Earth Crisis

Anybody remember Earth Crisis? The straight-edge, vegan metalcore band from way back? Well, yes, I suppose a few of you do because they weren’t actually bad, but I always found them most notable for vocalist Karl Beuchner being a person who wore a bandana and wasn’t Axl Rose.

Which you don’t do.

Because you look a twat.

And he did look a twat. A right twat.

Lets not hold that against them; it’s just unfortunate that the name ‘Earth Crisis’ conjures that mental image.

The music on Breed the Killers is of another era: when metalcore and Victory weren’t in regrettable states, populated by a bunch of sissies with fashionable haircuts grunting through their tight jeans over a wankery take on melodic death metal.

No -- this reissue of their late `98 Roadrunner release contains riffs that really are a middle ground between hardcore and metal, between Sick of it All and Pantera. There are groove-laden heavy riffs with a vicious hardcore heart, with Beuchner retching his vocal chords over the top, spouting out against the evils of the meat industry (the inlay contains a small essay about its evils, too, since the vocals are more or less indecipherable) and empires. And, although it’s easy to get fuddled about the militant veganism preaching and righteousness involved in the record's soul, it’s nice to hear a record with clear convictions.

There is a slight stagnation as the album goes; the pace, riffs and ideas get slightly repetitive. The quality doesn’t really drop -- just the level of interest in them.

It’s an unrelenting pounding with few thoughts of variation or melody, but if you dig deep heavy grooves and a bit of tofu whilst punching a whaler in the face, this is certainly for you.