Scottish powerviolence crew Endless Swarm storm back with their latest album The Body Hammer, and it is an album inspired by the films of Shinya Tsukamoto, particularly the Tetsuo trilogy, of which the second movies subtitle the album is named after, and inspires thoroughly.
In fact, the whole body horror genre is an influence on The Body Hammer, an aptly named album, and sonically, this is a record that could do a whole lot of damage to your body due its sheer intense nature and this something that Endless Swarm do with considerable passion.
The Body Hammer is the follow up to the brilliant Manifested Forms album, and much like that record, The Body Hammer is a tour de force of grinding powerviolence but it seems like the intensity stakes are ramped up even higher this time around as it is a full on whirlwind of energy and indeed, intensity.
From the very start, The Body Hammer is relentless in its pursuit of fierce and razor sharp noise, and early tracks on the album like the opening detonation of ‘New Life From Decay’ and ‘Therapy Chamber’ explode and from then on in, Endless Swarm simply do not let up at all, until the very end of the album has been reached.
With an ample amount of hardcore grooves as well and a nice line in discordant noise. In amongst the fervent grinding powerviolence, Endless Swarm have made an album that will satisfy longtime fans and committed grind heads, but with this much frenetic energy going on here, they will over a lot of new listeners as well.
Tracks like ‘Soft Weak Human’, ‘Denchū’ and ‘Deforming’ are all perfect examples of the power of the music of Endless Swarm, although it has to be said that you could basically choose any track on the album and it has the same impassioned intensity, even ‘Prognosis Terrible’ which sounds like it’s got something to say to you and the whole album rolls through like a runaway steamroller, never letting up one bit.
There are a number of guests on The Body Hammer and they all bring their own vibe to the tracks they feature on. ‘Primitive’ features Bob Otis from Dropdead who lends his inimitable presence to this great track as well as vocal appearances from Smith (The Afternoon Gentlemen/EPMD) and Steve Myles (Give Over) on ‘the berserk ‘Thick Skull’. Dave Callier from P.L.F. also contributes a killer guitar solo on the albums closing track ‘Scrap Brain’, which ends The Body Hammer on a sheer high.
The Body Hammer is another lesson in powerviolence and demonstrates exactly why Endless Swarm are such a formidable force in extreme music, with this album, they continue to go from strength to strength. If you like your music consumed completely by a raging intensity, then you won’t go wrong with The Body Hammer.
