Review Summary: 2012 has offered us a new 7" by a fantastic group of musicians, and it belongs in the collection of any true hardcore fan.
Are there any hardcore fans of the all-classic Orchid, or pheraps Touche Amore? Then I guarantee you will enjoy My Fictions, and this new 7" is pretty hard-hitting. The opening tune, "A Recurring Dream", immediately pushes you into a fiery mosh-pit of insanity composed of harmonic guitar work, deep, forceful screams, and pounding drums. May this set the tone for the rest of the experience.
Repetitiveness is almost undeniable, yet My Fictions will not cease to amaze. The first mark within the record to truly blow my mind was the breakdown toward the end of "A Recurring Dream". Rather than slowing down and gradually building on a melodic breakdown, this band manages to immediately halt the insanity and chaos, leaving nothing more than a thought-provoking guitar interlude to fill the silence. Soon enough, the vocalist's distant screams chime into the background, along with building drums. On the first listen, I expected this to explode into fury, as many bands stereotypically do. Not the case. Instead, the song quickly ends, leaving you hanging.
"Coffin Rehearsal" seems to be the more controlled track, with less furious drums (to some degree), and more metallic riffs, as opposed to the vigorous pounding the guitarist seems to unleash on the other tracks. The final track, "Always Trapped", opening with shrill, feral feedback, delivers a wrath of anger and destruction, complete with a Touche Amore-esque break at the midpoint. The song explodes into frantic riffs, ending on a note of feedback, which fades to silence.
Here we have a 7" that represents a true hardcore band similar to the classics, such as Carol or Orchid, yet without sounding like a rip-off or complete copy, which I have heard in the past. These guys take things into their own hands, and deliver a package of pure destruction, anger and passion. This is likely one of the best 7" records that I have discovered in 2012. Check this one out. If you enjoy it, make sure to order the vinyl from Topshelf Records.
