Enabler - Eden Sank to Grief

Official Myspace
Release Type: Tape (lmt 150) digital and vinyl soon.
Released: April, 2010
Label: Halo of Flies
Genre: Hardcore


So this is the first thing I've bought in awhile (besides the recent Thou tape), because I've been trying to save money after my recent acquisition of a ticket for Maryland Deathfest That's right boys, I'm heading to that pie in the sky...

Anyway, what we've got here is another trusty offering from Halo of Flies, a small DIY outfit in Milwaukee that's put out gems by Protestant, Fall Of Efrafa, Thou, Half Gorilla, and now Enabler; I've yet to be disappointed by anything I've heard from them. Enabler sports a hefty lineup of members from Abaddon, Regrets, The Butts, Party by the Slice, Quest for Fire, Dead Issue and the former drummer (on guitar here in Enabler) of Trap Them,Today is the Day,Shai Hulud, etc.

Enabler's style, in a nutshell, is metallic hardcore baring a resemblance to His Hero is Gone, Trap Them, Integrity, and heavy darker power violence acts like Hatred Surge. Eden Sank to Grief features eight songs and so far is a limited tape, of which only 150 were made. Plans to go to vinyl I believe are in the works.

I like Enabler, plain and simple. Eden Sank to Grief starts perfectly, a quick d-beat into a bar of lone bass chugging along, then back to d-beat then out of nowhere a soaring solo. Within a minute or so, Enabler establish themselves as more than just a HHIG worship band, and thank Whatever. "Unconditional Surrender" continues the pace with blast beats sparsely used and impressive work along the fretboard, a very Gothenburg styled track. Things continue at a frantic pace until the middle of "Fucking Wartorn" where the listener is able to rest their neck and stomp around for a bit. Strong rhythmic shifts accompanied by leads, solos, a barrage of vocals and powerful drums keep your attention for the short ride. That lead midway through "Renegrenades" is awesome, almost gets into post-rock territory there.

I don't have any complaints about this one, Enabler know their sound and know the job, there's no missteps and no blunders. It's a surgical strike of heavy-as-fuck hardcore that should impress fans of Entombed as much as fans of Indecision.

Ol' Bill said it best, "brevity is the soul of wit," there's not a second wasted with this ep.

Take a listen here and you can buy it here (scroll down a bit). It's only 5 bucks, no excuses!

-F

On a side note, I hope everyone's got their eyes peeled for Machetazo's up coming Necrocovered, I'm shitting my pants about this one. Machetazo doing covers With all star guest vocalists? Can't lose.