By Kat Preston
Pure sludgy, blackened hardcore from start to finish, Cowards are here to drag you backwards by the scruff of the neck through their latest EP Hoarder. Definitely sounding more developed than their previous EP, but still in very much their own style, each track fades in and out of each other through a haze of feedback and slow, trudging riffs before suddenly charging off into something manic and abrupt. Almost a stop-start kind of pace, I feel it starting to wear pretty quickly and when it's happened once you can semi-predict exactly when it's going to happen again.
There are slight elements of Neurosis in places, Rotten Sound in others. While being something very much established and on trend at the moment, they do maintain a degree of individuality about them. You'll remember that they sound damn good, but you might not necessarily remember what they sound like. If you're not on board with the whole division of blackened filthy hardcore crust-y-ness knocking about at the moment, I probably wouldn't recommend this as I doubt it'll convert you. But if you are into it, or are looking to try something, I guess this is as good a recommendation as any. It's tough to not get too jaded by it, or too over-absorbed in it.
Constantly dark and over-powering, Hoarder doesn't hold back on the doom and utter dismay, it's somewhat beautifully poetic and sweeping in it's make up, despite the regular shifts in pace. Four beefy tracks topped off with a cover (in the form of 16 Horsepower's 'Blessed Persistence') this is a pretty neat EP from the Parisian metallic hardcore group. Definitely on my recommendations list this year.
FFO: Lord Mantis, Hessian, Eibon.
