Disaster Strikes / Bring Down the Hammer – “Split CD”
This is a split CD of Disaster Strikes, a great local political hardcore band and Bring Down The Hammer who’s style is country electronica, I mean, a great local political hardcore band, that is if you happen to live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Which I do.
I mean, don’t.
Some might question why we’re reviewing a band from out of the New England area.
Well, according to the commissioner of TNB, Roger Goodell, as long as one or the majority of the bands on the split are from this area, then that’s okay. This, Roger, is one smart cookie, let me tell ya. I see him possibly managing the fry-o-later at Burger King someday.
Also, lots of folks seem confused how a split CD by two bands is done. Well, first of all, the two bands split up the members equally forming two new bands. Then band one writes the first line of the first song followed by band two writing the second one and so on. Then the band who has the most even numbered letters in their names decides who starts the next song.
I hope this cleared things up.
Bring Down The Hammer have six of the nine songs on this CD but only a couple crack the minute mark. This is intense, screaming power packed songs in the style of early hardcore. Disaster Strikes songs are a little longer and have the politically aware lyrics without falling completely into the heavy New York hardcore style. They seem to be regarded as one of Boston’s best hardcore bands and I couldn’t agree more.
Let’s listen to a couple of songs by both bands and in a show of Northern hostility, I mean, hospitality- we’ll let our guests go first.
“Public Lands- Private Hands” starts with a nice, melodic guitar riff hiding under the emotional, passionate venom that is striking out, effectively, from the singers throat. The rhythm section pummels along at a fast but restrained pace. It seems to be a song about companies destroying the land, “Got no value/ In your eyes.” A dissonant chord drops in twice near the end but it doesn’t stop the power and greatness of this short song.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/07 Public Lands ~ Public Hands.mp3|titles=Public Lands ~ Public Hands]“A Butchery More Sacred” smashes full force out of the gate with the drums pounding every beat to smithereens and the incendiary vocals emoting away. Towards the end one guitar chord rings out following a rhythmic delivery that, musically, is like getting hit in the face. But this hit is a pleasant one; potent and full of intense passion and pain.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/05 A Butchery Most Sacred.mp3|titles=A Butchery Most Sacred]“Faith In Fiction” (by Disaster Strikes) starts with some feedback and rolling drums before the guitars come ripping in. It isn’t until the strong vocals come in do the drums revert to a straight ahead beat. There is an almost Oi feel to this anti-religion rant. “Faith in fiction/ Undermine truth/ Undermine reason/ Where logic is sin/ Where science is treason.” The guitars buzz like metallic mosquito’s as the lead vocals are answered by others in the shadows. “We don’t need to believe to make our lives complete…No need for a prophet to tell us right from wrong.” I believe this is one helluva song.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/02 Faith in Fiction.mp3|titles=Faith in Fiction]“You Own The Past But Not Today” is a relentless charging diatribe with the background vocals shouting the title of the song back at the singer while the drums pound away and the guitars grind along. About halfway through the song the drums pause to leave the guitars still wailing only to come in with a stronger, faster beat. The drums drop off again, this time to let the passionate vocals relay “Unseen to you/ But no longer voiceless and no longer choice-less.” The drums return with the guitars playing a different, more melodic line as the song builds with intensity and excitement. Best song on this CD and one of the best songs I’ve heard, so far this year.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/03 You Own the Past but not Today.mp3|titles=You Own the Past but not Today]This CD packs a wallop musically and lyrically touches on the essence of what hardcore’s about- political awareness and social comment. And it’s great to hear an out of town band that doesn’t disappoint and a local favorite that lives up to its potential and more.
Oh, and Amy Toxic did the great, eerie cover art for this CD. I think Amy might be our most creative, intelligent friend of TNB but please, (with me saying this), don’t hold that against her.
I say bring down the hammer before disaster strikes. I say let’s boogie till the cows come home. I say check out this great CD here:
https://disasterstrikes.bandcamp.com/album/disaster-strikes-bring-down-the-hammer-split
But right now, I gotta make like an amoeba and split.
(Slimedog)
