Review Summary: I need a shower.
Vancouver, BC based hardcore band Baptists smell like sh
it. Their recent self-titled 7”, backed up by Southern Lord Records, is four tracks of some of the grimiest, smelliest, and downright disgusting songs. Not bad for a group named after a fairly conservative Christian denomination, right? Bad jokes aside, Baptists are another heavily darkened hardcore band that worships the very ground that acts like Cursed and His Hero Is Gone treaded in their brief heyday. Barely two years old, this young band bursts with potential and their self-titled only further reinforces their growing mark on the genre. Opening track “Good Parenting” starts the mood off right with some gritty feedback before erupting into a nasty dissonant riff coupled with the screams of a vocalist who clearly emulated Chris Colohan. Equal parts catchy and noisy, Baptists have no problem breaking down each of their songs, with examples like the Trap Them-inspired track “Farmed”.
But like any good crust band, Baptists also slow down the tempo to a sludge-like low on track “Bachelor Degree Burn”. While awfully simplistic in its approach, it basically shows that Baptists still have cards to play on the table in the short runtime that their self-titled burns through. Little distinguishes these guys from the already established greats of the genre, but it’s the enthusiasm and confidence that Baptists exudes in their music that makes them a success. A messy, darkened hardcore act that knows all the right ways to make the listener feel dirty and crusty, all within a short and manageable timeframe; keep an eye for this band in the near future as their flame will only grow from this promising start.
