch. No one can
contest their power, let alone their dedication, however the
pairing with Mohoram Atta puts things in perspective. One has
the reach and a range of expression, the other the volume and
the bitterness. Can you guess who has which?
Thou’s half
ends with a Minor Threat cover of “Screaming at a Wall”. You
will recognize it by the out of character speed and brevity.
Vinyl Rules!
Mohoram Atta MySpace
Thou Official Site
|
