After the killer little Nails release, the second best recent offering of D-beat hardcore is the debut from Cleveland’s Masakari who have given the genre some needed melody and thoughtfulness within their crusty, feral antics.

Utilizing an obvious Discharge-backbone, Masakari have an undeniable, palpable rage within their rumbling power chords and gruff screams, but their sense of slicing melody gives things a memorable edge. For example, after the blistering opener “XVI Rapid Dominance”, the second track “X Pain Conceived as a Tool” has a simply killer chord progression and deadly harmony for its climax. “XII Abandoned” displays the same sort of intense but somber melody that makes the bristling riffs even more enjoyable. Don’t get me wrong, the bulk of the material is classically implemented and utterly furious D-beat/crust (i.e “XIII Rise or Fall”, “XV Echelon”), but with the subtle nuances, Masakari are able to elevate the genre into something more intellectual and compelling. For example, arguable standout “XIV The Voiceless”, which burns with a brooding intensity before it explodes in a shimmering, sample laden peak that’s simply brilliant.

And speaking of samples, further adding to Masakari’s excellence are a few well placed samples, not only aforementioned opener “XVI Rapid Dominance” and “XIV The Voiceless”, but even more notably in somber closing “Outro”, where a soldier of Middle-Eastern heritage talks about racism in the military after 9/11.

I like what Southern Lord is doing with their expansion into things other genres (i.e. Black Breath), and for the LP release (which really allows the killer artwork to be appreciated), Halo of Flies is par for the course adding to their string of killer hardcore (Protestant, Malachi, etc).

[Visit the band's website]

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