Search and Destroy - Search and Destroy

Before delving into this review, let me make it clear that I am no connoisseur in Metalcore nor am I the authority to quote in Post-Hardcore but I shall make a critique on the Metalcore scene as an outsider. I respect the scene as it is, but there are just some things that I don’t get.

First problem that Metalcore has is that it is a broad term that no scene has actually defined the phrase properly, causing confusion and exacerbating the genre wars between subculture. At least when crossover existed back in the 80s, there was a clear set of what the rules were and the genre/subculture wars had a clearer definition.


The result being is that there is a wide spectrum on what it falls into, leading to a lot Metalheads, hating on the Metalcore presented to them, despite the existence of closer to the Metal spectrum Metalcore bands. The second problem is that it exists in the internet age where everything new is treated like a novelty.


This has caused people to not take the art seriously and easier to be seen as a trend instead. A person can easily empathize with old conservative elitists when the concentration of bands are so high in such a short period, coupled along with bands sounding so similar to each other because they get the same influence from the same set of bands.


A whole new set of bands sound like each other because they listen to the same band in a short period of time but has a limited gene pool. This situation is not unique to Metalcore itself, check out later era Gore-Grind bands and the multitude of Cyber-Grind bands in the late 90s.


Every single band copied each other that every riff is a cannibalization of a distant cousin. Everyone sounds like a 4^th cousin of At the Gates with E-string breakdown abuse and that became a stereotype of the scene (which fortunately, isn’t true.) So with those two conventions established, how does it correlate with the music of Search & Destroy?


Well, it’s the very fact that this band calls themselves Metalcore but it leans closer to Post-Hardcore while at the same time the band does not fall into the category of another regurgitated breakdown of another Metalcore band.

Checkered shirts? Flannel shirts? I'm pretty sure they're not from Seattle.

At first instance, I have to admit, I don’t get the dubstep (forgive me if it sounds pejorative or my mislabelling of the music) intro that the band inserted into their EP. So it made me feel that it was done out of novelty’s sake. Another trademark of music made in the internet era, where people get influenced with huge range music because of the availability of music at their fingertips. It can be good or positive, it’s up to your perception of the rapid pace globalization.


Not only that, the band uses it as glue in between certain songs that kept me wondering whether the band tacked in on variation sake or do they honestly respect that electronic beat that they need to feature it? However when the guitars come in, the notes hit those uplifting parts you hear a Post-Hardcore track, in a modern way.


It sounds like Envy without the Post-Rock parts and has a heavy emphasis on the melody created not through Gothenburg riffs but to an almost atmospheric feel. Even though the riffs at times does resemble some sort of Melodic Death Metal influence that Metalcore’s gene pool has overlapped a lot but most of the time it does not remind anyone of that Gothenburg feel.


Probably the band appeared slightly late in the game that it has enough time to process all the materials that appeared from 2000-2004, causing them to cherry pick the best elements on what could constitute something memorable. In no way there is any form of dark atmosphere created here, but something that you could lay-back to but having an enough kick from the distortion to keep you awake.


In fact, there are parts that sound like the more melodic Post-Hardcore parts of Isis. The vocals also sound like a cross between the tough-guy Hardcore of the Hatebreed variant with the harsh Post-Hardcore influenced bark of Isis. This is at times coupled with gang shouts that sounds lighter and of the more conventional Gorilla Biscuits type sing-a-longs. (Or should I call it shout-a-longs?)

It's either he thinks he is on a baseball pitch or he is about to throw the mic. Then again, all Hardcore kids look angry.

However, the breakdowns still sound jarring to me, maybe because the limited range of what a breakdown could be constituted as a breakdown. There are two ways around the usage of breakdowns, find a way to make it more energetic, that it does not sound like something that is stopping halfway through of a proper energy burst, or the other way is to use it creatively in different patterns.


The later, has assisted the creation of Djent but this band is no way in that category. The former however isn’t still what the band falls into. The breakdown still sounds forced, as I it is used to justify the Metalcore tag of the band, to make it sound tough. It sort of reminded of how Killswitch Engage actually sounded good in their poppy parts but starts to sound like a stuck blender when they try to deflect the homophobic insults of the tough-guy Hardcore community.


That is unfortunately, what the general masses seem to think when told to imagine how “Metal” sounds like. To be fair, those bands were also a direct descendant of the groovier side of Pantera and Sepultura’s Arise with the harsher side of Hardcore. What people need to realize is that it could work well as glue between their transitions and ultimately stood out like a sore thumb.

While the band has some sort of talent to create memorable, uplifting, pseudo melodramatic melody, the band is still hung up of pleasing what their genre tag implies. The band tries to be unique but ends up adding elements that seem to be closer to a novelty than something that suits the music. While that is how experimentation works, and some experiments fail, some work, this falls into the former category for those certain elements.


This band however is one of those bands that have succeeded in things that they didn’t expect to create but does realize how much they could do if they realized it. Now it may be offensive to order bands on what they can play or could not and I am not advocating that. From this review, which I hope they could take in is that, it could be great if they ever refine those sharp edges that sounded jarring because I do hell love the melodramatic parts.

PS/ This EP is from 2012 and I decided to review this because I wanted to add more South East Asian bands to the blog. Plus, the EP was free, so why not, right?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Searchandestroyband
Bandcamp: http://searchanddestroyband.bandcamp.com

Terence A. Anthony commutes between Kuala Lumpur and Kuching. Co-Founder of Aural Chaos. He also writes for Greater Malaysia and Opinions Unleashed.

Degaruda - Degaruda

Modern day Post-Hardcore has gotten a lot of bad rap. Mostly because the creation of modern "emo" music and how it seems to be so diluted to the point that they seem to focus too much of pop sensibilities. While having pop sensibilities if fine you are honestly a pop band.


The problem then become when they start calling themselves Post-Hardcore or some bands start taking to the term Screamo when there are amazingly original and energetic bands that also use that moniker. It became so bad that journalists started to drop all connotations of Screamo and started labeling bands like Page 99 or Circle Takes the Square "Skramz" instead.


While the modern Screamo phase seems to be over and has retreated away away from the mainstream media, terms like Post Hardcore or even Screamo are slowly being claimed back by many bands. Like the original first wave of Post Hardcore bands like Fugazi that pushed the boundaries of their music, these new wave of Post Hardcore bands also their stuff to the next generation.

Envy, created a blend of Post Rock, Post-Hardcore and Screamo while bands like Isis mixes Sludge Metal, Atmospheric Music and Post-Hardcore to create that devastatingly huge ground pounding sound. Thailand played their part in restoring justice to the moniker with Degaruda.

Out of the streets of Bangkok, Degaruda throws away all the normal conventions of structure and musical arrangement. They throw it away and reconstructed what it means to be Post Hardcore. Some of their tracks don't even have vocals and let the lead guitars do the singing. In fact it was done so well that I didn't even miss the screaming vocals when accompanied. Now the problem with writing instrumental tracks normally would a lack of sense of direction.


No one is there to give commands or to tell the narrative to the listener. So if you get long verses, it tends to get boring very quickly. So there are several things instrumental bands resort to. It is either to slowly build up like an orchestra, creating amazing crescendos that could shake the ground like many amazing Post-Rock bands do or use leads to bedazzle you with their guitar skills.


Now Degaruda does not go into shred territory but they do an amazingly beautiful work with the guitar leads. The guitar leads feels like a scout leader leading you through a camping track. He isn't barking commands at you, he isn't forcing you to go through when you can't but he melody just urges you to go on that trip. When he reaches the camping spot, then all of a sudden the vocals kick in when needed.


A combination of gang shouts and throat shrieking madness. Nothing too frantic, but strong enough to give you the kick while maintaining composure. Sometimes there are melodic clean vocals that kicks with a gruff but still able to accompany the guitar leads. The guitars even at times are willing to enter Stoner Rock territory and give you a taste of it. It's the right amount of crunch and melody, providing you with the right blend of textures.


You can say that this is like eating an ice cream with the cone. Crispy cone made out of corn flour on the outside, but sweet, soft and cold Neapolitan flavors on the inside. The bass lines also add another texture to the whole dish, with the contrast between the guitar melody lines and the bass making everything grounded. The simple yet perfect drumming pounds his way through with a certain sense of versatility. The drums never do go fast at a manic pace but glues everything with a midpace beat and is willing to fade out at the slower parts to collude with the drums to lead to a build up in the song.

At points, I felt like listening to a Kyuss or Queens of the Stone Age record with Melodic Post-Hardcore tendencies. The heaviest track for me was the track Lambs which felt as if they could very well enter Stoner Metal territory if the guitars were tuned much more lower and the amps giving more heavier distortion. In fact, they even teased with a pseudo solo.

I wanted more heavier sounding riffs after but I can't be selfish, and hope every band can suit my Metal tendencies. To be honest, some of the guitar melody in this track easily fit into a Sludge track. Maybe one of the lighter ones.

To wrap this review up, to me this album has a nod to each and every era of Post-Hardcore and how it evolves in the years. From the instrumental Art Rock like lead guitars to the heavier Stoner Rock, almost Sludge tracks to the Post-Punk like verses. This was best highlighted in the track Full Hands where each of every single of those were blended together to create this melancholic masterpiece. Well, it helped a lot that I was listening to this while it was raining.


While not delving into one of those specific eras or sounds of the more popular, well known bands, it does a great job in telling them thank you. Even to the more Melodic parts flirt with Pop stylings.


While the tracks may be easy listening to those on the edgier side of music but this doesn't mean that the band could easily be digested by a regular Pop music listener. This is a love letter to Post Hardcore I fell in love reading it.


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DegarudaMusic
Bandcamp: http://degaruda.bandcamp.com/

Terence A. Anthony commutes between Kuala Lumpur and Kuching. Co-Founder of Aural Chaos. He also writes for Greater Malaysia and Opinions Unleashed.

Kowloon Walled City - Container Ships

The name Kowloon Walled City is one of those rare, long names that is able stay in your mind. Normally bands that wish to have that catchy factor, they would just pick something short, easy to spell and catchy. However, like most good band names, they well reflect the band's sound and mystique. When you first hear the name, it sounds as if it's an element of a fantastical series, like Kyuss, who took their name from Dungeons and Dragons.

The word "walled" conjures up images of fortresses like Helm's Deep but when you think back, the name actually refers to something more earthly. The name refers to an old demolished part of Hong Kong, known for it's dangerous red light districts, immortalized in old Hong Kong movies, as dirty dens and raunchy adventures. Despite it being down to Earth, it has the mystical vibe that is a cross between a time gone by, as it no longer exists but it has an aura of fantasy attached with it, along with the association of vices. That reflects well in it's music too.

Source: Kowloon Walled City | Yes, you will get a Mastodon/Red Fang vibe from their looks.

The band plays a blend of Sludge Metal and Post-Hardcore. While jumping into Sludge Metal, one, would conjure up images of hurricane stricken wastelands in America and hard pounding riffs, like a cult-summoned Sabbath riff, played in the basements of Eye Hate God fans. However when you listen to this, you get something more down to earth. A much more melodic sound, slow brooding, something that you would associate more with Atmospheric acts like ISIS or Pelican, but not as heavy. Even ISIS or Cult of Luna isn't the best descriptor as the band does not in any form follow or try to imitate the Post-Rock leanings the bands mentioned above had.

The melody that those two bands mentioned are well integrated into this band. The structure reminds me more of Fugazi in the 90s, which coincidentally represents the vocals too. The screams aren't harsh screams of a drug addled alleyway of southern cities, but akin to underground venues of Washington city. It's the voice of a time gone by in the 90s, the scream that was the grandfather to Skramz bands, that Ian McKaye would pull off. Just like the real Kowloon Walled City, this band's music references a region, only captured in our imaginations, through the filter of a time gone by. People today, would view the city as a giant wall, surrounding massive structures, just like how this band utilizes the elements of an angry massive music sound, filtered through nostalgia of the 90s.


In other words, this band is Fugazi on steroids, reminiscing life, with the crushing weight of the genre's past. Post-Hardcore fans will think this is too Sludgy, while Sludge fans will think this is leaning too much on the Post-Hardcore side. If you are able to balance yourself in between, you'll be able to enjoy this band.


PS/ All of their albums are free on their bandcamp. Container Ships just happened to be my favourite album from this band.


Bandcamp (for free downloads):
http://kowloonwalledcity.bandcamp.com/


Facebook page (Click like on their page, they've given you good free music, that's the least you could do you ungrateful fuck): https://www.facebook.com/kowloonwalledcity


Too lazy to download? Just click on this youtube video:

Terence A. Anthony commutes between Kuala Lumpur and Kuching. Co-Founder of Aural Chaos. He also writes for Greater Malaysia and Opinions Unleashed.