Review Summary: This Brisbane outfit is on the cusp of greatness, with a unique take on grindy hardcore
FVCK MOUNTAIN might end up getting thrown into the heap of “Entombed-core” bands. Entombed worship has become a viable commodity in the world of hardcore, with bands like Trap Them, Black Breath, Nails, and even Converge leaning heavily on the shoulders on
Left Hand Path. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, someone needed to take up the mantle, considering Entombed stopped playing good Entombed songs 20 years ago. Bands are cropping up all over the world, writing fast riffs slathered in thick tones, FVCK MOUNTAIN being one of them. However, there is a lot more to this group of Aussies than just fast, grindy, death metal influenced hardcore. FVCK MOUNTAIN has a multitude of influences that are introduced throughout their debut EP, from straightforward hardcore, to screamo, and even slight post rock moments in the closing track “Gift”.
FVCK MOUNTAIN should be taken much more seriously than their name would imply. This is a band that bathes their sound in filth and grime, letting it permeate through every riff, every scream. The album starts off at a breakneck pace, with the first four tracks barreling through, never letting you breathe. The first half of the album is nothing but malice at full bore, an unstoppable train of destruction. With the first four tracks, one would the album would continue at this pace, however the track “----“ plays and it is a clip of Paul Bowles reading his poem “Here I Am” with a subdued guitar line in the background, effectively changing the pace of the entire album. This is done for good reason however, as the last two (and the best) tracks, “Dead Weight” and “Gifts”, slow the pace considerably. Both tracks show off a bit of their screamo influences combined with a methodical hardcore approach. They both contain incredible crescendos, creating songs that are desperate and vulnerable without losing any of their punch.
FVCK MOUNTAIN is a band that, if they were from the United States, they would probably already be on Deathwish with Kurt Ballou signed on to produce their next album. However, they are from Brisbane, Australia, where their chance of exposure is much lower. It is too bad, because with the current state of hardcore, FVCK MOUNTAIN could turn heads and breathe some fresh air into a genre desperate for something new. There is a lot to like from this debut EP, and hopefully there is a lot to love from FVCK MOUNTAIN in the future.
