Here’s a cool little 7 track EP from a new California act who mange to meld dark, pummeling hardcore, crust and post rock into a solid release that bodes well for the future, even in relatively crowded scene. Definitely recommended for fans on Converge due to some blistering chaos, underlined with some subtle and metallic harmonies, Litany For the Whale will also appeal to fans of Gaza, Cursed, Harlots and such with their addition of crumbling atmospherics and instrumental sections amid the gritty metallic spurts.
“A Sleep” starts things off with some FX and foreboding industrial programming before segueing into “A Wake” a rumbling, noisy crusty affair before the surprisingly melodic “Die Alone, Unloved” with some very impressive layered hues about a minute of so in before the track careens into a feedback drenched assault of noise. “Rotting on the Shoreline” opens with some somber acoustics before delving into a seething, lurching, anthemic climax and settling into soothing instrumental “Philistines”.
Closing track “Lonesome God” is the EP’s standout, not only because it’s the EPs longest track and comes across as melodic hardcore like Killing the Dream, if they took abreather and were filled with a brooding, dark, depressive rage and there’s a killer shimmering ambient segment right in the middle. The only downfall of this EP, is just that it is an EP and I simply want of hear more of the band’s all encompassing take on hardcore.
Keep an eye out for these guys. Very promising stuff.
What a stupid fucking band name. Im getting real sick of these bands using what should be a SONG name as the band name… there are tons of them in the last few year, especially in the metalcore/deathcore wart of a genre.
on Mar 8th, 2010 at 13:13HA HA HA!!! Tell em Biff
on Mar 11th, 2010 at 08:41I dunno. I definitely prefer these kinds of names to Blasphemonecrophaginomicon, but that’s just me.
on Mar 12th, 2010 at 08:12