|
A truely dark and aggressive near masterpiece of Hardcore and Punk attitude.-
|
| Unkind: Harhakuvat |
Hardcore, Punk
Relapse Records
August 2nd, 2011
- Harhakuvat - 4:01
- Kaivannot - 4:28
- Laumasielut - 3:42
- Ylpeä Perhe - 6:11
- Johtajat Ja Uhrit - 7:43
- Läsnä - 2:40
- Tämä Päivä - 2:59
- Koulutettu Epäonnistumaan
|
| Links |
| Review Information |
Release length: 38:26
Review posted on August 2nd, 2011
- |
|
| | Overall Score: 8.5/10 |
  |
|
|
| Discography |
Discography covers all information available up to day of review and is updated if future albums are reviewed. |
| Full-Length(s): |
Harhakuvat (2011)
|
|
| - |
| Review |
Unkind is Hardcore/Punk outfit with a d-beat and crust foundation. The Finland-based band signed with Relapse Records to issue their rather dark 2011 debut album, Harhakuvat onto the unsuspecting Hardcore masses. Without much of a history for fans of Hardcore to know what to expect, but a strng push from their label to indicate that might be something special, many wonder whether this just short of forty minute effort is something worth checking out, or whether this will be another band in the Hardcore or Punk styles that will get lost in the sea of other acts.
Harhakuvat definitely does have a very dark sound to it, which is pushed greatly by the rawer production quality and aggressive Hardcore attitude. Musically, the album sounds a little more analag with a heavy, deep sound that is slightly muffled. The bass really stands out on the recording, being very loud and pulses along with the music nicely while the guitar's higher pitch hammers away with a strong rebellious attitude. The two instruments seem to crash at times, especially on some of the more haunting and ominous elements like some of the bridges of the title track "Harhakuvat", a staple performance that runs rampant throughout the album, and yet both guitars manage to work well together and feed into the dark atmosphere. The drums are played with a great deal of enthusiasm, but are handled well with the volumes. The cymbols feel pushed back a bit in the mix, which works well and, like the guitars, acts as a stark contrast the less-bass-driven sounds of the album, while the snares sound like gun shots going off, and the bass kicks slam through loudly with a rich, deep thud.
The vocals become one of the only elements of this recording that seem really common to the styles, being a screaming approach through each track. One of the most impressive things for it, however, is the restraint to not break into clean singing during some of the catchier moments where the guitars seem to create a dark melody to the music. This happens on plenty of tracks, like the ominous title track that sets the tone through dark melodies and Hardcore aggression, but it's "Kaivannot" that really grabs the listener with it's very bleak sound, yet infectious bridges thanks to strong guitar hooks that leave the listener expecting clean singing to jump out as the end of the song closes in, pulling you to the edge of the seat to wait for it, but yet it never comes, allowing the song retain that aggressive sound without losing sight and showing any sign of weakness.
One of the bigger elements of the release is that, while the band uses feedback effects in the songs, some of the tracks can be linked together by sort of bridging the two with music, and not really falling prey to the common trait of just using that feedback as a method to slam into the next track. "Laumasielut" has this happen to it as you conclude "Kaivannot", except it's a rich instrumental bridge that seems to bleed into "Laumasielut" and carry the atmosphere, as well as the flow, from the previous track into this one. There's also "Johtajat Ja Uhrit", a slower paced track that is driven by a very dominous and doom-riddled atmosphere that carries on for over seven and a half minutes. When you hit the half way point though, you reach an audio clip of a man discussing the topic of nazi's, those of the Jewish faith, and Isrealite's, all of which in a manner that is well suiting to the dismal atmosphere and sound being performed. This track also bleeds into "Lasna", which is just ambient guitars playing against a pulsing heartbeat. In all, the time from the sound bite used, and the entire "Lasna" takes up a good chunk of the album, and by the time you reach the track is all bleeds into, "Tama Paiva", you really expect something grand to hit, but instead are greeted with a less dark song that feels more like a generic Hardcore track then anything, not really living up to the expectations set by the previous two songs. Luckily the closing track, "Koulutettu Epaonnistumaan" doesn't feel the same way and actually closes the album out nicely with a little more of an upbeat feel to the overall darker sound of the release.
Unkind really takes a rather unique stab at the whole Punk and Hardcore scene with Harhjakuvat, and it's really a breath of fresh air. The music here matches the thoroughly dark and grim atmosphere, and each track, save for the last half of "Johtajat Je Uhrit" through "Tama Paiva", really cause this band to stand out well. The music is catchy and often can even more the listener's emotional state around in ways many bands in the style simply cannot do, and don't rely on pounding, fast paced music to get a specific message across. If you're looking for something interesting or just a little different with your Hardcore, Unkind is a band well worth taking notice of, just from an atmospheric point of view. Aside that, there's solid music that flows from one track to the other on many occassions, and is a near masterpiece of what the Punk and Hardcore styles are capable of.
|
| - |
|
Digital review copy of this release provided by:
Relapse Records.
| Submit to Social Networks |
|
|
|
|
