The Pitch: "Scathed is a three piece crust/dark hardcore band from Milwaukee, WI. Our self-released debut album Already Dead contains bleak, dark, angry songs spanning across topics dealing with technological abuse, medical misdiagnosis, the current state of tensions in america and the repercussions of global war." FFO: Baptists, Nuisible, Martyrdod
What I Like: "Submit And Comply," man. This track opens up the album with a vengeance. Alternating blasts of blistering grind with rumbling bass and Converge-y guitar wails, Scathed let us know that they aren't f#$king aroung. And again, that bass tone will ruin you. It thunders through the mix in a show of unrestrained aggression, every bit as destructive as the chaotic barking of the Toxic Narcotic vocals. The entire band does a nice job of traversing stylistically between hardcore, grindcore, and punk; always from a place of primitive blunt force. And part and parcel of this is the production. Already Dead foregoes refinement, instead going for a live feel showing its warts and all. It very much sounds like an album recorded in the late 90's/early 00's for a label like Trustkill.
Critiques: Imo, the rest album never truly reaches the same heights of the first proper track. It sets an incredibly high bar that might have been better served towards the end as a grand finale. All of the other songs are fine...they just pale in comparison. The subtle strings on "Facades" are a nice touch though.
The Verdict: Already Dead is rough around the edges, but that's kind of the point. Uniting all things crusty and raw, DIY crew Scathed will at the very least leave you battered and bruised. Stream it now below.
Flight's Fav's: Submit and Comply, Sleight Of Hand, Discarded Fragments
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
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