Where they from?
Halen, Belgium. The one live television event I pay attention to every year that isn’t sports-related is the Academy Awards and…HOLY SHIT did they deliver this year. It sounds insane but I can honestly say that the Oscars this year were more violent than most of the death metal shows I go to. They should have a wall of death next year.
Why the hype?
I first came across this Belgian bad boys when I discovered their split with Controlled Existence, who’s side off the EP became the first entry in this vaunted series of stupidity. As enamored as I was with Controlled Existence’s side, I ignorantly never gave Days of Desolation a proper listen until I saw that they had released a brand new full-length last week.
Normally I am very wary of bands that lean more into the crust element of grindcore, but this band pulls it off exceptionally well. Yes, the songs are longer than your average grind band, but the D-beats never drag and more importantly the music is chock full of these anthemic and sweeping punk melodies that bring to mind Tragedy at their most ferocious and memorable. This is the kind off music I would imagine would be the soundtrack for a flag-bearer running into the heat of battle (or, if you’re anything like me, leg day).
Latest Release?
Circles, self-released. Like I said, it’s the gloriously sweeping melodies that really get me here, especially on songs like “Rift Inducer” and “King of Pikes,” but can we take a minute to talk about the nu metal intro to “Moths To a Flame?” How is it in the Year of Our Lord 2022 a Belgian crust band writes a better Soulfly riff than Max Cavalera? Give this band an Oscar already.
