Adrenochrome – “A New World Slaughter”
So, Adrenochrome is a band related to Gut Bucket. A Providence band that combined elements of death metal, hardcore and experimental music. And Providence, at least in my opinion, is a city that has always had a thriving, underground experimental scene.
Rob Cinami, the drummer from Gut Bucket, formed this band and on their site they say they combine “death metal, doom, grindcore, punk, jazz and black thrash. Lyrically showcasing anarchism, self-empowerment, revolution and anti-theism.”
I’m more than happy with that definition and we’re with them until the last, the anti-theism. I mean, how else are the Catholic priests gonna get their “good thing” you know what I mean?
I must admit we took a long time getting around to reviewing this EP. It was found under several empty white styrofoam boxes of Chinese food on Andy Bang’s desk. But once we did find it with its great, extreme metal and effective, intense black and death vocals, and with music that is unrelenting and uncompromising, bleak and dismal in tone but powerful and life affirming in its attack on the forces that be-we found a great EP. One full of awesome music weaponry. And it inspired us to put on our fluorescent green speedos and dance continuously, to this fine EP, around the TNB office.
By misplacing this album and for conjuring up the distasteful image of us parading in our improper swimwear- for this we apologize.
But this is brutal music that doesn’t apologize and takes no prisoners.
And after you decide what two appetizers you want and whether you want brown or white rice with your meal, why don’t we then listen to some selections, shall we?
“Consumed/Destroyed” starts like a death march as the guitars grind away and the death/black vocals growl or scream. The drums hits on one beat or rolls away leaving distorted guitars and bass to move ominously. The vocals exhort over them in one foreboding, whirling slam of destruction. This is a song of power and passion reminding me of my favorite Boston band, Neighborhood Shit. Towards the end of the tune is a brief detour into mayhem and confusion as this great song comes to a close.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/04 Consumed-Destroyed.mp3|titles=Consumed-Destroyed]“Bleed The Myth” starts with some distorted, plodding bass like a frog getting crushed on a highway. But quickly the razor sharp slicing guitars enter along with crashing drums and extreme black vocals. This song moves along on a grinding deathcore beat like a machine ripping through the streets, crushing all in its path. This song is heavy, intense, industrial, malevolent, powerful and awesome.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/06 Bleed The Myth.mp3|titles=Bleed The Myth]“New World Slaughter” starts with guitars ricocheting off each other until two sets of vocals, one high and black metal and one low and death metal, starts answering each other as well. A chaotic rush of vocals and rhythm comes slashing and crashing at each other as each dips and dives like assailants with knives. Then there’s a bit of a breakdown with a bubbling guitar riff that ascends to the top and overflows into another. After gaining steam the maniacal vocals pop in again and the thrashing, headbanging rhythm leads us onto more venom, spite and rage. Towards the end the song appears to stop but the vocals keep revolving in an unending collision of passion and pain. My favorite song on the ep.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/02 New World Slaughter.mp3|titles=New World Slaughter]Adrenochrome is what I think of as an extreme metal band meaning, to me, non-commercial, dark and sometimes too opaque and experimental for my tender ears
This band veers towards that and perhaps this band is best described as grindcore with abrasive metal, industrial and noise along with crust lyrics.
But I find the band more easy to comprehend, not that they’re all that simple, but there’s a clarity and coherence in their sound. And the intensity, the passion, the commitment in the music shines through.
So there’s no jokes here. You’re welcome to make light of musicians trying to express the darkness, the violence, the compassion of their souls.
But I suggest instead, you check out Adrenochrome ’cause what’s inside is music with a lot to offer. What’s inside is a dark but pleasant surprise.
(Slimedog)
