Knotwork Knotwork demo cassette
The last time I heard of a Detroit crust band was when ANGUISH released their first EP in 2009, a comparatively innocent time when the very idea of Donald Trump being president still belonged to the realm of dystopian science fiction (where it should have stayed). I cannot be said to have a large expertise in this area, but I have a sixth sense when it comes to quality crust and, weather permitting, am able to detect it from beyond the seas. KNOTWORK had been on my prestigious “bands to watch for” list, so I was genuinely excited when this demo tape finally came out. And let me tell you that I was right to be excited, and my sixth sense is as sharp as ever. If the production might be a little too raw for some—as a lover of cave music, it certainly is not for me—the songwriting skills of KNOTWORK are undeniable, and for a first proper recording, it is a crust tour de force. The band inhabits the stenchcore revival waters of the punk world and are not unlike modern classic bands like ALEMENT, the sadly missed ZYGOME or mid/late ’00s INSTINCT OF SURVIVAL, meaning they have a certain flair for good crust arrangements. Basically, they keep working on the traditional old school apocalyptic metal crust sound that, if it cannot be said to be the fanciest of punk subgenres these days, still has very loyal enthusiasts ready to save on soap in order to buy the stenchcore goods. KNOTWORK also nods to the genre’s forefathers like DEVIATED INSTINCT or AXEGRINDER on a couple of occasions, but the influences are overall structural, the band cannot be considered as too derivative even if they borrow liberally. There is a good mix of paces and vocal styles, which is all the more impressive since there is just one vocalist who can switch from demonic growls à la LAST LEGION ALIVE to more traditional DETESTATION-ish ’90s anarcho shouts. This tape is right up crust street.