Crows | website | facebook | bandcamp |
Released on November 20, 2014 via Distro-y Records (IRE) / Graanrepubliek Records (EU) / SuperFi Records (UK)
I have to admit, I’ve never heard a hardcore punk band from Ireland before. But something inside told me it was going to be powerful and really good.
There’s hardcore punk rock, and there’s hardcore and there’s heavy hardcore, almost post-hardcore. That’s where I think Better Off Dead falls under. They are definitely hardcore, with punk rock statements, but with hints of post-hardcore. It’s a great combo. You get your cadence like guitar with the screeching neck slide to go into the phase of the song…and of course, your break downs. But there are parts that sounds like they are emerging from the other side of hardcore, where it becomes post. It evokes a new feeling. Plain hardcore to me can get a little tiresome. So I’m diggin’ this album.
I knew it might be on the angry side of things just by looking at the cover – dark scene of war that convokes the emotion of stress, anger and pain. And it’s a feeling that you can hear from the vocals. They’re screamy, angsty, yet you can understand the lyrics. I really like the vocals from Crows as it completes their sound in a very powerful way.
The last song, ‘Death Crownado’, has a bad ass break down. I would love to see this song live. It continues on for almost 2 minutes (as the song is 9 minutes) and when you think it’s over or slowing down, it comes back harder, and heavier than anything on the album.
All in all: this album has sound bite samples that make you think, head bang worthy drum beats, circle pit break downs, and heavy guitar riffs that make Better Off Dead a great hardcore album of 2014.
You can go get your copy on November 20th, and I recommend it!
