Bleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed

Official Myspace
Label: Relapse
Released: 2010
Release Type: Vinyl 12" 105 White, 105 Clear (not released to public), 556 Black
Genre: Hardcore/Sludge

I've been pretty busy, and I can assume the same for the rest of the GJ crew. I'd love to see 206 drop in and give some of his grindly insight into the goings on of today, because frankly I'm out of the loop. That being said one of the only recent non-Thou things I've gotten is Weekend Nachos's new ep Bleed, something I had been waiting for since last year when Unforgivable stopped spinning its first time on my turntable.

If you've dipped into our back catalog of reviews and commentary, or if you're a faithful follower you should know how I feel about Weekend Nachos. Their second full length, and reinvention that is Unforgivable made me forever a fan. Bleed is odd in terms of its direction not just because it sounds nothing like their older material, but because it's a strangely logical continuation of Unforgivable.

The band's affinity for heaviness and brutality is what's on the mantel here. Bleed is 14 minutes of leisure time hardcore. The thing starts off at a crawl, resembling some of the beatdown parts of Unforgivable but ultimately sounding more like a sludge band than anything else. John's vocals are as tough as ever, bludgeoning the listener with very bark. It's not so far fetched coming from this band, but it feels like unnatural ground for them as John's vocals lack variation this time around (no background shouts either) not to mention the guitars play what seems like the same handful of riffs throughout both sides of this LP and there's only one mid/up tempo section.

I like it, but I think I expected something more. Bleed comes off very underwhelming in comparison to last year's best album. Further from that, if this ep was from another band I can't say I'd give it too much attention. What I said about uncertain ground really comes out in the second track "Observer" as it's about 7 minutes of the same refrain broken up by some crashing noises that remind me of the beginning of Dopesick (maybe that's the point?) and slight shifts. It's an attempt at being heavy that falls flat.

Overall I'd say it's worth the purchase if you're a big Weekend Nachos fan, if you're on the fence then I'd save your money for when they visit your town or their next offering which will hopefully be a bit more developed.

Here's a DL thanks to Harsh Distractions. And of course, if you like it buy it here.

-F

p.s. Oh, and Maryland Death was awesome. Here's a late and quick summery.

The Good:Gorguts, Aspyhx, Impaled, Capitalist Casualties, Portal, Converge, Malignancy, Magrudergrind, DRI, PLF (the whole prefest was awesome).

The Bad: Entombed played a lot of dad rock, I think only two tracks from Left Hand Path, not to mention only one guitar. Trap Them/Sodom/Stormcrow and others didn't make it. Expencive beer/food, things I wanted sold out too quickly, some bands must have forgotten their merch (Gridlink I'm looking at you). Waitan, boring on cd and somehow more boring live. Missed most of Obituary to see Converge, I was too far back and they were a bit underwhelming.

The great: Coffins, then after show with Coffins and Massgrave playing till sunrise. Incantation, Wolfbrigade, Repulsion (awesome pit, lots of cuts and brusies from that one alone), From Ashes Rise,Gridlink, Eyehategod (although the setlist was a bit lacking) Autopsy!! and I'm sure there's something else I'm forgetting. Being told Jeff couldn't make it for Possessed, then hearing Sadistic Intent playing Burning in Hell and seeing ol' Jeff wheelin' around- awesome. Jesus Crost we're a great surprise, and super nice guys too. Awesome way to blow 200bucks, hopefully I can go next year.

Weekend Nachos- Unforgivable

Site: Myspace
Release: 2009
Type: Cd, Lp, Full Length
Label: Relapse
Genre: Power Violence/ Hardcore

From my experiences power violence can be a fickle genre. Many of the big names of the genre encompass completely different attitudes, sounds, and styles and yet still fly under the banner of a pretty specific genre. Bands like Charles Bronson and Hatred Surge are labeled as power violence, yet showcase two completely different styles, the former being quite humorous and heavily flirting with lighter fair like skate punk and what have you where the latter delves in to the more extreme and punishing metal side of power violence. Regardless of the specifics there's the key traits of energy, passion, and disdain to some degree or another; and it is with the later of the three that Weekend Nachos finds themselves.

With a name more akin to those of bands who like to exploit the humor in their music and carry a party atmosphere, Weekend Nachos drastically deviate when their sound comes into comparison with those said bands. Originally off put by their name, i was completely flabbergasted when i heard some of the most poignant/vehement hardcore i've ever heard. What really attracted me to Weekend Nachos' sound is their emphasis on the violence in power violence.

Drifting away from the thin and punky sound of many hardcore/pv acts, Weekend Nachos employs a very bottom heavy sound (nothing like MITB) but more like a metal band, or one of those horrid xXthugcoreXx bands. This immediately caught my attention and made me motivated to thrash through this short LP. Showing a great apperciation for sludge, Weekend Nachos masterfully pulls off many breakdowns which heighten the energy so much on this LP and really encapsulate the violence and misanthropy they're trying to evoke. The slower sections on this album are all my favorites.

2009 starts the album off with some gloomy sample and delves headlong straight into the hardcore frenzy only to slow back down in Elevated Tracks which evokes a dark and brooding atmosphere with some kind of sample in the back; this is one of the highlights of the album. The fluidity of the album is phenomenal; the band segways from thrashing d-beats and power chords to lighting fast blast sections to midpaced stomps and quarter note breakdowns. The energy and flow is perfect and never lets up.

If you like your music dark, violent, and angry then Weekend Nachos is for you, resembling an Eyehategod of sorts for power violence, Weekend Nachos' keep the staples of the genre and blend in personal influences and a sense of misanthropy above all. More tough than any Hatebreed clone, Weekend Nachos stray far from their silly name and evoke a sense of dismal violence that one would assume to be plenty painful live.

While the production job doesn't sound DIY, a seemingly large staple of the pv community, it works in spades. It's heavy, unrelenting and completely obliterating. The vocals are deep and angry bellows offset by the occasional higher pitch yells. Along with the tone, many of the lyrics come through as sing along beatdown choruses which are evisceratingly brutal. The mosh parts in Shot in the Head and Reason to Die rank amongst the best that the album has to offer.

While I can't comment on previous works I can say that this album has made me a definite fan. Surely to be a favorite of the year for me, Unforgivable showcases a level of misanthropy I've been unable to find in power violence, and it makes me happy.

Buy the cd here for cheap (as well a t-shirt/cd combo) or buy vinyl, as well as other releases here.