The Pitch: Japanese "ultra-heavy doom sludge/powerviolence" band Friendship looks to tighten our bonds of brotherhood with a scathing new album via Southern Lord and Daymare Recordings. FFO: Full Of Hell, Nails, and Infest
What I Like: As the saying goes, "With friends like these, who needs enemies?" Undercurrent is best described as supremely bitter and always ready for violence. It's basically Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast. Gruff, primal vocals and sickeningly clanky bass tone give the proceedings a lingering air of crusty filth. I feel the need to avoid touching anything lest my hand come back sticky or slimy in the process. The entire affair is quite consistent with each song keeping the energy and intensity high from start to finish; a solid feat for music that is relatively predictable by design. And despite the overall uniformity, there are some standout moments that ratchet up the adrenaline as with the bass solo on "Vertigo" and vaguely Converge-y riff that opens "Plague."
Critiques: No surprises, nothing new to speak of. Just f#$king gnarly music that makes me a threat to the people around me.
The Verdict: Undercurrent is another angry album from a group who know how to channel their inner id. While offering little in the way of surprises, Friendship are among my favorite bands currently serving up pure hate and nihilism.
Flight's Fav's: Vertigo, Plague, Hatred
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
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