Maybe it’s the whole “getting older” thing but I seem to become more and more jaded with new music. Similar to how I need a new hot sauce for my eggs in the morning to keep me interested, I think I need new musical hot sauce in the form of unadulterated, destructive, and careless violence. And thus we are graced with motherfucking Auditory Anguish and Crime Rituals. This album is fucking ignorant. In the most positive ways that that word can be used. There is a reckless abandon to each song as if Auditory Anguish sat in a room and wondered aloud, “Can we incite a riot every time we play a show?” See: the breakdown at the end of “1000 Rounds”. A moment that caused me to audibly exclaim “Fuck” upon hearing it for the first time.
“You got your hardcore in my powerviolence!” “Well, you got your powerviolence in my death metal!” Like the majesty of peanut butter and chocolate, a delicious amalgamation of musical genres present themselves throughout Crime Rituals. Hardcore, powerviolence, and death metal aren’t the only styles Auditory Anguish enjoying flirting with as there are moments of thrash, d-beat, grind, black metal, and dare I say a hint of doom? “Nightcrawler” is a great example of a track that starts with a somewhat nu-metal-ish vibe into a tortured and drudging sludge then finishes off with almost a post-metal doom section. Fucking aces.
Each song is a testament to Auditory Anguish’s love and affection for just “heavy”. For me it’s a combination of the music itself, the lyrics, and even the guest spots – Devin of Sanguisugabogg lends his talents on “Conquest of Judah”. I love the attention to details in creating a story within the songs as well. “Green Inferno” starts with rhythmic drumming of sticks on kit almost simulating a ticking clock while eerie effects move around and around before a cymbal crashes and all hell breaks loose. Crime Rituals is resplendent with what I ask for in my hardcore/metal albums.
What else am I looking for? Have I ever mentioned how I am a slut for a tight snare (please make any and all necessary jokes here)? Every one of Abe’s snare “pings” throughout this album forces the nastiest stank face I can muster (not to mention the rest of his incredible chops). Diego and his guitar is the buzziest of saws and it makes me feel as though it is actually tearing away at my eardrums. Jose’s (Goat’s) bass tone fills the entire mix like concrete being poured over a fucking snitch in a shallow grave. And Dave is a fucking monster on the mic both vocally and lyrically.
I have found my new hot sauce in Auditory Anguish’s Crime Rituals and I plan to put that shit on everything.
- Fav song: “1000 Rounds”
FFO: hardcore, metal, grindcore, spontaneous riots, planned riots, riots in general, d-beat, powerviolence, a chainsaw to the dome, property damage
Follow this fucking link to listen and while you’re there, fucking buy something from the band:
Windmills, Spinkicks, Headbangs, Push Pits 
Leave a comment