Artimus Pyle is a name I have seen often in play-lists among other bands of their crusty ilk whom I am quite fond of – Tragedy, Kylesa, Remains of the Day, among others- so I was very psyched to find their new full-length in my review pile as I have been meaning to check them out for awhile.

With a sound disjointed by its own urgency, Fucked From Birth provides an intense soundtrack to these corrupt and disturbing times we live in, and while certainly on the rawer side of things, production-wise, the album maintains a basic heaviness that will draw you into their chaos quite nicely.

One thing that immediately impresses me (as these quick songs leave one with quick impressions) is that Artimus Pyle plays true hardcore (read: no traces of metal), yet also manage to keep it fresh and interesting. So while they seemingly have an orthodox view on the style of music they play, they manage to be very creative and engaging within the limits of their chosen genre. A three-piece, Artimus Pyle nonetheless have a truly massive and menacing sound, especially when they ease into the slower rumble portions of the songs. The bass sound is so heavy on these parts that I can not tell if it is intentionally distorted or just came out that way, but either way its thick and mean and suits the style perfectly. The vocals are all delivered in that deep shout-roar which is fairly typical for the genre and the guitar riffs are basically harsh and furious, creating a maelstrom of punk rage that occasionally teeters off the brink of coherence.

While Fucked From Birth does not exceed the hype I have long built up waiting to hear material from this band, it does come damned close, and I can say with a fair amount of confidence that if you consider yourself a fan of any of the bands listed at the top of the review or the crustier side of hardcore in general, Artimus Pyle will satisfy your needs for some punk fuckin’ rock.

[Visit the band's website]

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