Article By: Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker ‡ Edited By: Leanne Ridgeway
September 1st saw the issuing of the new 7″ Split featuring North Carolina’s The Asound and Connecticut’s Intercourse. Both bands contribute two tracks each for a total of four face-melting sonic assaults.
On the release, each band’s tracks alternate with Intercourse providing tracks #1 and #3 and The Asound #2 and #4. For the purpose of this review, I will tackle each pair head-on.
First, we have Intercourse‘s “Too Fucked To Yiff” and “Corricidin Is A Helluva Drug“. Both together total a playing time of 3:56 so you may guess what you can expect. A blistering onslaught of furious post-hardcore and somewhat sludgy music that is disinterested in a harmonious tranquility.
The first cut yields a wall of pummeling rhythms and buzzing guitars as the gut-wrenched vocals of Ricky ring out. His instrument-assassinating cohorts, Jay (guitar), Tim (bass), and Caleb (drums) provide the firepower, especially on “Corricidin Is A Helluva Drug“. This track’s discordant elements come in waves of incendiary sonics and is my fave of the two.
For fans of Training For Utopia, Burnt By The Sun, Converge.
The Asound, aka Chad W. (Guitar & Vocals), Michael C. (Drums), and Jon C. (Bass) are a horse of a whole other color when compared to Intercourse. The trio’s two songs here, “Slave To The Saints” and “Human For Human” are clearly of a more southern-y stoner metal styling.
The former is a riff-driven heavy rock number crafted with tight grooves and ample swagger. Their second contribution, “Human For Human“, is a furiously-paced flood of thick guitar riffs and dizzying drum antics. Things are tight and intense throughout and Chad’s vocals are not too far off from Pepper Keenan-like characteristics at times.
For fans of Corrosion Of Conformity, High On Fire.
Stream or purchase The Asound / Intercourse 7″ Split below and remember, The Asound is one of several killer bands playing at the Riff Relevant sponsored Steel & Stone Fest II. That fest happens at The Odditorium in Asheville, N.C. on Saturday, October 14th and you can get details and more info here.
Make sure to check out The Asound Astounds All Part 1, where I have an on-camera interview with the band here.
