CHILDREN OF GOD - WE SET FIRE TO THE SKY

Coming off a very impressive split with SEVEN SISTERS OF SLEEP as well as a one-track flexi, CHILDREN OF GOD’s debut full-length We Set Fire To The Sky is a genre bending piece of art. Running the gamut of frantic hardcore to eerie spoken word segments, these eight tracks showcase a very interesting journey.

Starting things off is the juggernaut “Destroy Belief” which barely breaks the forty second mark. You’re swept up in this whirlwind of energy immediately before given a brief respite in the form of “Awaken.” The tension builds and builds for a solid few minutes, acting as a prelude to it’s blood-curdling crescendo. “Awaken” ends with a great instrumental section that relies heavily on the drums. Thanks to the crisp production, each instrument is clear which helps weave together a very powerful tapestry.

“Offer” continues where the first handful of tracks began, menacing vocals with a sludgy background. Things grow more and more faster as the track progresses, making a very intriguing mix.

And just when you expect another hardcore track, “To The Sky (I)” throws a wrench into the plan. The sound is very mournful and layered with clean vocals and a continuous driving riff. As the song moves into “To The Sky (II)” the tone shifts into a minute and a half frenzied blitzkrieg. Between those two tracks may be the best representation of We Set Fire To The Sky - a perfect balance between varying sounds and unbelievable vocals.

“Where Did They Go” may be my favorite track on the record. Starting off slow, the music ominous feel - especially when the low, whispery vocals enter. Even when the tempo starts picking up, there’s that feeling of something just waiting in the shadows. Then they attack with a savage-paced hardcore style that has some moments where you will find yourself nodding your head at the beat. Clocking in at over seven-minutes, it’s an epic. I don’t want to spoil the track too much because I feel that it will surprise a lot of people... but it’s awesome.

The closing track “Unknown” starts off much like “Where Did They Go” with a lengthy prelude before showing its teeth. The vocals truly stand out on this one as does the wailing guitars leading up to the finale.

We Set Fire To The Sky is a strange record and I mean that in the best possible way. Whenever you think you have a feel for their sound, they switch it up and leave you even more bewildered than when you started. The aspect I enjoyed best about the record - other than the unpredictability - was how well it flowed. Going from hardcore to the soft-vocals of “To The Sky” could be very jarring to the listener, but CHILDREN OF GOD creates enough layers and lead-up to the point where that transition is gradual. There’s never a point where things became too disjointed and I feel that’s something that should definitely be applauded on such a complex record.

CHILDREN OF GOD will be self-releasing it in the States whilst Vendetta will be doing a Euro-press.

A389 2013 BASH!

So, Total War has been a bit quiet lately due to some technical difficulties i.e. my laptop dying at a most inopportune time. But, it's almost my favourite time of year: late January. This time of year as become synonymous with one thing: A389 Records. Dom brings the best bands to Baltimore and throws one of the best - if not the best - small fests around. This year he has outdone himself with a LEFT FOR DEAD reunion as well as GEHENNA, ILSA, INTEGRITY, and PICK YOUR SIDE to just name a few. Whilst it's a bit of short notice, here's some of the things I'm looking forward to this weekend.

1. LEFT FOR DEAD / Seeing GEHENNA Twice

I couldn't choose between the two so it's a tie. Having listened to LFD since High School - a few months after their 2004 reunion - I cannot wait to see them live. On top of that, Chris Colohan even mentioned that in the time they practiced, more material was written.

GEHENNA has been my favorite band since hearing the opening moments of "83%" and I've tried to see them every time they've hit the East Coast. So, having the ability to catch them twice in two days - including a show with legends DESPISE YOU - is better than Christmas. And plus, like LFD, they should have some new tracks in their repertoire.

 2. Experiencing LIKE RATS & ILSA Live

 Each respective band released awesome records over the past year so I'm interested in seeing how they come across in a live setting. Will Ilsa's sound be as savage and filthy as "Deadbeat's Ballad"? Only time will tell.

 3. PICK YOUR SIDE

PYS played a great set at last year's bash so I cannot wait to see them now, especially since they added Andrew (Column Of Heaven, ex-Endless Blockade) into the mix. And from a record nerd stand-point, I hope they have copies of their newish EP "Snakes And Ladders".

4. SURPRISES

It never fails that there's always one band that completely surprises me and steals the show. Last time around it was Young And In The Way's mesmerizing performance. This year I'm not sure what to expect.

Safe travels to all those who're heading to Charm City for this once-in-a-lifetime event.

CHILDREN OF GOD: NEW RECORD SOON

If you've spent time browsing this site then you'll know that I'm not shy about having favourite bands. CHILDREN OF GOD is amongst that now increasingly large list. So imagine my surprise when I heard there's a proper full-length in the works titled "We Set Fire To The Sky." The band has just released a preview in the form of the title track and... Wow.

After blowing me away with their side of the split with fellow Californians SEVEN SISTERS OF SLEEP, CHILDREN OF GOD have created a very unique sound on "We Set Fire To The Sky." The track starts off very quickly, throwing the listener in the deep end. The vocals sound ferocious and the drums sound absolutely killer. The pace then goes into an interminable crawl. It isn't a sludgy crawl a la EYEHATEGOD but something more mournful and plodding. This goes on quite a while, building and building until the more aggressive arrangement takes back over for a breakneck finish. The emotion when he yells "DESTROY" cannot be denied.

Without a doubt, this is probably my favourite COG track and I've only listened to a handful of times. I was originally going to say this is quite a change-up from their usual frantic hardcore roots, but then I forgot about their piece "The Sun Gives Way To False Truths", which clocks in at over nine minutes with a similar sound.

Despite their connection with A389, CHILDREN OF GOD will be releasing their debut LP themselves - with Vendetta helping out in the Euro market. And did I mention the beautiful Thomas Hooper cover? Stunning.

Whilst I've tried recently to not do band vs band comparisons or that dreaded FFO tag, if you have enjoyed the recent works of SERAPHIM and the highly underrated PALA, this new track should be right up your alley.

If the rest of the LP is anything like this, COG may be a strong contender for best of 2013.



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COUNTRESS - CRAWLING FROM THE GRAVE

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Hailing from Reno, Nevada COUNTRESS dabbles in an unholy mix of dirty punk n' roll and metal. Their debut EP “Crawling From The Grave” features two tracks that runs the gamut from awesome over the top solos to gang vocals. Off the bat, I want to say COUNTRESS features members of one of my favorite but now defunct bands THE FARLEY OVERDOSE – the vocals and guitar sound very familiar.

Starting off is “Demon Eyes” immediately drowns the listener in a sea of endless riffs. For a first recording, everything sounds really good. All the instruments are prevalent and the recording itself is clean yet has a distinct grimy feel. Whilst “Demon Eyes” doesn't break any lyrical plateaus, it's a fun song that has a ton of energy and moments to head-bang – probably best drunkenly. There's also moments where “Demon Eyes” is really quite catchy.

“Mesmerizer” was my introduction to the band a few months ago. The lyrics are dark, revolving around an incident where two teenagers made a suicide pact after listening to a Judas Priest record backwards (Apparently they heard the words “Do it” as a subliminal message). The vocals are caustic and vicious as shouts of “Do It” are repeated. According to the story one of the two people survived the attempt; I really like the lyrical approach as the song closes out: “Blood shit blurred vision recognize this world. Suicide failure. Fucked up once again.” If that doesn't paint a morose picture...

COUNTRESS will have a tape version of “Crawling From The Grave” available soon but for now this is available for free download on both the band's bandcamp page and mediafire. A full-length is currently being written with plans for recording in March 2013 so keep COUNTRESS on your radar.

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ROT IN HELL - TERMINI TERRAE

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One cold winter day a few years back, I ripped open a parcel and stared at my latest purchase: Gehenna's “The War Of The Sons...” and Rot In Hell's “Hallways Of The Always.” I hadn't heard of RIH at the time, but after reading some reviews, it seemed like a wise choice. Within thirty seconds of putting the record on the turntable and pressing play, I had a new favorite band. Fast-forward some time.... the band released numerous splits, a stunning debut full-length (“As Pearls Before Swine”), played their first show in the old colonies, and had some of the coolest records around (Sandpaper wrapped tapes, lathe-cut records in camo bags, and intricate box-sets to just name a few). After a few members moved on, there was a period of time where it seemed that perhaps RIH had disbanded, but instead they remained in the shadows, sharpening their weapons, waiting for the perfect time to strike. That time has come.

“Termini Terrae” is a four-track EP released by the recently resurrected Dark Empire records. Featuring the legendary Lecky on vocals as well as Sam (Anguish) on bass, this incarnation of RIH sounds just as fierce and venomous as before. Yet there is a certain edge to this newer material that combines all the elements the band has used in the past, whether it be experimental noise, acoustic tracks, or straight-ahead metallic punk, to the point where it feels like I'm a bystander in a dark ceremony. The resulting sound is the rising of a titan, ready to destroy the world.

The title track “Termini Terrae” kicks off the EP with a furious build-up to Lecky's signature vocals. If you worried about “Oh it's a different vocalist and won't sound as good as the early stuff”, don't worry. In under two minutes RIH still shows why they're one of the best. As you're being crushed by the riffs the transition into “Carrion Dawn For Vultures.” Whilst it's another hardcore banger, half-way the song the pace almost grows mournful, moving away from hardcore into an audio collage of acoustic guitar and deafening noise. It's a track that works extremely well showcasing how many styles and tools RIH has in its repertoire.

The closing tracks, “Black Edelweiss" / "Spiritus Mundi”, start with an acoustic prologue before disintegrating into an relentless assault. The solos at like the five-minute or so mark... Fucking excellent. Honestly, a lot of bands blatantly and shamelessly rip-off Integrity but Rot In Hell takes that influence and infuses their very own unique sound to create something special. Every second is used to propel the music. Even as the EP starts winding down with harsh noise, it adds to the utter chaos and hopelessness.

Once again Rot In Hell teamed up with the great Give Up to create more memorable and intriguing artwork. As with all their work, nothing – from the insert to the actual record itself – looks good. It's not a life-less xerox copy with no soul. This is a record I'm honored to have in my collection and I hope it's both a sign of new RIH material and the reboot of Dark Empire.

Despite new members and some time away from the public eye, Rot In Hell's “Termini Terrae” is a no-bullshit piece of art that shows why they're one of my favorites. From softly spoken vocals to head-banging-ly awesome solos, they twist and form audio into their own weapon.

Whilst the limited editions are long sold out, you can still purchase it straight from Dark Empire – and I suggest you do. I know a lot of things are in the works for RIH including a second box-set as well as “Hallways Of The Always II” so keep an eye out for more updates.

Finally, it should probably be noted that there is no download code with this record. This is meant to be played in its original format, vinyl, not a shitty compressed mp3 file on your laptop.