TOP 40 ALBUMS OF 2020-PART 4-THE TOP TEN

Well, originally I was going to make this 50 albums and I certainly could easily do that, but because of being generally busy and not having to adhere to deadlines with this blog that not a ton of people read, I ended up not having the time to get all 50 out there. It's alright, nobody on earth needs someone to recommend 50 albums to them and even 40 proves I'm a little extra, but hell, let's get on with this. Order is from 10 to my number one album of the year at the bottom. Cheers, and let's all hope like hell next year doesn't suck as much as this one.

WAKE-DEVOURING RUIN

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Canadian grind/death metal outfit Wake have always been a great band, but 2020 was certainly a banner year for them, with the early year release of their unbelievable new album "Devouring Ruin" cementing them as one of extreme metal's most exciting bands. Relentlessly heavy while also adding in elements of previously unheard genres and progressive elements to their songs, Devouring Ruin is ridiculously epic and forward thinking while never feeling bogged down or boring from the new elements they explore. I'd be hard pressed to find a single black/death/grind record that I enjoyed more this year, or even in the last several years. It's a masterpiece that needs to be heard to be believed.

CHUBBY AND THE GANG-SPEED KILLS

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Maybe my most overall listened to record of 2020, Chubby And The Gang are a burning example of everything that makes punk rock exciting. Furious, anthemic, full of attitude and just a hell of a lot of fun to listen to, Speed Kills was on repeat for a majority of the year and saved my brain from collapsing on itself more times than I can remember. Every time I listen to this epic piece of punk rock/hardcore I wish a little harder for the day that live music can come back so I can hopefully break a couple of bones diving off a monitor to this incredible band. Best punk record of the year and best cover art of the year hands down, no contest.

SPANISH LOVE SONGS-BRAVE FACES EVERYONE

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 I'll admit that despite the overwhelming amount of hype this band seemed to be getting in punk circles the past few years, they just never gripped me with their previous material, but Brave Faces Everyone certainly grabbed me and never let go. I'd be hard pressed to think of a emo/punk record that's examined depression, wealth inequality, and the general horror of modern life in the United States with the level of depth that this record does, not this year, not even in the past 10 years, maybe longer. It's simply a master class of the genre, incredible lyrics and incredibly heartfelt music to go along with it. It's not often an album comes along that not only brings in a new generation of punk fans but also turns the heads of the cynical older generation who's most likely fallen off of checking out the more current bands in the scene, but this album sure as hell is the one. An absolutely essential listen for anyone that's ever loved an emo or pop punk record in their lifetime.

GULCH-IMPENETRABLE CEREBRAL FORTRESS

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As exciting as videos of their insane live shows and their previous material made me for a full length, nothing could have prepared me for the absolute insane ripper that Gulch's debut full length was. Taking elements from every genre of hardcore and combining it into an ugly, furious beast that is uniquely their own, this LP stayed on repeat constantly throughout the year for me and had me wanting to tear the walls around me down in a year that was overwhelmingly that feeling a lot of the time. Another record that has me hoping for the return of live shows as soon as possible, it's one of those rare releases from a band that both completely lives up to the hype but feels devoid of any pretentiousness. A master class example of heavy hardcore, and the best album of the genre to come out this year.

NOTHING-THE GREAT DISMAL

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Nothing have taken the scene by storm throughout the years with their hypnotizing blend of alternative rock and shoegaze, but I'd be lying if I said Tired Of Tomorrow and Dance Under The Blacktop hit me as hard as their incredible debut full length Guilty Of Everything did. It was a surprise to me then when the band's latest full length The Great Dismal ended up being not only one of my favorite albums of the year, but a contender for my favorite Nothing release to date, no small feat considering how high I hold the aforementioned album in my heart. Inspired by the bleak darkness of this year, The Great Dismal is both numbing and transcending all at once, feeling like a dedication to the relieving feeling of giving up the worry of what's out of your control. An album that will hijack your brain and stay with you for days, months, and years to come.

RUN THE JEWELS-RUN THE JEWELS 4

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Not much I can say about rap titans Run The Jewels that hasn't been echoed in every music publication that covers current popular music, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to gush over how unbelievably necessary this record was to saving my sanity in 2020. Featuring some of the most insane in house beats the group has made to date and some of the most ridiculous bars yet from two veterans at the top of their abilities, RTJ4 is a masterclass in rap music that both throws back to the "golden era" of hardcore hip hop while pushing forward into a new era that they helped build themselves. RTJ4 proved that no amount of popularity or money gained is going to stop El-P and Killer Mike from bringing real, rugged and raw hip hop to the masses. I'd say I don't know where the two go from here, but I said that after they released the third record as well, so while I've certainly got faith that they'll best this effort with the next one yet again, this is pretty damn close to rap perfection in it's purest form.

YASHIRA-FAIL TO BE

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There are no words to describe how proud Yashira's sophomore album "Fail To Be" makes me feel to be a part of Florida's extreme music scene. Rebuilding after the tragic loss of their original drummer in 2018, this late year end release jumped to the forefront of my top albums this year when it dropped and stands as one of the most incredible heavy releases of the year or the past several. Shades of genre greats like Botch, Converge and Intronaut can be heard in Yashira's sound, but make no mistake that the band treads their own path on this record. It's an absolutely brilliant piece of heavy music that's both unrelenting and meditative, a mix of extreme genres that has to be heard to be believed. 2021 will undoubtfully be the year this band rises to the forefront of extreme metal, and it will be well deserved.

CONWAY THE MACHINE-FROM KING TO A GOD

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Griselda had an insane 2020, and honestly I'm sure I'll probably end up kicking myself for not including quite a few of their other releases on my best of list for this year, but for me one thing is certain, and that is that Conway's "From King To A God" release stands at the top of the list from the crew's offerings. It would be hard for me to overstate just what an achievement this record is, stacked wall to wall with bangers that explore every side of the rapper, and prove that he can not only rap circles around the majority of his peers, but that he can adapt to any kind of beat with ease. You would be hard pressed to find a rap record that's more complete, cohesive and at the same time as dynamic as this one. It explores a litany of different moods with ease while never feeling disjointed or out of place. The fact that this record serves as but a prelude to Conway's forthcoming first major label release has honestly got me shook. By far one of the best rap records this year, or in quite a few years for that matter.

SOFT KILL-DEAD KIDS R.I.P. CITY

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One of two artists (Conway being the other) to have two releases in my best of list this year, Soft Kill's long awaited new full length "Dead Kids R.I.P. City" is everything fans of the band could have hoped for and so much more. Stunning production, songs that have an absolutely surreal beauty to them, and haunting lyrics had me listening to this nonstop since it's release and that will certainly not change in the coming new year. Soft Kill has always been a great band, but this album is arguably their magnum opus, a culmination of years of craft and touring that's both emotionally crushing and spiritually uplifting. It's an absolutely incredible record that transcends genres and boundaries. A modern classic from the day it was released.

FREDDIE GIBBS AND ALCHEMIST-ALFREDO

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I was pretty damn sure Alfredo was going to be my album of the year a week or so after it released and I had already gotten in a countless number of listens, and it seems my intuition on that is right. Maybe I'm biased as Gibbs has been my favorite current rapper for several years running now, dropping one incredible release after another, but Alfredo shows not only him at the top of his game, but also the incredible chemistry that he shares with Alchemist, by far one of the best beatmakers in hip hop. Lyrically stunning bars coupled with brilliant and bright instrumentals and some seriously show stopping guest features made Alfredo not only the best rap album of 2020, but in my opinion the best album released this year period. It says a lot about the albums wide reach and how huge a moment it is for Gibbs that, despite the Grammy's being pretty irrelevant to the musical landscape he landed a nomination, and that's even with the album including the line "my name cocaine they ain't gonna put me in the nominees". They were smart to do it, as it would be insane to snub this incredible achievement in any way. Alfredo is perhaps the best project yet from a rapper who's been steady making classics for years now. I'll definitely remember 2020 as the year Freddie Gibbs went from your rappers favorite rapper to the world's favorite, and with good cause. An absolutely incredible piece of hip hop history in the making.

Well, that's that. If I had been able to finish a top 50 as I wanted I'm sure a lot of omitted releases would have been included, so here's a few honorable mentions I think everyone should definitely check out when they have the chance:

Benny The Butcher-Burden Of Proof

Code Orange-Underneath

Couch Slut-Take A Chance On Rock And Roll

Deftones-Ohms

Exhalants-Atonement

Primitive Man-Immersion

Westside Gunn-Pray For Paris

Here's to hopefully a better 2021. Be smart, be safe, look out for your loved ones and your friends, wear a fucking mask, and don't pack into bars for new years eve, save that shit for next year when the vaccine is popping off. Seriously, be smart and safe. Take care.

TOP 40 ALBUMS OF 2020-PART 3

 METZ-ATLAS VENDING

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Metz's 4th full length sees the band expanding upon their now signature noise rock sound with added dynamics and has the band pulling back into quieter moments at times with great success. Almost sounding like a modern Fugazi at times, it's awesome to see one of the best bands in noise rock continue to sonically evolve while still retaining everything that made them great in the first place.

SPICE-SELF TITLED LP

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Featuring members of bands such as Ceremony, Creative Adult and Sabertooth Zombie, Spice's personnel right off the bat tells you you're in for something special, and the 9 songs on their all too brief self titled LP certainly deliver on that hunch. Channeling classic alternative giants such as Dinosaur Jr while pulling from their wealth of experience in their previous projects and seemingly recorded in a live/one take style situation (though I could be mistaken on that), this album has an organic/live feel that's certainly appreciated in a time when live shows are far from safe or possible at the moment. One can only hope that this album isn't a one off and that the band continues to release music in the future/tour when the time is right.

USA NAILS-CHARACTER STOP

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Another stellar release in an outstanding year for noise rock, USA Nails knock it out of the park with an album that's both brimming with excitement and lyrically/tonally apathetic in the best way possible. Songs like "How Was Your Weekend?" Rival the comedic value of Pissed Jean's now classic "Cafeteria Food" in terms of dry wit, and it helps that the band has heaps upon heaps of killer riffs to back up their tongue in cheek nature. Albums like Character Stop prove the UK noise rock scene is thriving and arguably leading the pack when it comes to the genre worldwide at large.

THE ACACIA STRAIN-SLOW DECAY

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The Acacia Strain are one of those bands I liked a lot a while back, completely fell off of, and then they knocked me on my ass last year with their head turner "It Comes In Waves". Their follow up album "Slow Decay" returns to their more signature sound but with more proficiency and punch then they've ever had. It's a sprawling, huge sounding metalcore record that perfectly embodies the chaos and sorrow this year has wrought, and serves as a cathartic listen from a band that's no stranger to exercising demons. I'd go so far as to say this is the band's finest effort to date, no small feat considering it's the band's 10th full length album.

OILY BOYS-CRO MEMORY GRIN

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Something must be in the water in Australia because they've been putting out some of the absolute craziest hardcore punk releases of the year across the pond. "Cro Memory Grin" is a ripping rush of psychedelic hardcore that will lodge itself in your brain and flip it upside down. Maybe the biggest head turn this record gives is while there are no shortage of hardcore records that end on a lengthy track that ends up not being a typical song from the band and more of an interlude or say it less kindly filler, Oily Boys close out this record with "GTrance" an absolutely crushing 8+ minute hardcore epic that might just be the centerpiece and best song on the entire record.

CROWNING-SURVIVAL/SICKNESS

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The emergence of a full revival of screamo has been prevalent for several years now, and one of the most promising newer bands to emerge has been Chicago's Crowning. The band finally dropped their debut LP "Survival/Sickness" this year, and it fulfills the promise of the band's earlier records and then some. The album's 8 songs fly by in an instant, but bare repeated listens with the band's heavy and chaotic take on the genre never ceasing to be engaging. This album definitely places Crowning as one of the best current bands in the genre.

HUM-INLET

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Plenty of bands from the past reunite to cash in on a tour or put out a subpar record in hopes of reclaiming their former glory. Hum did nothing of the sort, releasing what might be their very best album yet in the form of the absolutely magnificent Inlet. Taking cues from some of the heavier bands that clearly took influence from them throughout the years, Inlet is a mesmerizing and crushingly heavy piece of work that shows the band have lost none of the magic that made them so beloved in alternative/heavy music circles. Most definitely one of the best post reunion albums I've ever heard from a band.

FUMING MOUTH-BEYOND THE TOMB

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Normally I don't put EP's on my year end list, but Fuming Mouth's latest 3 song effort is so goddamn epic that I'm going to make an exception. After turning heads with last year's excellent "The Grand Descent" the band has returned with 3 crushing death metal/metallic hardcore songs that stand as the band's best to date. Dynamic and pushing forward into new territory while still retaining all of the heaviness and nastiness that made their full length so good, "Beyond The Tomb" serves as an appetizer for the band's upcoming full length on Nuclear Blast next year, and if these songs are any indication of what's to come, there's no doubt that album will end up on my year end list for 2021.

CLOCK OF TIME-PESTILENT PLANET

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Featuring members of Diat and Useless Eaters, Clock Of Time play post punk in the vein of those projects but with a little bit of added punk rock punch that really sets this apart from their previous bands. Most definitely a sleeper hit/surprise for me, I heard this just a couple of weeks ago and have been listening to it nonstop ever since. A great combo of 80's post punk mixed with modern anger that gets the blood running quickly and sticks in your head just as fast.

PRIMITIVE BLAST-ANIMALISTIC

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Sometimes a record is exactly what the band's name and album title sound like, and such is the case with Australian hardcore powerhouse Primitive Blast. These 6 songs hit like a freight train, flush with hardcore fury and full of the urgency and vitriol that make the genre so special. The only thing I really say against this record is I wish there were more songs, but that's what throwing it on repeat is for, and I guarantee you if you're into fast and hard hitting music it'll be quite a while before you get tired of this one.

TOP 40 ALBUMS OF 2020-PART TWO

 Part two of my top 50 albums list of 2020, another ten albums I think were standouts in an absolutely ridiculous year for music and horrible year for just about everything else. Let's go:

HORSEWHIP-LAID TO WASTE

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Featuring members from straight up Florida hardcore royalty like Combat Wound Veteran and Reversal Of Man, Horsewhip are an entirely different beast, so intense, urgent and crushing that the legendary bands the members used to be a part of is the least interesting part about them. Laid To Waste builds upon and expands the path the band started charting on their self titled LP 2 years ago, taking everything that made that record stand out and taking it up several notches. One of the standout hardcore/metal records from Florida in a year where the state dropped several stunning releases. For more info, check out the review I wrote for the record earlier this year HERE.

BLOOD FROM THE SOUL-DSM-5

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Honestly it's kind of bewildering to me that this record seems to have come out with little to no hype or fanfare. A supergroup helmed by Napalm Death member Shane Embury with Jacob Bannon of Converge/Umbra Vitae/Wear Your Wounds on vocals and members of Megadeth and Burst/Nasum as well, Blood From The Soul's first new album in 27 YEARS brings a mostly new lineup of musicians and a different/evolved sound from their previous album. While firmly rooted in metal, the band explores elements of post punk and progressive metal with extreme success on DSM-5, culminating in one of the most dynamic and layered heavy releases of the year. I'd imagine this will start to turn more heads as people get around to checking this out in the year ahead, so if you haven't heard this record yet, I'd advise you to get on that.

ETHER COVEN-EVERYTHING IS TEMPORARY EXCEPT SUFFERING

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Another outstanding release from a band in my home state on Florida, SFL luminaries Ether Coven released one of the heaviest and most emotionally deep records of 2020 with their third full length album. While retaining their now signature mix of metallic hardcore, post metal and doom, the album saw the band expanded upon everything that makes them a unique force in the metal scene, and honing their craft to perfection. There's a heart and soul to Ether Coven's sound that many of their contemporaries lack, as well as a flair for dynamics that many bands in their wheelhouse wouldn't dare attempt. For more information, check out my review of the record HERE.

RESPIRE-THE BLACK LINE

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On their third full length album, Respire blur the lines between new era black metal, post rock and screamo even further, pulling out all the stops to make their biggest statement yet. The Black Line is both crushingly heavy, epic and beautiful, transcendent and triumphant as heavy music might get in 2020. As someone who's personally not a huge fan of classical instruments such as violin in metal, Respire certainly pull it off so perfectly that it's reconsidering my entire take on the subject. 

BOLDY JAMES AND ALCHEMIST-THE PRICE OF TEA IN CHINA (DELUXE)

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In a banner year for rap music, new Griselda associate and rising star Boldy James released several great projects this year, but the highlight is undoubtfully his collaborative LP with Alchemist "The Price Of Tea In China". With an incredible penchant for storytelling coupled with the incredible beats that Alchemist always provides, this was one of the more meditative rap albums of the year, with the almost mellow laid back approach of Boldy's rapping belying the heat and seriousness his lyrics can bring to a song. An expanded deluxe addition adds even more greatness to the initial release, pushing it towards the top of the absolutely stacked rap music releases this year.

HUMAN IMPACT-SELF TITLED LP

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While the demise of Unsane is certainly worth lamenting, at least this incredible new project has risen from the ashes. Also featuring members of bands such as Cop Shoot Cop and Swans, Human Impact is the noise rock/industrial hybrid I never knew I needed. While still retaining much of the heavier elements of their previous projects, these songs also have a strangely serene quality to them and will dig their way into your head and make a permanent residence there. 

YEAR OF THE KNIFE-INTERNAL INCARCERATION

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Miss the outright straight up ignorance of Hatebreed's older (you know, good) records? Well Year Of The Knife has something just for you. Internal Incarceration is by far one of the outright heaviest metallic hardcore albums released this year, an absolutely crushing set of barnburners that will have you craving live shows even more during this current crisis. I'd be hard pressed to find a straight up groovier hardcore release this year, and the lyrics hit a nerve as well, always appreciated in a genre that can be hit or miss in that sense. Here's hoping the band can tour on this record next year, as I'd imagine they'll be on the rise throughout 2021 as this makes the rounds in hardcore and metal circles.

GAG-STILL LAUGHING

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Seattle mutants Gag have finally returned with their sophomore LP Still Laughing, and it's an absolute ripper which should come as no surprise to those already familiar with the band. Expanding in scope and sound from their first album, the band delivers another blistering set of straight up hardcore songs with insane vocals and mountains of attitude. Featuring the biggest production sound of any of their releases so far, the album sounds as huge and wild as their live show footage would suggest. Another stellar release from the always incredible Iron Lung Records, easily one of the best punk/hardcore labels of all time, and an immediate seal of undeniable quality.

NARROW HEAD-12TH HOUSE ROCK

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Narrow Head are certainly firmly entrenched in the now nostalgic era of 90's alternative, but definitely manage to let their own unique sound shine through that as well. Comparisons to early records from bands such as Hum and Smashing Pumpkins are certainly fair, but the band also manages to make music on par with those classics while not flying to close to the sun in the sense of straight up aping their sound entirely. It's an ambitious second album from a band that I'm honestly surprised isn't already huge, but I'm sure will get there soon enough.

SOFT KILL-PREMIUM DRIFTER

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Soft Kill have the distinction of being one of only two artists who will have two records on this list, and while I didn't love this collection of demos quite as much as their absolutely incredible new full length Dead Kids RIP City, this is still an incredible collection of music in it's own right. I'm certainly glad it got a proper release, and I can't really think of any band that competes with the band as far as post punk/darkwave goes. There's a legitimate element of what could only be pure magic in their song crafting abilities, with hooks and melodies that will never leave you once you listen. One of two essential 2020 releases from this incredible band.

Check out Top 50 Albums Part 1 HERE if you missed it. Part 3 coming later this week.

REVIEW: YASHIRA-FAIL TO BE

 

2020

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There are countless heavy albums dedicated to pushing through the adversity that life hands you. Rather in the anthemic nature of blistering hardcore songs about fighting for survival, or in the transcendent nature of an epic metal song, music has always been a key tool in escaping the shackles of life's crushing nature. Yashira are in their very nature a prime example of this. In late 2018, the band's original drummer Seth Howard tragically passed away, taking away not just an amazing talent but more important a friend and family member beloved by their community. Taking time to mourn the loss of their friend, the band would eventually move forward with a new drummer and the blessing of Seth's family, working on what would become their second full length album, Fail To Be. And what Yashira have crafted here is nothing short of inspirational, an incredible album showing the band at the height of their craft and a high watermark for heavy music in 2020, a year full of stellar releases.

Fail To Be takes everything that made the band's debut "Shrine" amazing and enhances it, eclipsing any expectations fans might have had for a second release. You can hear shades of masterpieces like Botch's classic We Are The Romans or Intronaut's earlier releases in their chaotic metal sound, but make no mistake, Yashira has charted their own path with Fail To Be and are leaving their own unique mark on the extreme metal scene. Each of the 9 songs on this album are filled with epic moments: crushing rhythm sections, unbelievably heavy riffs, scathing vocals, and an huge atmospheric assault that completely consumes you. The album echoes watershed albums from chaotic hardcore greats such as Coalesce and Converge while never slowing in it's progression to something new and previously unheard. All the while, the songs ebb and flow with each other perfectly, not a single track sounding out of place or disjointed from the album as a whole. It's one of those records you could easily pick a song or two from and thoroughly enjoy, though it's best enjoyed as an album first and foremost, and trust me when I say as soon as you hear the opening song, you're going to be strapped in for the entire ride.

Fail To Be is without a doubt a record that needs to be heard to be believed. It's an album that's I'd imagine will be talked about endlessly months and years after it's release. It's a high point of extreme music in 2020, a release that makes me incredibly proud to be a part of the Florida metal and hardcore scenes, and maybe most importantly, an incredible tribute to their fallen friend and bandmate and everyone who's life he brought joy to. One of the most incredible heavy releases of the year, period, and an absolutely essential listen for all of those that love forward thinking metal.

REVIEW:THE HOLLOWAY TAPE-PAINTED WORLD OF THE HOLLOWAY TAPE

 

2020

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"Extreme" means different things to different people. A regular person you find (hopefully with a mask on) on the street might tell you that extreme metal consists of bands like Slipknot for instance. Maybe the next person thinks Cannibal Corpse is the craziest metal can get, and so on. Then of course there are those entrenched in the subculture of extreme music enough to where they might find all of the above and even something more chaotic/crazy a standard listen. However, I'd go so far to say that even seasoned listeners of all things chaotic and boundary pushing would find The Holloway Tape to be pretty fucking out there, and I mean that in the best way possible. Their 2020 full length "Painted World Of The Holloway Tape" plays out like the acid just kicked in as you're being dragged down to hell, and somehow, you don't feel too bad about that outcome.

There are shades of many different influences in The Holloway Tape's metallic screamo sound: Dillinger Escape Plan is an apparent influence, as is the outright wackiness of bands like Ween and Mr. Bungle. What really sets The Holloway Tape apart from a lot of their influences is the outright blistering pace the band keeps up throughout the albums entire duration. Aside from a few transitions from song to song, this record is absolutely relentless in it's chaotic nature, like a train on fire breaking through every single roadblock until flying off the rails completely, still pushing forward despite seemingly no path left to take. Breakneck riffs, spastic drumming and all sorts of insane vocals permeate every inch of this hour plus long record, and it's a testament to the band's uncompromised vision that you're given little room to breathe throughout it's duration. 

"Painted World Of The Holloway Tape" will certainly not appeal to everyone, but for those who love the unpredictable cacophony that genres such as noise rock, grindcore and screamo provide, it's an essential listen and serves as a fitting reminder of just how fucking insane this entire year has been. In a sense, it's the perfect album for these unpredictable times. The lack of full musical descriptions for this record is not unintentional in this write up, as much of the time The Holloway Tape defy any sort of description I could dive deep into without devolving into madness. Both tongue and cheek and dead serious, relentless and overwhelming to the senses, and extreme in every sense of the word, this album is done more justice being listened to then me telling you about it. So get on that:

Stream "Painted World Of The Holloway Tape" Via Bandcamp