Blunt Force Trauma - Demo March 2005
Self-released - 2005
By Philip Whitehouse
So, I'm at the Trivium gig I reviewed for Ultimate Metal a month or so ago, and whilst propping up the bar between bands, I happen to run into an old drinking buddy, Dan Phipps. I'd just started writing for Ultimate Metal when I knew this guy - in fact, he got into Rabies Caste through my recommendation. Anyway, he asks if I'll review his band's demo, so I email him later giving him the address to send it to and jokingly suggesting he includes a bribe to ensure a full score. A week or two later, and a CD turns up in the post, complete with 50p in change (a 20p, two 10ps and two 5ps, to be precise). I laughed, and slapped in the CD.
Turns out, that 50p was more than likely the change from the fiver the band presumably paid for the recording - we're talking Reek Of Putrefaction levels of production here. However, seeing as Blunt Force Trauma play a sort of bludgeoning, somewhat-Pantera-indebted form of downtuned trash with mosh-riffs aplenty rather than blurred hyperspeed goregrind, the rumbling, scratchy recording doesn't hinder them too much. In fact, at times the rawness of the production adds to the aggressiveness of the material on offer, particularly the machine-gunned double kicks that drive the mid-section of 'The Accused Is Entitled'. However, the distortion on the vocalist's contributions don't add much to the sound.
Two tracks isn't much to go on, but this demo showcases a knack for writing some catchy, aggressive riffs which could easily get a brutal moshpit going in the live environment. The musicianship is pretty tight, and whilst the addition of a lead guitarist could open up myriad possibilities for the group, for now it seems that Blunt Force Trauma have nowhere to go from here but up.
7/10
Self-released - 2005
By Philip Whitehouse
So, I'm at the Trivium gig I reviewed for Ultimate Metal a month or so ago, and whilst propping up the bar between bands, I happen to run into an old drinking buddy, Dan Phipps. I'd just started writing for Ultimate Metal when I knew this guy - in fact, he got into Rabies Caste through my recommendation. Anyway, he asks if I'll review his band's demo, so I email him later giving him the address to send it to and jokingly suggesting he includes a bribe to ensure a full score. A week or two later, and a CD turns up in the post, complete with 50p in change (a 20p, two 10ps and two 5ps, to be precise). I laughed, and slapped in the CD.
Turns out, that 50p was more than likely the change from the fiver the band presumably paid for the recording - we're talking Reek Of Putrefaction levels of production here. However, seeing as Blunt Force Trauma play a sort of bludgeoning, somewhat-Pantera-indebted form of downtuned trash with mosh-riffs aplenty rather than blurred hyperspeed goregrind, the rumbling, scratchy recording doesn't hinder them too much. In fact, at times the rawness of the production adds to the aggressiveness of the material on offer, particularly the machine-gunned double kicks that drive the mid-section of 'The Accused Is Entitled'. However, the distortion on the vocalist's contributions don't add much to the sound.
Two tracks isn't much to go on, but this demo showcases a knack for writing some catchy, aggressive riffs which could easily get a brutal moshpit going in the live environment. The musicianship is pretty tight, and whilst the addition of a lead guitarist could open up myriad possibilities for the group, for now it seems that Blunt Force Trauma have nowhere to go from here but up.
7/10
