Arson Anthem
EP
Housecore
Arson Anthem bring hardcore to its bloodied knees in just slightly over ten minutes time on their debut self titled EP.
The band taps into the energy of Negative Approach and Vision of Disorder. Though recorded in the technologically slick 21st Century, it sounds every bit as brutal as those original mid ’80s to early ’90s recordings.
How does a modern band so convincingly pull off this long dead sound? One look at the lineup should clear up those questions:
Phillip H. Anselmo (vocals; Pantera, Down, Superjoint Ritual) – Mike IX Williams (guitar; EyeHateGod, Outlaw Order) – III (drums; Assjack, Superjoint Ritual, and grandson of Hank Williams, Sr. and the son of Hank Williams Jr) – Collin Yeo (bass)
This band came together in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which had left New Orleans natives Anselmo and Williams in dire straits, as a means to recreate the lost era of early hardcore. The production is shoddy at times, the overall spirit of the record reeks cigarette smoke and booze. It’s raw, it sounds as if it was thrown together in one sleepless weekend, and it is beautiful.
If all of those band names I’ve just tossed around mean nothing to you, “Doomed Morale” sounds like the explosive side of Nirvana – the half that wrote “Territorial Pissings.” This may not have been the effect that they were going for, but the comparison is unmistakable when listening to Anselmo’s tortured screams overtop the distortion-heavy power chords.
Arson Anthem: http://www.myspace.com/arsonanthem
