Finnish negative-punks Frivolvol report that their new record "Blades of steel" is finished and will be released via Rabbit Ilsn Records sometime... before the end of the year? Look for the band to tour their home country this summer with pals Sur-rur and Aortaorta and maybe Russia too.
These Finns return with a new six-song batch of sludgy, dirge-heavy punk and this review is long, long overdue. I like it best when they settle into a comfortable groove and are content to bludgeon you relentlessly and repetively with a simple, crushing riff. Closing number "No pulse" is a brutally effective example, sounding like some unholy hybrid of late-era Black Flag meets Darkthrone by way of early Neurosis. It's heavy and hypnotic. Unfortunately, the more they try to change it up, the more they stumble. Keep it simple, keep it strong.
- Avi Roig
These Finns serve up a few more tracks of mid-tempo dirge-heavy hardcore on their latest EP, sounding something like a mix of "Damaged"-era Black Flag and early Killing Joke. They've definitely gotten better since their last disc which I reviewed at the beginning of the year - the band's overall sound is much more cohesive and developed. There's still room for improvement in the vocals and dynamics, but I like it, especially the extended rhythm section vamp on the outro track.
- Avi Roig
Finnish hardcore punk with just enough interesting melodies and dissonance in their riffs to make 'em above average, but not enough to totally win me over. They have some great ideas, but need to mix things up a little more to take it to the next level. The first couple of songs are fairly mediocre, especially when they stick to the usual mix of fast-punk drumming in the verses and add in generic half-time breakdowns, but the more mid-tempo tracks in the middle really show some potential. Hide the drummer's double-kick pedal and go study some old Rorschach records, okay guys? We'll talk later.
- Avi Roig