Though many readers might forget it, the process of assessing music and forming those assessments into some coherent form is inherently subjective.
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This Gallery Of RVA Hardcore Flyers Is An Awesome Nostalgia Trip
There was a lot going on in the RVA hardcore scene in the late 90s and early 00s, and this amazing gallery of hardcore flyers from that era does a great job of capturing that fact–and reminding us all that 15 years really is a long time.
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Yautja Breaks Free From Metal’s Derivative Tendencies On Songs Of Descent
Yautja – Songs Of Descent (Forcefield Records)
For all the attempts at transgressive aethestics that metal and punk can undertake, it’s no secret to anybody with any working knowledge of either that both reward a degree of conservatism. The bands who sell records and draw crowds are often the ones who can most convincingly imitate, or–in slightly more favorable circumstances–put their own spin on some well-worn trope, relevant only in distant memory.
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Show Me Yours: Kind Of Metal Hardcore Shows
It only took me four months in Richmond to go to my first hardcore show. I know half of you are wondering what the fuck is wrong with me, which is a pretty legit question, but give me 900 words or so to explain myself.
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DAILY RECORD: Occultist
Occultist – Death Sigils (Primitive Ways Records)
Syncretic approaches to music can provide fascinating results, though these tend to be the exception rather than the rule. So often these blends of different approaches, disparate or otherwise, come off like an audio version of fusion cuisine, something that reduces each component element to a few essentialist characteristics that are perfect for playing mix and match with but fail to capture the depth and nuance of these respective parts.
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