Burned Up Bled Dry Next Stop… Dead Stop… LP
Arkansas cannot be said to be the most glamorous place of the Empire (or is it?), and judging from the ferocity of BURNED UP BLED DRY’s first album, it might be an additional source of anger. If Next Stop… Dead Stop… is indeed the band’s first LP, they have been going (on and off) since 1996, so they are not exactly in a hurry (contrary to their style). I had not heard of the band before, but they were apparently classified as a powerviolence act back when the scene was replete with representatives of the genre. From what I hear on this LP, in spite of the shortness of the songs (26 songs in 25 minutes, so there’s no arsing around here) and the (very) fast numbers, I wouldn’t call them a strict powerviolence act. The songwriting is diverse, somewhat progressive, with many breaks and changes, from sludgecore songs to crusty moments, blasting hardcore madness or high-energy stomping hardcore, but heaviness and despair are always at the helm. A wild pony with many tricks, if you like. Because they developed in the ’90s and the LP is released on Prank Records (a defining label from that era), comparisons to works by the likes of HIS HERO IS GONE, DAMAD, and DEATHREAT are relevant, but BURNED UP BLED DRY sounds more urgent somehow—the powerviolence influence definitely affects this feel. The production is heavy and very guitar-driven, the angry vocals are raucous and expressive, and it stands as a very convincing work that could appeal to a wide audience of extreme music lovers (people with bad backs will definitely be into that), although the LP’s relentlessness can sometimes be a little overwhelming and might be hard for some to digest in one sitting.