Review Summary: On moving forward (with riffs)
No Love Lost is able and willing to punch you in the gullet. You will then throw up. You will then feel good. Despite your better judgment, you will be tempted to rejam it, immediately. You should. It slaps.
This sophomore release from straight-edge Delaware moshers, Year of the Knife, is a hulking chunk of deathcore filth -
hXc in spirit, but
dm in aesthetic. Witness the chainsaw wee-woo-s of “Heaven Denied”, telling hardcore cliche to piss off in favour of an atypically nuanced windmill romp. Audience participation via enthusiastic limb flailing is further encouraged on the follow up mid-tempo pulpfest, “Return the Agony”, kicking up the aggression another gear via big bass beatdowns and furious, fiery skronking. Every track here deserves a similarly reductive word salad, for they’re all unique and lovely and (uh) loud, each providing an immaculately polished pounding to those in the mood for meaty, metallic, boogie woogies.
On a more serious note, I’m not sure many of us expected
No Love Lost to drop any time soon. Originally scheduled for July, the record was delayed following the band’s serious car accident this summer, injuring all members and hospitalising vocalist, Madi Watkins. Although still in recovery, they have nonetheless chosen to share their second outing, both to raise funds for their ongoing treatment, as well as representing (it would seem) a stubborn
fuck you to their recent adversities. As such, if this lane of loud-grr-screm music appeals to you in any way, shape or form, go and show the group some support. Whether that’s splashing some cash or simply grooving along, I’m sure it’ll make a difference.
