Review: Reserving Dirtnaps - Another Disaster

Memphis, TN band Reserving Dirtnaps has already made two appearances on this blog, back in 2014 and in 2016, with 2 self-released EP's of heavy-as-hell metallic hardcore. Add to that a collaboration with local rapper Tom Skeemask on the 'Look At Us Wrong...' EP in 2018 and it was only a matter of time before they signed with a label. Enter Andrew Kline of Strife fame and his label War Records. The result is the 4-song 'Another Disaster' 7". And while 2020 is indeed a crazy year of disaster upon disaster, this EP is anything but a disaster...

In my previous posts I focused more on the beatdown elements in RD's style, but that really is far too simple a description for the crushing metallic heaviness that is Reserving Dirtnaps. I mean, this band CRUSHES like no other band. Following in the vein of their previous releases and the reputation they established with the previous recordings, Reserving Dirtnaps continues to be one of the hardest bands currently playing. But they sound even angrier, harder and heavier on this EP than ever before. This also due to the excellent production on this EP, which is both clear and heavy, showcasing each instrument, this EP sounds seriously awesome. Simply put, this is tough as nails metallic hardcore that hits you like a ten ton hammer, and will then stomp all over you for good measure.

Third track 'Blood On The Walls' already appeared on their EP with rapper Tom Skeemask, but this time it is Queensway's Patric Gardner who provides guest vocals, making it a different sounding track. They kept the Biohazard-esque gang-vocals in this song tho, which I love! But it's final track 'The Floods' that is the killer track here for me. Holy shit, this song will be a song of the year contender for me, it is mental. It rages like hell, then goes into slight metal overdrive before dropping a ten ton hammer on your ears.

Man, what can I say? I'm so glad Brandon contacted me all those years ago about their first EP and has kept in touch since. Reserving Dirtnaps has gone from strength to strength. Be sure to pick up this 7" and practice your pit moves for when they can play out live again... They need to hit Europe in 2021, dammit, hahaha....

(P)Review: Belligerence - Suicide & Sobriety

And here we have yet another Texas hardcore review, hahaha... Belligerence from Austin, TX recently posted a preview of their upcoming EP online, that you had to request access to. I had checked out their recent demo not too long ago on bandcamp, and I really enjoyed it. This new EP is essentially a re-recording of this demo with 2 new songs (of which one might not make the EP).

Belligerence's sound can be described as, paraphrasing the band's frontman Gabriel, metalcore played and performed by a sasscore band (sasscore is sort of a continuation of screamo from what I understand). The band's sound is influenced and shaped by a wide range of bands including Antagonist A.D., Disembodied, Seeyouspacecowboy and Foxy Shazam (didn't see that last one coming, did you?!). So Belligerence's sound is difficult to pinpoint due to their influences running all over the gamut, but to the band's credit, their sound isn't just copying their influences nor is it just a stream of disparate parts joined together into 'songs'.

Anyways, this is a damn solid EP. As mentioned at the start, earlier incarnations of these songs appeared on the demo the band released back in January. But these new recordings are far better and have a great and full sound. To my ears the difference is most notable in 'collapsedveins//shattereddreams', simply called 'Collapse' on the demo. It's got a much richer sound and more layered guitars on this EP, making the track sound like an absolute monster with an impactful vocal delivery.

My fave track on here however has to be 'badtrip.sxe', which crushes. There's a slight old 18 Visions feel to the guitars and song structure, which rocks. I also hear the occasional Dillinger Escape Plan influence (the opening of 'emotionalwreck'!) mixed with some nu-metal influence in some of the more trippy & squeaky guitar riffs. The latter track doesn't have vocals yet on this preview and may or may not make the final cut, so you might have to cop this preview to listen to it at all! Which you might still be able to do by sending a message to the band on their Facebook page.

The vocals are raw with a desperate emotional undertone. You can tell Gabriel has some personal stuff he wants to get off his chest, but not from a place of hatred and anger but rather an emotional release. It's a type of vocal delivery that isn't heard too often anymore with this style of music, and it's a shame as to me it's a perfect match. There are some sweet guest vocals by Sam Crocker from Antagonist A.D. on 'remorseful discourse'.

Regarding a physical release of the finished EP... Harness Records out of the UK will do a cassette release of the EP soon, with a vinyl release to follow on (if all goes well) a great US label that is backed 200% by OnexPath.

So yeah, Texas seems to continue to deliver in 2020, this time with a different sound. And I'm loving it! Even tho I'm in my late 40s, it's still exciting to me to check out new bands, and even more, to discover cool new bands. Belligerence definitely is one of them!

Update: Belligerence made a video for 'Remorseful Discourse', which you can see here: