Review Summary: It's not possible to listen to this and not want to break sh*t.
Six Brew Bantha is a relatively young three piece grindcore band from Victoria, BC. (This will be the last local release I review, I`m getting some complaints...) Their 2nd LP was released two nights ago (4/20) at a particularly rowdy house show at some dude's house. The split second before they started playing, I knew they were going to be incredible... and I was right. Vocalist Brian started off the set with a "We are Six Brew Bantha... f**k you." and immediately started one of the most brutal songs to their name,
Violence Fuels Hatred.
Just a disclaimer if you plan on listening to this,
Six Brew Bantha's self-titled release
will make you want to break stuff and mosh. First track
Perpetual Debt begins with a faux-poor-recording type intro which made me nervous, seeing as how quality is an important aspect in my opinion, but then laid out a full-out assault with everything crystal clear. The vocals are typical grind vocals. Brutal, throat-shredding, undecipherable and over the top. They fit the music perfectly. The guitar on the album is played with relentless accuracy and timing.
Six Brew Bantha does not feature a bassist, but it's not necessary because the guitar is so distorted, it makes up for the fact. Guitarist 'insert-name-here' (seriously, I can't find anything on this guy) really knows how to shred, and utilizes that skill very well on this album, throwing in some solos every now and then and some rather complex riffs. Drummer Malone is ridiculous. A capable drummer is a must for grindcore, and Malone is definitely capable. It's hard to explain exactly what he does right, but what he does compliments the music to it's full potential. The best example of this would be
Fisgard Block Party with blast beats so fast, it almost sounds programmed.
The lyrics are actually surprisingly mature and can make you think.
Six Brew Bantha attacks everything and everyone. Mass-production factories, the media, North Korea, the IRS and the government (of course!). What kind of grind record would it be if they didnt complain about the government? In my opinion,
From Vice to Crutch had the best lyrics, an example being the line
"Addiction; deaths self-decision. Seemed harmless in retrospect. Dependency or self-medication?". That is almost startlingly honest; it lets you know that they really know what they're talking about and that they've been down that road before. In conclusion,
Six Brew Bantha's self-titled 2012 release is definitely one of the strongest grind records I've heard in a while and it's definitely worth checking out. At the time I'm writing this (4/22) The band is also just about to begin a 2 month tour around the states (a huge feat for local bands in my area) with some wicked grind bands. If they come to your area, go check them out, go grab a beer with them. They're great guys.
