I started this review with the feeling that after about seven listens I had grasped what was being conveyed and therefore I would be able judge and critique. The more I kept on listening, though, the more this album seemed to present itself; as if it were a shy child (who had tendencies of acting out) who was too afraid to verbally express himself in any appropriate matter. Mayhap by poetry, maybe by short stories…. there was ventilation for him and, by God, would he embrace it. So conspicuous yet damaging….he would coerce abrasion and allow himself to scream the words in ways he never imagined….his voice would be heard. After seven listens I still couldn’t grasp the cacophony and maelstrom so fervently produced. It was there within my grasp, certainly within earshot.

It’s heartwarming to know that there are acts out there that know when to toe the line. It’s acts like Jungbluth that give me hope as a listener that there is music being created that is embracing those before them and driving themselves into a territory so much their own that it’s almost intoxicating. There must be something in the water. No band should be allowed to be so hell-bent on chaos but yet so poetic in melody at the same time. Blurring the lines between Converge, Momentum (UK), Seven Sister of Sleep, and Pg.99, Jungbluth have crafted an album that promotes an anti-oppressive stance and aims for the throat; nine songs so thoroughly steeped in the darker side of hardcore that it makes sense for them to be affiliated with the consistently awesome Halo of Flies record label.

The first track, “Crevasse”, is the perfect introduction to this album; a calm before the storm that is soon to follow. It’s a perfect opening song; an aperitif to the main course and this main course is violent as fuck. “Wakefield”, the next song, is fury in its purest form. Breakneck from the start, it has its fair share of tempo changes while the anger felt in the lyrics is always present. The next song, “Looks Like Freedom”, is my personal favorite on the album. It hearkens back to the chaotic hardcore that was being released in droves in the early 2000’s. Never overbearing in tempo, it creeps very close to being an anthem of sorts but it never whores its sound in order to make the most pleasant sound; it’s completely subservient to the ebb and flow of what it is at its core: an amazing fucking song. The lower vocals remind me a lot of Fall of Efrafa and that is something I didn’t pick up on right away because they aren’t very prevalent.

“These Rare Moments” follows and it’s very much a natural progression from the previous track. Slightly catchier and more melodic than the previous two tracks, it also never breaks the speed of sound in its delivery and again, is almost anthemic (especially that “gang vocal” breakdown at the 1:50 mark) in style but never touching on any sort of “cheese” factor. It breathes passion and exhales vitriol with strained anger. “Au Revoir Tristesse”, the following track, slows things down considerably. An instrumental song that delivers a bass tone that is extremely perfect in delivery with mild drumming and a little bit of guitar up front. It feels similar to the opening track in that it starts out mid-tempo and picks things up towards the end. The guitars come in a little bit more but aren’t extremely abrasive. They trail at the end to perfectly set up the next track. This album certainly feels to be broken into segments of sorts in the way that it is set up. Quite genius if you ask me.

“Zwang Abwärts” is the longest track on the album and it starts off with a great early 90’s hardcore drumbeat (all toms with a little bit of snare…almost punk rock in delivery) and after a few seconds the rest of the band joins in. This song feels and plays the most chaotic in my opinion. I hear tinges of Curl Up & Die throughout but mainly in tempo delivery rather than actual sound. It certainly is a song that is multifaceted but never to point of sacrificing the “song” for the “noise”. The fact that Jungbluth is a three piece astounds me because this song really betrays that number. Controlled sonic mayhem that plays host to numerous foundation changes and structural discharges, this seems to be the culmination of their sound. A beast of track that lends itself to the listener with each subsequent listen.

“No One But Myself” follows with the most abrasive track on the album. Succinct but very much a hydra of sorts with the many heads it sprouts. Equal parts hardcore, sludge, noise, and punk, it gets to the point and it gets there fast with nary a pit stop. I have yet to read a lyric sheet but I can’t imagine they are singing about puppies and rainbows. They seethe with venom and anger; a perfect companion to the music they create. ”Angebot/Nachsage” is the last song with vocals on the album and it follow suit with the rest of the album in delivery but it creates a palindrome of sorts with how it ends because it sets up the outro, “Crevasse II”, perfectly. Whereas “Crevasse” started the album with whispers of hope and beauty to only flow into the hatred filled noise that is “Wakefield”, “Angebot/Nachsage” finishes with outrage and antagonism and allows the surprisingly beautiful “Crevasse II” to end with purity of feeling and hopefulness. Acoustic guitar with flares of cymbals and, I can only assume, xylophone punctuated slightly by droning guitar in the background. This album is a phenomenal listen that I suggest to anyone who is a fan of darker hardcore. You can listen to their album for free on their Bandcamp page. I certainly hope whoever reads this takes the time to do so. You will certainly find a rewarding listen.

[Visit the band's website]

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