Ελληνικά
Last Updated on 12:55 PM by Giorgos Tsekas
Genre: Hardcore/Grindcore
Country: U.S.A./England
Label: Season Of Mist
Year: 2016
For those not familiar with the group, Venomous Concept is the side-project of Shane Embury (Napalm Death, Brujeria, Lock Up), Danny Herrera (Napalm Death) and Kevin Sharp (ex-Brutal Truth, Lock Up). Since their 2004 debut ‘Retroactive Abortion’, Buzz Osborne (Melvins, Fantomas) was playing the guitars, until 2006 when he left the group. In their second album ‘Poisoned Apple’ (2008), Dan Lilker (Nuclear Assault, ex-Brutal Truth, ex-S.O.D.) joined the group and handled the bass, while Embury took over the guitars. In 2010, John Cooke (Corrupt Moral Altar, Vicious Bastard) became the fifth member and the second guitarist, and with this lineup, 8 years later Venomous Concept released their third album ‘Kick Me Silly – VC III’.
The success of the so-called supergroups cannot always rely on the names of their members. It’s a common ground that despite the members’ significance in the music industry, the group as a whole doesn’t persuade the crowd or just disappoints. Happily, for another release, the supergroup Venomous Concept delivers a masterpiece of extreme sound and music. The third full length may have been delayed for eight years, but it will surely reward and satisfy the hardcore/grindcore fans.
The album consists of twenty one songs, clocking around 36 minutes, with the closer ‘Rocket Science’ followed by an unnecessary 13-minute repetitive sound/noise. Generally, the tracks are delivered in high speed, with the exception of the longest ‘Farm Boy’ and ‘Forever War’, that drop the tempo and bring some groove/volume into the game. Embury’s and Cooke’s riffing is pretty simple with enough punk attitude, but full of anger and aggressiveness. Kevin Sharp’s vocal delivery needs no recommendation at all, if you missed it, after Brutal Truth’s split up, here you are going to fully enjoy it. A lunatic with non-stop screaming and yelling, that spits out lyrics effortlessly and really tight with the chaos, the other members create. Herrera is torturing the skins with his D-Beats or with blastbeats either with more humane rhythms. Lilker’s bass has nothing to do with the lifeless one heard on last year’s Nuclear Assault’s ‘Pounder’ ‘Ep. Its presence is notable and it never stops ‘annoying’ your ears.
‘Kick Me Silly – VC III’ has everything a fan of the genre would like to hear in year 2016. Well-played and well-crafted hardcore with many grindcore elements, full of energy, anger and a great dose of humour (check the cover artwork and some of the song titles, like ‘Fucked In Czech Repub’ and ‘Cheeseburger’). Venomous Concept’s veterans seem that enjoyed it a lot and that is transmitted to the listeners too. They have delivered a violent, entertaining and praiseworthy album, as well as they have added another great achievement of extreme sound in their already successful discography/course.
5/6
