Disthroat / Necropolítica La Doble Moral de la Estupidez Humana split LP
With a name like DISTHROAT, you shouldn’t be too surprised to learn that this band from Zaragoza believes in the time-honoured tradition of direct, grinding crustcore. DISTHROAT apparently has Avellano on vocals (among other old-timers, I suspect), a punk known for his subtle performances in such acts as MOBCHARGE and PROYECTO TERROR whom I personally rate highly. Their side of the LP is enjoyable and in fact rather similar to the latter of the aforementioned bands: fast Eurocrust with some blasting moments and dual (male and female) vocals). Lovers of EXTREME NOISE TERROR-style crust will know. A classic ’90s recipe that I always enjoy, although I think the recording would have benefited from a rawer, crunchier production. The songwriting is fine for the genre, but the sound lacks that brutality factor a bit. I also think that the combination of gruff, bearlike and half-spoken, half-shouted vocals doesn’t always work together. My old school crusty heart still likes this. Honest punk for honest punks. On the other side is NECROPOLITICA from Burgos, Spain, a band that has been going since the late 2010s and has members of SINERGIA and ULTIMO GOBIERNO, among others. The band also plays for the crust team, but their take is more articulate and not as straightforward as DISTHROAT’s cavernous style. NECROPOLITICA reminds me of ’90s and ’00s Scandicrust acts like COP ON FIRE, STATE OF FEAR, or BOMBRAID, and the result is fairly solid. You can tell that there are some experienced fellas involved who know how to achieve that kind of sound, and there are some genuinely good riffs here. Again, the production is lacking a bit in terms of impact and heaviness, but there is a primitive, dark vibe to the music that I like. I have to admit I had never really paid attention to these Spanish crust survivors, and this is a good record that highlights both bands’ qualities. Definitely the kind of album I would get.