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Scalp - Black Tar (EP, 2023) Review

Plain and comprehensive, Scalp deliver a compact set of ultra aggressive, medium paced grind (yes) with their new EP, Black Tar. Clocking at just 12 minutes, the band’s ferocity once again aims for the throat with this mixture of the ugliest extreme metal genres and is done with you before you even notice.

With a bloated, harsh production, one crystal clear comparison can be drawn after the one minute abstract introduction of the EP: these guys are big Nails fanboys, and especially the singer. Black Tar doesn’t achieve the same earthquake as your average Nails rocker, but Scalp try hard to emulate the same kind of frenzy across the whole of Black Tar, especially in its faster moments like in “Jesus is God”, “Pollute” or the introduction of “Diabetic Necrosis”. The slower grooves are also sometimes too close unfortunately, for example in “Endless Relapse”, which sounds a lot like “Endless Resistance” or the excruciating slow ending of closing track “Broken Vein”. 

It is noticeable how Scalp practice less speedy, modern noise / hardcore-like breakdown parts quite often, something that made me wonder if Black Tar generally reaches the minimum limit of velocity to be considered grind, but the case remains. As far as the originality of this material goes, get ready for a short amusement park ride for all Nails fans and the likes, yet for me in this case, it would be more relevant to stick to the original. However, Scalp are heavy enough and hit hard with this fine EP, which lacks a bit in memorability what it has in fury. 

Three years since their previous EP, which was also 30% longer in duration, had me thinking that it’s high time this band releases a proper, careful debut full length album, and that will decide a lot about the perception they leave to the scene. 

DAMAGE: 3/5

Links:

Bandcamp || Instagram

Abandon all life

Artist: Nails

Genre: Grindcore / Powerviolence / Hardcore

Origin: USA

Year: 2013

Label: Southern Lord Recordings

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The second album of a band that is loved by the media, is undeniably heavy, but also draws a lot of hate from fanatics in the true underground. 

Abandon All Life was the follow-up to Unsilent Death, which was praised like a god by fans of hardcore and not only. The album has a lovely total of 17 minutes, which is the starting point to get pumped about a record that you want to be hard-hitting. How hard does it hit, you ask?

Well, Nails is a kind of a band that seems like a constant, really angry thug. Merciless music, unforgiving lyrics, intense shows and playing, it doesn't give you a break and if you think it is easy to go through these seventeen minutes, you will stand corrected.

If I had listened to them in time, this would have been really high in my lists for 2013, as You Will Never Be One of Us was in 2016 (even though, this cheesy title is annoying). 

I think Nails have an awesome grindcore / powerviolence palette. They have nose-bleeding hardcore breakdowns and supreme vocals. The lyrics are sincere and agressive. Their metallic sound gives a hint of a slight, really slight though, look towards extreme metal. But their core is not in that genre.

This production, which is quite heavy on its own, makes them a bit more accessible compared to frantic, insane grindcore acts who play anti-music and talk about raping worms.

What I mean is, it is universally true that The Inalienable Dreamless is the best grindcore album ever. Nails have more popularity than usual, because their kind of extremity is actually media-friendly. They are guys to be featured on the fronts of zines.

That is not to undermine their music, as I enjoy all their stuff and I have listened to the b-sides too. Abandon All Life was an instant fall for me. It has a great title, improved artwork, improved sound (in my opinion), and much better vocals (my opinion, but also adjectivally true) than Unsilent Death.

Listening to Nails is a physical boost of testosterone and it's impossible not to get your blood going. The process of their songs is actually well thought. The death metal elements are wonderful. The band's solos are basically worshiping of early Slayer. What can go wrong? Only the fans can really go wrong.

I am very happy they are not a professional band but do this on the side, as they have their own families and lives. It's less compromising. 

I come back to Nails from time to time and share it with non-metal friends to scare them off, because to an outsider, all of us are an impassable grey, freaky cloud. Abandon All Life is one of the albums I listen to the most from this decade, when I don't feel like listening to my regular black metal playlists.

2019 might be the year they release a new album, if they keep being punctual with their releases (2010, 2013 and 2016). We'll see later this year.

Track listing:

1. In Exodus

2. Tyrant

3. Absolute Control

4. God's Cold Hands

5. Wide Open Wound

6. Abandon All Life

7. No Surrender

8. Pariah

9. Cry Wolf

10. Suum Cuique

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Listen on Bandcamp

You Will Never Be One Of Us

Hands down to the album that will unite all the fans of extreme sound, whatever their specific tastes are. Words are void of meaning when it comes to this goliath. I can't even. Get ready to be stomped to death by this beast. I am filled with joy, I am smiling and I don't care about my broken, bloodied teeth. 

YOU.

WILL.

NEVER.

BE.

ONE.

OF.

US.

Honoring the idol Jeff Whitehead for creating the mesmerising artwork, let's listen to this and this again.

Unrelated: Throane – Derrière-nous, La lumière Review

Weekend Nachos - Apology

Final album, thank you for being around.

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