Album Review: Phobia - "Remnants of Filth"

     At this point in the band's 20+ year career, anyone familiar with Phobia pretty much knows what to expect whenever a new record hits the streets. While "Remnants of Filth" won't do anything to alienate the grindcore faithful, it's safe to say that new guitarists Dorian Rainwater and CeCe Loessin, as well as sometime drummer Bryan Fajardo(Noisear, Kill the Client, Gridlink) have breathed new life into the band. All the familiar elements are there, the straight up grindcore assault of tracks like "Conviction" and "Plagued by the System," to the punk as fuck singalong of "Filthy Fucking Punks." For those who want a little more from their grindcore, look no further than the Slayer-esque intro to "Resolution." "Submission Hold" features a breakdown that would not be out of place on a Dying Fetus record, and the mosh part on "Infraction of Pride" should get anyone with a pulse dancing in a circle. "No Sympathy For the Weak" contains possibly the most death metal riff ever featured on a Phobia record. Fajardo keeps the whole thing flowing with a relentless performance behind the kit. The man has truly become a beast on the drums. While this all may sound like the band trying too hard to expand on its signature sound, it all works perfectly within the Phobia mold. Unencumbered with instrumental duties for the first time in Phobia's long history, main man Shane McLachlan uses the opportunity to put forth a truly venomous vocal performance. There are few better frontmen in the genre, and I can only imagine that these tracks will be even more vicious in a live setting. The simple fact is that no matter what Phobia puts out, it's live that the band really excels. This album contains a number of songs that are destined to become setlist staples. I can't imagine any established Phobia fan being disappointed with this record, and the more varied sound might earn them a few new ones.

Album Review: Propagandhi - "Failed States"

     My 15 year old self would probably kick my ass for saying this, but despite how classic Propagandhi's early material may be, their more recent output is light years ahead of anything they did on their first few records. The pop-punk of their first two albums is a distant memory, having long since been replaced with a lethal, thrash infused hardcore attack. The band's sixth full-length effort, "Failed States," is the next logical step from 2009's near-masterpiece, "Supporting Caste." The slow build of opener "Note to Self" quickly gives way to the all out speed metal of the title track. The rest of the record alternates between relentless thrash and melodic passages that remind the listener that this is still very much a Propagandhi record. There are a few moments, such as on "Cognitive Suicide," when the guitar and bass lines weave into each other in an almost Fugazi-esque fashion, only to seamlessly launch back into a breakneck pace. The intro to "Rattan Cane" finds the band slowing down to a lurching, near doom metal groove, while "Hadron Collision" embraces the spirit of 80s crossover, complete with a wah-pedal soaked guitar solo. Lesser bands would fail miserably at mixing up so many sub-genres, but Propagandhi not only excel at it, they have used it to create a sound unlike any other band over the course of their six albums. Lyrically, this band has no peer. I have often made the mistake of comparing my own lyrical output with Propagandhi's, and that will always be a fatal mistake. No matter what it is you feel like you need to say in a song, chances are these guys have already said it better. While still directly taking on certain subjects, this album seems to have more of an underlying theme of personal responsibility. Many songs seem to share a common thread of the problems being faced in modern society being caused by the general population's inability, and sometimes unwillingness, to care about anything until it is too late. As always, the words are not only clever, but make you think about issues in a way you may not have before. Chris Hanna and Todd Kowalski spit out their respective vocal parts with venom and conviction rarely heard in music these days. All in all, I'm very tempted to call this record Propagandhi's finest hour, but, as with their previous two albums, I'm holding back simply because I feel like this one is another stepping stone towards something even greater.