Baptists

Bloodmines 

Southern Lord 2014

Canadian hardcore destroyers, Baptists return for the sophomore effort with Southern Lord recordings and this is truly a force of nature, a wild beast lurking deep in the woods.  Angrier and possibly more organic in its texture than their previous effort, Bushcraft, Bloodmines takes the malevolence of its predecessor and hones it into a more coherent and therefore darker entity.  After the deep and disconcerting notes of intro Chamber we are savagely accosted by the galloping, metallic riffs of Wanting.  The hefty shrugs of monstrous guitars and hammering drums are accompanied by discordant notes which serve to stab at you like icy shards.  Thunderous grooves roll over you as String Up washes over you.  This is pure muscle and meat just relentlessly pummeling you.  The vocals are just as scathing as ever which creates an even more abrasive soundscape.  Closed Ports utilizes a near thrash set of speedy riffs to overwhelm the listener.  Like a lumbering hulk from the dank forests, Vistas steadily marches along with heavy, gloomy riffs and dissonant flourishes.  The slowly throbbing bass guitar unsettles the listener's subconscious.  As a sharp contrast Harm Induction hurtles along recklessly with a rabid abandon.  The title-track is a bit more introspective and free with its lighter overall mood.  The vocals gain an emotional edge and the riffs are less dense which is helped by its deliberate pacing.  Baptists have continued to explore and expand upon the harsh, metallic sound they established on their previous album.  You can taste the anger and feel the contempt and monstrous rage circulating within the songs on Bloodmines.  This is deeply disturbing and venomous music.