As I spend more and more time inside due to what's going on outside, I've been finding that I've started to rely on that shot in the arm, a coffee with a little something extra added in, in order to get going. Since I rediscovered my love for heavy (dare I say extreme?) music over the last year or so, I thought it would be an ideal time to start up a column on metal, punk, and hardcore I've been wanting to write about for a while. Minnesota (and its immediate neighbors) churn out some amazing heavy music, so there's no reason not to check in every few months to talk about some of my favorites. There were a bunch of releases put out the tail end of last year that I hope to add to future editions, but for now, we'll stick to what was put out in 2020.
Former Worlds - Iterations of Time
Upon hearing the first single for Iterations of Time, I sent Wes a string of random descriptors before actually providing context that I was talking about the music of Former Worlds. I feel like the trio's debut record needs to come with a label warning against human consumption due to the caustic mix doom and post-metal from Erin Severson, Eric Anderson, and Mike Briston. The record plays with the theme of time repeating itself. Mike's monolithic riffs rise and fall, returning with slight alterations to keep the style's hypnotic repetition while allowing progression. Iterations of Time's closing opus "Widow Moon" drives this home during a quiet reprieve where Severson repeats "If, Then, Therefore". It feels like it's the band's attempt to explain what's happening before the torrent of distorted guitars and pummeling drums pick back up and the timeline starts over again. If you are looking for the perfect soundscape for your personal apocalypse, let Iterations of Time create the soundtrack for the desolate future that sits just over the horizon.
Maul - Monarcy of Mold
Holy Cookie Monster vocals, Batman! Hailing from Fargo, North Dakota, Maul is nothing but lean, grass-fed Midwestern death metal. Crushing double kick patterns, they've got 'em; riffs for days, yep; the obligatory "blech!", mhmm — Monarchy of Mold has Maul setting the bar high. I'll leave mold references alone since it feels a little too cheeky. However, each track has the band reaching a new level of merciless fervor until they hit the sludgiest of breakdowns with the EP's title track. The only thing that could make the track heavier would be a chorus of leather boots moshing in time. Monarchy of Mold has Maul debuting in rare form as they blend technicality with sheer brutality.
Kaizen - Letting Go
It doesn't take a lot to sell me on a band. If you throw in a good groove, I will instantly love whatever comes next, and Kaizen knows how to throw in a groove or two in their frantic brand of melodic hardcore. The EP's title Letting Go hits the theme right on the nose. The band struggles against themselves to gain control and break out of whatever is holding them back — using a positive mental attitude to set themselves free. That being said, something like this is easier said than done. The latter half of Letting Go has these moments of optimism that gleams through the EP's malaise.
Saginaw / Warp & Weft - Split
Hardcore bands and split EPs: name a more iconic duo. This Saginaw/Warp & Weft split has us wading through the murky world of convoluted subgenres in order to put your finger on what you are actually listening to. Just to make your life easier, I'd recommend letting go and let the chaos carry you away. Warp & Weft spends most of their time creating sludgy soundscapes to underscore sampled movie quotes. It feels absolutely surreal, like some absurd delusion. The Saginaw side provides some sort of chaotic grounding for the EP. The band's angular guitar riffs leave you constantly off balance and its shrill screams are powerful enough to knock you flat on your back. I know I'm supposed to be the one with all the words, but the Bandcamp description of "Two bands, four songs, 14 minutes of nauseous hardcore" sums up this EP better than I ever could.
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