Embrace the Dark Side (Review: Black Hole of Calcutta, ST LP 2012)

Not much is noted of the aphotic and unforgiving terrain  where the realms of black metal and crust punk blur into a singular and develop into a most frightful set of forms.It remains a very sparsely populated territory,  briefly explored and inhabited by the more drab rag tags of the disputed "Stenchcore" misanthropes, and since then its population irregularly goes up a notch as a meagre handful of bands brave the barren depths of this bastard half blood of music genres.

One such band to have blossomed from this incurable and famished land of taint, blasphemy and mephistophelian desires would be California's vanguard of misery Black Hole of Calcutta.

Just to set the tone right, my introduction to this band came from a youtube video where the bands vocalist fulfills the part of an agitated unhinged doomsayer; discussing the need of home made hand grenades in a post war dystopian occupation of America, which is but a strain of the overwhelming chilling backlash and detestation they echo through their works both musically and lyrically.

Their methodology operates through violent switches between fast and aggressive crusty rhino charge passages to more teeth grinding reigned in slow but stern headlong hammering, all of which is polluted over with a thick lingering smog of black metal, that on occasion stumbles into grind territory. Despite the nebulous and hate spawned nature of the release their is an overwhelming sense of catchiness and refined melody as the guitars light up a foot to the metal speed ensemble of Deviated Instinct meets protogrinders Heresy. Aside from making good use of the Fast/Slow, Crust/Black differentiations they also concuct a balanced ratio of long and short songs, which further strengthens their game plan of unconventionality, all of which is relayed through exceptionally clear and momentous production value.

A truelly interesting collusion of versatility and ripe musicianship gilded with an impressioning jagged hardcore meets the frost bitten extremities of metal for some cruelly diabolical yet intriguing indulgence!

Darkness Rising!