Check out these reviews from ThrashHead!
AGE OF COLLAPSE – Burden of Beast 12″ LP
4 stars
Mar 07 2012: http://thrashhead.com/age-of-collapse.html
I like everything about this one; as soon as it was put in my hands I couldn’t wait to hear it. With creepy yet beautiful artwork courtesy of Joseph Sanchez and the logo for Aborted Society Records out of Seattle, I knew. Oh, clear vinyl too!
And AGE OF COLLAPSE do not disappoint. With a clearly modern sound and crisp recording that lets the multitude of textures all come thru, they pound their way thru seven tracks with precision and apparent musical talent. Burden Of Beast is simultaneously an a-typical crust punk record and still somehow familiar at the same time. There are elements being drawn from a wide range of sources but the arrangements of those elements that AGE OF COLLAPSE construct seem fresh and very creative. This LP stretches itself stylistically without ever feeling like it is overreaching. Haunting scenes that are subtle and even tender juxtaposed against pummeling and urgent hardcore all coming together and creating a powerhouse of sound and raw emotion. One aspect of this that I really like is the multiple vocalist that weigh in at different times. Sounds like all the members are moved to add their voice to the cataclysmic whole. Unsparing and savage AND quiet and reflective. In one word…Passion.
Is it that new bands concern themselves less with a particular sound and style and thereby all their influences are able to coexist within their songs or is it that the mishmash of styles is itself a new style? Whatever it is, I have heard a few bands recently that are able to pull this off spectacularly and AGE OF COLLAPSE are definitely one of them.
Lyrically AGE OF COLLAPSE are able to create powerful images with lines like “No, you won’t build your pearly gates with my ivory”. The track titled Hands That Take in particular moved me with its line “You can apologize to your children for a blue world they will never know”. The world painted by these guys is pretty dark and bleak indeed. Though the future looks grim, I feel that AGE OF COLLAPSE will survive. (Val)
NUX VOMICA – Embrace the Cycles 7″
5 stars
Mar 07 2012: http://thrashhead.com/nux-vomica.html
Here we have yet another great record in a string of great records from Aborted Society Records. NUX VOMICA have been raging for almost 10 years now and with this Embrace The Cycles EP they show that they have lost none of the passion they have carried along the way.
This is a massive record despite its small format. Haunting and atmospheric, with layers upon layers of rhythms and sounds. At times acoustic and introspective, at other times evocative and droning at others times ferocious and rampaging . There is so much going on but it all works as a cohesive unit building upon itself, growing, expanding and forming into a work of art that is emotionally powerful and moving to say the least. There is also a strange but effective use of multiple rhythms and time signatures that make this sound very unique while still remaining straightforward and unpretentious. I really like the way they used an acoustic interlude as the outro on side A and as the intro to side B. It really keeps this flowing and gives the sense of solid foundation. It all feels so organic and natural.
I am also impressed by the way this little slab seems to defy categorization in my mind. The complexity of it all makes for a genre bending record that will stay on my turntable for a long time to come. Try to imagine the bastard child of FROM ASHES RISE, CARCASS and MORNE and you are in the ballpark. ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL!!!!
Seems like maybe this took a while to finally surface since it was recorded back in 2010. Mine came on cool grey and red swirl vinyl with a mini poster too.
There is supposed to be an LP on the way and I can’t wait to get a copy if this is any indication of their current course… (Val)
