Eastern German hardcore band ‘Throwers’ have just released their album Loss via Golden Antenna Records.
With most modern records, the immediate reaction on first listen is to try and find comparison with older, more well known artists. Categorising bands has become an increasingly difficult task, as bands combine multiple influences in order to create something even slightly different to the thousands of others trying to do the exact same thing. The process is so evolved that often comparing a new (ish) band like Throwers to an act 10 years ago and calling them hardcore doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of not only the influences Throwers reference, but the influences of their influences. So my big question is; do we bother categorising bands at all anymore? It might be helpful on a base level, if only to weed out those who know they don’t like it, to label Throwers as a hardcore band, but it’s far from doing justice to the variety of styles that have culminated in their new album Loss.
In actuality Loss is an evil blend of crushing riffs and brutal screamed vocals that slots somewhere around hardcore and metal sub genres (most of which are hyphenated themselves), but manages to sound almost original. How about this. If you like sludgy, doomy riffs but find sludge and/or doom a bit boring, then Loss might be right up your street. Additionally, if you find yourself drawn to fast paced off-beats and minor melody drones, but you’re sick of the last Trap Them record; Loss might have you covered as well. It’s a very strong record that might just have something for everyone; assuming you like post-hardcore mathy noise, that is. Which I, for one, do.
Loss offers seven songs in just over 35 minutes of frantic screaming; beginning with a static crescendo at the start of Singularity as an early farewell to headphone users. It’s not until second track Der Makel kicks in that Throwers find their feet; starting with a slow groove riff like some Black Metal tune, the mood turns manic and continues in this vain for the duration of the album. While it’s not relentless; for all their slow melodic breakdowns, Throwers are seriously tough. Vocalist Alex has an unnerving howling style, and repeatedly succeeds to scare the crap out of me, even with distortion added. It’s an ultimately primal instrument which gives Loss a heavy, serious atmosphere.
Other stand out tracks include Karg; a slow groove peppered with moments of supreme brutality, Unarmed for the big riffs and ‘step up’ from half time drum beat, and Nevermore for blasts, drum shreds and trem picking.
Production and instrumentation are both mercifully tight, the sound and precision doing justice to Throwers creative compositions. There’s not a lot to complain about here, and the only reason Loss doesn’t pick up a few more points out of ten is the track Assigning, which, while still good, is a step below the quality of the rest of the songs.
Overall, Loss is a very impressive album with an authenticity unmatched by many in the genre today. Throwers have created something unique amongst widespread repetition and I seriously recommend you give them a listen.
(8.5/10 Kane Power)
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