Pittsburgh natives Complete Failure first released a limited pressing of Heal No Evil last year, and additional interest has led them to re-release their sophomore album. And while the quartet’s aggressive take on grindcore (a blend of hardcore punk with trash and death metal) may be daunting for some listeners, it’s a remarkably accessible album for a genre that has spawned such chaotic acts as Anal Cunt and Agoraphobic Nosebleed.
Unlike these dadaistic artists, Complete Failure has a very strong emphasis on rhythm—one would hesitate to call their songs “catchy”, but there’s certainly a driving energy behind songs like the opening “Like Rainbows in Gasoline” that can hook a listener who might not have an appreciation for the growls and screams of front-man Joe Mack.
The band’s style also draws more heavily from death metal than some other grindcore acts, a fact particularly apparent in the epic, atmospheric openings to songs like “The Exploding Fuel Tank of Desperate Intolerance” and “Psychoactive Pedigree”. However, these introductions quickly give way to the meat and potatoes of a sound that dominates tracks like “Brown Acid Brainwound”—runs of blast beats punctuated by Mack’s vocals.
Given the extreme nature of Complete Failure’s music, it is unlikely to appeal to listeners who are only casually familiar with punk or metal. However, this album manages to create a sense of progression from song to song—making if much more accessible than the efforts of a large number of bands within their genre, which often sound like directionless noise to a first-time listener. And while some may find this 33-minute album too much for one sitting, Heal No Evil will surely appeal to the dedicated metal-head.
Conclusion - a curiosity for the uninitiated, a haven for headbangers.
[...] Review: Complete Failure – Heal No Evil [...]
[...] Review: Complete Failure – Heal No Evil [...]