Munster hardcore punk metallers Alpinist have established a reputation for producing 'crushingly dark hardcore/crust played with blinding intensity', and this release, which sees two previous vinyl-only releases available together and for the first time on CD, demonstrates precisely why. From the full-throttle sonic assault of 'Deliberate' to the final track, 'Outro', there's no let up in the intensity.
This is angry music that combines elements of many genres without falling to the cliché trappings of any of them, and coming on in places like Ministry at their heaviest and elsewhere inviting comparisons to Fudge Tunnel's raging sludgefest. Tracks like the two-minute explosion of noise that is 'Project Fatigue' share common ground with the grindcore greats of the 80s and 90s.
Alpinist's 'socio-political lyrics' that are, I'm informed, 'openly and strongly against all forms of fascism, racism, sexism and homophobia' may not always be obvious or decipherable, but the sentiment is carried abundantly in the delivery, the words slammed in at a hundred to the bar in anguished, distorted tones against an all-engulfing barrage of blastbeats and chainsaw guitars.
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The songs where they slow the tempo are also extremely effective, notably the doomy as hell 'Licht', an exercise in the super-heavy with power chords played at a crawl and overlaid with feedback. The impact is just as strong as the full-throttle bulk of the album, and hits like a sledgehammer to the skull. Feel the force!
Aplinist on MySpace
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