Record of the Week: ARMAGEDOM/TEROKAL split EP
Oh dang! Classic Brazilian crossover-flavored HC, D-beat driven, lo-fi old schoolers ARMAGEDOM deliver two tracks recognizable in their buzzy metallic riffage, snare attack along with the throaty Portuguese yells. This is their same great sound with some good solid songs to appease the metalleros in the punk scene that like their shit raw and intense. On the flip side we are lucky to get two ragin’ tracks from the new Portland band TEROKAL. Their demo ruled and this is even better (especially because you can fucking hear everything). The drums are driving and solid with some flourishes of banged out fills. The bass thumps away at your melon, and in combination with the drums the rhythm section pulls you from the chest in their rapid fire. When the music does slow to mid-tempo you don’t get to catch your breath… the beats pound on your chest and the guitars are relentlessly driving. The two guitars are definitely distinct and full with the occasional well executed solos reminding me that POISON IDEA listened to the same shit this band listens to when they started up. The vocals are my favorite kind of higher pitched scream that is ugly and almost sounds like this dude is intensely complaining about something. Sung in Spanish with some total brutality and urgency. I am really into this dude’s style. This all comes together to sound very early Scandi and raw. If you like TÖTALITAR, you will be into this. The one thing that I could have done without is that the record plays from the outside in which may be problematic if you have an auto return on your player, but WTF… this is a damn good record. The fact that you have to handle it some, makes it that much more memorable. The cover is a limited edish, really nicely screen printed design with black silver and red paint. There is a copied insert with lyrics, and there is a big ass poster of the cover! Yay! Check this out! (Odio Los Discos: odiolosdiscos@hotmail.com)
