Reviews

Mouth of Madness

Jock Jock demo cassette

Montreal’s JOCK comes out swinging with this one. Originally released digitally in 2020, this one ultimately got a cassette release in 2023. Seven tunes of aggro, whirlwind hardcore assault. The Bandcamp description uses AGNOSTIC FRONT, NEGATIVE APPROACH, and Youth Attack Records as stylistic comparisons, which should give an idea of what you’re in for. I also hear a few sprinkling of fellow Canadians URBAN BLIGHT. If all that sounds appetising to you, which it probably should, I would recommend that you give this one a spin.

Stillborn Faible et Damné cassette

Mouth of Madness has re-released the sole release by these Quebec death-grinders, originally from 2000. Recorded in their jam space, the sound quality is what you’d expect from the turn-of-the-century DIY metal cassette scene. Nevertheless, the hissy tape sound works for this raw, aggressive style. The pounding, marching drums are slightly forward of the relentless, fuzzy riffage. The two vocalists swap growls of mostly French hostility. Not sticking to the conventions of the genre, they make bold choices as on the track “Torturer,” where the bass and drums take center stage and the guitar hangs back through most of the song. Never fear, the guitar comes back toward the end with a manic, noisy vengeance.