Noistalgia (Self-Released/Tankcrimes)
With drums & guitars done in Cleveland OH, bass guitars in Vancouver, BC and vocals laid down in Tel Aviv, Israel; this is truly an internationally made album and band. Dirk Verbeuren (SOILWORK) is doing double duty with the guitar, it shows he’s more than just a drummer. He wrote the damned album! DEVIN TOWNSEND laid down some solid bass lines & Sven De Caluwe (ABORTED,SYSTEM DIVIDE) well, does what Sven does! The band has since added SHANE EMBURY from NAPALM DEATH as the new bassist for the next album, which they are already working on. Originally self- released last fall, it will be re-issued this summer by Tankcrimes in a special package. It’s grindcore at its best. Clocking in at 17 minutes long, it gets to the point on every song. Let’s check out Noistalgia right now.
If you get the physical CD, the booklet has one sentence introductions to each song, just so you’re not misled by anything. From songs about blast beats like “Blast Beat Barrage” and technological advances in“Digital Disaster”, you are also treated to all the social commentary you’d expect since this is just one big ole love letter to the genre. It basically says that in the name of the title track, “An homage to grindcore and noise”. As fun as short songs are, I do wish the song “In One Word” was longer. I would’ve loved to hear what other band names they could have tossed in there. Based on just the bass line alone, “Sustained Idiocy” just makes me want to punch something. Dirk’s SOILWORK band mate Sylvain Coudret, comes in and throws a cool guitar solo in your face on “Dead Meat”. “Fool for Life” is the longest track (4:06) and gives the album some added weight. It ends with a lovely rendition of “Bullshit Propaganda” in honor of the mighty EXTREME NOISE TERROR.
They managed to cram this album full of greatness in a short amount of time. I’m not sure if throwback is the right description for this, but this does make you remember the early days of grindcore (only with better production- thank you Devy!). With Noistalgia, BENT SEA came, saw and kicked ass. Not only did I like it, I bought it!
GRADE: B+
by Ojayy Cordy
