The Steps To Hell

Farcical was yet another virile offshoot of the G-Anx/Elderberry Records tree. Where they fit into the lineage is a little hazy, but based on the recording date of the split below, the band appears to be pre-Counterblast. The first label I wanted to throw onto the 7" pictured above was Counterblast-lite. This is unfair, however, because the songwriting is every bit as engaging, albeit a little less heavy and depressing. I daresay the undistorted picking forays are at times more beautiful than Counterblast's best.



This early Farcical split sees the band hopscotching between the depression and brutality of their early incarnation (G-Anx) and the more mind-bending psychedelia of their more
progressive work. Awesome tracks, but don't ask me to pick a favorite between these two 7"s. As for the B side, I didn't quite "get" their fellow country-folk, Fatal Females, the first time I spun this disk. By the second time, whatever there was to "get" was thoroughly gotten. FF use low-frequency hum and hypnotically steady rhythm to lull you into a pleasing half-slumber of distorted shoegaze noise (post) punk. So simple, yet so good.


Both EPs here.

The Stench Won't Blow Away

Counterblast's masterpiece-- the intricately composed death knell for the post-industrial nightmare. This is still available in places like this and this and you can find mp3s on Soulseek, but I really wanted some high bit rate rips (320, from a clean vinyl copy). Just thought I'd share. I imagine Skuld will repress this eventually, so the link won't be up forever...

"Balance of Pain" LP

Infectious Hypnosis

I said I would put up some more Counterblast, and I'm happy to finally make good on that. "Impassivity" is the band's second full length, made available by Putrid Filth Conspiracy on double LP. I found a cheap copy of the Malaysian CD version, so what you get tonight is the CD ripped at 320 along with photos of the vinyl graphics. If you don't know by now, Counterblast are a formidable post-G-ANX metal/hardcore band that mix spacious, at times cold, ambiance with crushingly heavy, slow riffs. A few song-lengths on "Impassivity" could easily have been shortened, which is why I favor "Balance Of Pain" (that album just had some tight fuckin' songwriting). But all in all, "Impassivity" has some truly sublime moments of stark beauty and heaviness, not to mention awesome production and enough fast parts to make the G-ANX fans teary-eyed with nostalgia. I hope to post "Balance Of Pain" very soon, but it all depends on whether or not I can make good rips from my LP, or find high quality rips of the CD. The ones floating around soulseek are ripped at 192, so if you have the CD, perhaps you could help out?

This is a massive record in many ways, so I divided it into two parts. Due to its wide availability, I may have to remove the link in a couple of days.

"Impassivity"

Pick up some Counterblast material here:
Active Rebellion
Puke'n Vomit
Halvfabrikat
Power-It-Up
Catchphraze
Crust Punks
No Way Out
Instigate
Adipocere

Scream While There's Still Room To Breathe

The punishment comes slow and heavy tonight, as it's finally time to post a long-time favorite-- Counterblast! From the still-twitching remains of Swedish greats, G-anx, Counterblast was pieced together to be a more brooding, atmospheric monster, while still retaining their predecessor's unrelenting heaviness. This post brings together the band's first and (so far) last vinyl outings. First, as pictured above, is the split they released with Grace Will Fall. Counterblast demonstrate with ease that they have not lost a bit of their power over the years with their one excellent track, "Failure," and GWF offer three blasts of their lightly distorted, bittersweet, "screamo" (for a serious lack of better terms). It's a really nice, yet odd pairing, on an unfortunately limited edition platter.


Just in case you don't have Counterblast's absolutely classic debut 7", I went ahead and included rips in the folder. The first track, "Prospects," stands up to this day as one of the band's all time best. In addition, they've released at least one comp track, and two powerhouse full-lengths, which are getting harder to find. I have them on vinyl, so if they stay hard to find I may have to post them soon.

Get these EPs