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.