Blistered
The Poison of Self
Confinement
6131 Records
Released: 21 August 2015 digital; October 30, 2015 for vinyl
A stellar metallic hardcore album came out of Florida
recently. 6131 has expanded the sonic-scape of their roster with some softer,
more palatable bands. But Blistered hold down the heavy. Blistered killed it
with their EP, Soul Erosion, a year
and a half ago. Recorded by Kevin Bernsten (Red Death, Noisem, Pulling Teeth,
Mindset).
Blistered rip through each track of The Poison of Self Confinement with conviction and their unique
take on metallic based hardcore. Songs have section and true song writing, not
simply drop-tuned breakdowns. The most alluring factor, and the key to
Blistered’s power, is that their music creates and atmosphere. Blistered does
not simply rely on a heavy chugging riff to display their power on The Poison of Self Confinement.
I am not trying to subvert the impact of those breakdowns
and riffs. Each element is persistent and makes any fan salivate. With the
tracks all three minutes or under, we do not have to sit to any tech-dude
indulgence. The mission is brutality. Drawing from the nineties’ European (Liar,
Length of Time, Down My Throat, Arkangel, etc) and Florida scenes, Blistered
balance that unravelling guitar line that bandies with a bombastic drum fit.
That call and response of thick riffs and harmonies made those aforementioned
scenes so distinguished and Blistered captures that best aspects. The band can
play Slayer sipping lean. But Blistered will also charge forward with a fast
part peppered into their homages of the breakdown.
“Into the Dying Light” exemplifies this notion. The bouncing
of the floor toms rumbling gives the song an anticipation build, not simply
resting on the up and down chugga chugga riff. The closer, “Death At Heaven’s
Door” rips forward at ludicrous speed only to stop and pummel the instruments
for two killer breakdowns. “Caustic Promise”, “Lust for Vengeance”, and “Lash”
are other favorites. It’s hard for any one song to stand out as the entirety of
The Poison of Self Confinement, from
start to finish, is a crushing piece of work. Vicious and strong, the music
revealed here is a peak above today’s hardcore landscape.
RIYL:
Peers: Homewrecker, Forced Order, Twitching Tongues, Xibalba,
Downpresser, Homicidal, King Nine, Power Trip
Influences: All Out War, Disembodied, Morning Again, Culture,
Damnation AD, Earthmover, Integrity
