END OF ALL
Same Shit But Different
Crimes Against HumanityTrack listing:
01. Once and For All
02. One Night of Silence
03. Forlorad Sjal
04. Deception
05. Self Inflicted Damage
06. Salvation
07. More Pressure on the Trigger
08. Spawn of Snakes
09. Stained by a Dream
10. Fostrad
11. Lies
12. Kneel Like a Dog
13. Stillborn Eyes
It's Swedish thrash and it's hardcore, but it is not metalcore. That's bound to please more than a handful of purists out there. Then again, what would you expect from a crust/hardcore/grind label with good taste and integrity like Crimes Against Humanity? Sweden's END OF ALL features an ex member of WOLFPACK and on "Same Shit But Different" knocks the hell out of 13 tracks of thrashing hardcore that borrows (not rips off) from bands like AT THE GATES and a representative sample of Swedish D-beat bruisers.
The vocals possess a hard-edged bark throughout, save for the occasional shrill scream, letting those wonderful leads carry the melodies. Though the music does not rip in the same relentless fashion as label mates and countrymen DISKONTO, the style is relentless; it just happens to come with a strong sense of tunefulness that in no way equates to watered down hardcore. In fact, the mix of rambunctious Swedish hardcore, thrash, and melody is as good a combination of elements as I've heard in some time. Light shades of that motoring Sunlight Studio sound is apparent as well, but is shoved through a D-beat blender.
"One Night of Silence" is a perfect case of a song that charges out of the gates like an enraged bull and still possesses the melody to make it memorable. "More Pressure on the Trigger" has more of a traditional hardcore style aside from the melodic leads. "Spawn of Snakes" borrows from both styles and includes a wicked first verse with only bass and drum accompaniment. It's amazing how much of a difference those tastefully done leads can make in bringing out the dynamics of a song. The rock 'n' roll lead at the beginning of "Forlorad Sjal" makes all the difference in the world. Besides, it's another catchy highlight in an album full of catchy highlights.
A natural sound, good songwriting, and a willingness to stick to a primary style without sounding redundant makes "Same Shit But Different" a fund Swedish hardcore-thrash album. It is guaranteed to keep you head banging from beginning to end.