Bad Jesus Experience

Reviews

Bad Jesus Experience VII 10″

It seems that BAD JESUS EXPERIENCE has been around for a while, though this is my first encounter with their brand of chaotic, emotive hardcore. Off-kilter, angular, and discordant, BAD JESUS EXPERIENCE is the 2026 Finnish response to ’90s screamo like ONE EYED GOD PROPHECY, OTTAWA, ORCHID, THREE STUDIES FOR A CRUCIFIXION, etc. The most abrasive aspects of the genre propel this forward at a pace that feels pregnant with urgency and franticism, rooted in what was called emo before the term became associated with swoopy haircuts and teenage mall goths. Tough to endorse a band that calls themselves BAD JESUS EXPERIENCE, and the cover art is equally atrocious, but if you get down with any of the aforementioned bands, then you can probably look past those transgressions.

Bad Jesus Experience Ovat Muistojemme Lehdet Kuolleet LP

I’m no Finnish hardcore expert (I barely know my RATTUS from my KAOSS), but this shit rules. Each one of the ten short tracks is a total shredder: fast—like really fast—pounding drums, heavy dissonant guitars, and raspy, hyperspeed vocals that use every second to scream a desperate message. “OK HK” relentlessly blasts out and invigorates everything in me that loves hardcore. “Maa Palaa” opens with atonal strumming that is immediately backed with furious punk that sounds awesome. “Pohjalaiset Sikamafiat” takes a short, contemplative breather in the bridge that allows the band to stretch out for a few seconds before returning to rage mode. It actually makes you realize how intense and fast the rest of the record is. “Ruumiinpolttaja” starts with a blastbeat before the one-syllable-per-snare-hit vocals enter, sounding for a second like vintage NAPALM DEATH in its ferocity. Check out this record right now.

Bad Jesus Experience Kaikki On Hyvin LP

A few weeks ago, I had to choose between a Hungarian band playing at a bar in Oakland and a Finnish band playing at a bar in San Francisco. Life is hard. I chose the Hungarians only because I was more familiar with them, and while I don’t think there was really a “wrong” choice to be made, listening to this BAD JESUS EXPERIENCE record really makes me wonder what I missed out on. Discordant intensity—stark, cold, erratic, desperate and unbelievably fukkn’ powerful. It’s like an otherworldly collision of ’00s European metalcore (ACME, AKEPHAL), chaotic ’90s California screamo (HEROIN, MOHINDER) and Scandinavian bands like BURNING KITCHEN and TO WHAT END?, and I just keep trying to figure out what in the world they are going to do next. Note to self: next time go see the Finns.