In a time of slick production, tricks, gimmicks, and pro tools it is a breath of fresh air to hear Sydney-based band Disintegrator with their 2013 effort “No life til crossover”. This album should come with a warning label Not for the faint hearted!. Production-wise I am reminded of hardcore punk stalwarts Poison Idea; in particular the 1990’s album “Feel The Darkness”. Every track is a short sharp jab to the listener’s face and body highly energetic with an average track clocking in a time of 1:30 tracks like “Another Day” vocally remind me of a very angry Phil Anselmo with his “Superjoint Ritual”. Project track 2 ” Night of the living shred” has some gang-style vocals which add some interesting twists and turns track 3 “Thrash Is My Girlfriend” harks back to cross over kings “Stormtroopers Of Death’s” legendary 1985 album “Speak English Or Die”.
Purists reading this review may scoff at this but the guitar sound in parts reminds me of Mayhem’s 1993 album “Deathcrush”. The drumming on this album is straight ahead and sets the pace for this album stark and uncompromising.
The band has also taken the “DIY” ethos back to the old school by putting this recording out on a limited edition cassette tape with 75 physical copies available through the band’s web store.
The bass sound is difficult to make out on the album however but in saying that it may be the style of the production.
With a loyal fan base and live shows that set them apart from the crowd, you can see and hear why they are making waves on the east coast. Overall the album is a middle finger to the world and the band is quoted with the following: “Refusing to play by your rules without seeking approval from anyone but ourselves”. This statement alone sets the tone for a nasty slab of music highly recommended for fans of this genre.
Disintegrator: Facebook
Release Year: 2013
Label: self-released
Category: Demo
Country: Australia
Reviewed by Steve Monaghan
