When I was 17, I listened to what seemed like a million bands. The only requirement of these bands was that the music was what used to be called "underground." Sadly, this term was widely replace with "EXTREME MUSIC" in the 90's at some point, but I'm already getting off track. Anyway, the summer of 1991 lead me to a show in a terrible neighborhood in the west side, in the lower level of a house, converted into a rehearsal hall. Discontent and the Watchmen were both great Buffalo hardcore bands whose 7"s/demos I enjoyed. Beyond Death were a lyrically offensive (bald pussy posse, etc) crossover band with more death metal in their veins than anything. But I could see those bands nearly anytime, what I really wanted to see was Integrity: I had the "In Contrast of Sin" 7" and thought it was great. I hadn't been going to hardcore shows for very long and this show in a neighborhood with roving gangs of 12 year old Hispanic and black kids with baseball bats/ tire irons (yes, I saw this)just added to the excitement to see Integrity. I should also mention that they never showed up.
With all the times I have seen Integrity since and the numerous break ups, self parody and recent online fan championing, it is nice that Integrity has shown up on "The Blackest Curse." Leading off this new slab of Integrity wax is "The Process of Illumination." Musically it sounds VERY close to classic Integrity. Vocally/ lyrically however, there is nothing truly to pick out. There's surely a lot of yelling and it's intense, but there's no lines jumping out at you that would inspire one into participating upfront like their earlier records. "Through the Shadows of Forever" is an improvement in that department, but overall what jumps out at you with The Blackest Curse is not the vocals at all, it's the riffs and intensity. There are moments where they fully embrace an early Slayer-esque style, some gnarly fast soloing and pit inducing, and for lack of a better word, breakdowns. "Before the World was Young" is a long, slow brewing song with hints of Metallica, wait is this an Integrity record? Yes, it is.
Integrity, to me anyway, always seemed like it was stylistically one part Judge, one part Slayer, one part Cro-Mags and one part Metallica; A metallic influenced hardcore band infused with intense darkness. I think that now their best described as a hardcore influenced metal band infused with intense, yep you guessed it; darkness. Semantics probably, but gone are the really noticeable hints of Judge and the Cro-mags, but remaining are the heavy handed touches of Slayer and Metallica. This is not a complaint. Integrity in 2010 is a very different animal than it was in the 90's and I expect wiggle room with member changes and the fact that singer Dwid lives in Belgium, whereas the rest of the band resides in Cleveland and elsewhere.
The Blackest Curse is a satisfying record. Not only in the sense that it mostly sounds like an Integrity release, but that its intensity borders on sheer brutality at times. Sure, there's no Melnick brothers and no real "sing along moments" but this is a record that would make great background music when a 12 year old is beating the fuck out of your car with his bat.
No comments:
Post a Comment