Indication
“Ataraxia of The Phoenix” (DAZE, 2024)

Indication’s “Ataraxia of The Phoenix” came out in May on Daze, a label I am starting to get more into, slowly, as most their releases are on the harsher side of the Hardcore spectrum, crossing that line into Metalcore, and Metalcore is… well, it is… I am not a fan of it, let us put it that way, so it surprised me that this record played all the way through, and I barely complained. A read that this is a crossover between Old Sound and New Sound. Not actually familiar with Metalcorian sounds, so. This this sounds good! It has a melodic groove to it, reminiscent of what 20 Inch Burial did back in the day, but with a harder side to it. It has the power of Hardcore, on steroids, but also a melodic vein very noticeable and strong. I very rarely fall for bands that mix sounds in a very pronounced way. That hard beating part and then we fall into this extra-melodic chorus. That is a NO for me most of the times. But these lads from Japan nailed it, in my opinion! I do need to check the Japanese Hardcore scene.

Contention
“Artillery from Heaven” (DAZE, 2024)

Still on Daze, and just because I am feeling more Hardcore than Black Metal, let us go for another 2024 release by the Connecticut based label. This time, we go for Contention’s “Artillery from Heaven”, an album that has that aggressive sound, always within the structure of Hardcore, but with hints of Melodic Metal. I blame At the Gates and In Flames for all of this! In comparison to Indication, these guys are more aggressive and have a more punishing sound than the Japanese, it is almost like 2 sides of a sonic experience. Well, I spent a bit more time with Contention this weekend and feel hesitant in leaving the Melodic Metal label in there, mostly because we do have – more and more – HC bands “taking” Heavy Metal elements into their music, making it, today, part of the genre. Anyway, Contention released an amazing album, that is certain. Hey, maybe Metalcore?!

Extinguished
“One Less Enemy” (DAZE, 2024)

One great thing about music streaming platforms is that it gives you the chance to get to know bands you would probably never find out about. Still on Daze: Extinguished, from North California. These lads have conjured a beast of a metallic Hardcore album, and it is the bomb! I see myself enjoying this fringe of Hardcore more and more. Take Kickback, for example, and you get Extinguished. The sound is what I would expect from a band that plays metallic Hardcore: punishing riffs and scary as Hell vocals, and the band has all those elements. This makes for a perfect symbiosis and a frightening moment of music. “One Less Enemy” is a great record and you should check it.