Trash Talk, Trash Talk
Turning their back on your typical record label – band relationship, Trash Talk decided to release their latest self-titled album on their own Trash Talk Collective imprint. Not only have they taken this major step, but they have also employed the talents of one Steve Albini with the recording and production of this short, yet violent trip through hardcore.
So what has Mr. Albini done for these Sacramento, CA mosh masters? Only taken their ferocious mix of sludge, hardcore, grind and more to the next level. Throwing 12 songs at the listener in under 15 minutes, Trash Talk hit like a back alley beatdown with crushing riffs, rapid fire blast beats, dueling vocals that feel like an out of control freight train careening for your stalled hatchback as it sites helpless on the tracks. This short disc will only leave you with one feeling — the unbridled desire to throw fists and mosh like a berserk wolverine where you stand.
The Hand That Feeds
The opening starts off with slow, thick bass for the first 20 seconds as guitar reverb builds from all around. When the drums finally come in they are initially restrained, yet heavy hitting. After the one minute mark all hell breaks loose with fast paced vocals and thundering rhythms. The guitars are unrelenting and raw.
Well of Souls
“Well of Souls” transitions from the reverb from the opening tack and through it’s brief 20 plus seconds will leave you breathless and ready to roll. Grinding riffs and drums accompany aggressive vocals. Too bad it’s not any longer in length.
Birth Plague Die
You don’t have time to recover from that last aural assault, as the group get right down to business after a few thunderous riffs and bass blasts. The pace on this one shifts all over the place from slowly plodding beats to a teeth shattering frenzy of distorted guitars and screamed vocals.
Incarnate
“Incarnate” is a violent, grinding attack of power and aggression in just about 15 seconds — long enough for you to knock yourself out in a whirlwind of flying fists and mosh.
I Block
Sludgy riffs get this one started for the first 30 seconds or so before it shifts into full on devastation with duel vocals and pile driving blasts. This one certainly is abrasive and raw, like a rusty chain wrapped tightly around your neck.
Dig
Thick bass opens up this one with more sludgy riffs and raw vocals. The start/stop of the riffing over the bass lines adds some nice variety to the pace as the band settles into a slightly higher than mid-tempo with fuzzy guitars and beats.
Onward and Upward
I love the opening reverb and drums to this one — definitely get you in the mood for some head banging. The fuzzy guitars continue along with this beat, creating a slick groove for this instrumental.
Shame
Trash Talk get back into the face stomping with “Shame.” There’s a great cadence to the vocal delivery that matches the heavy riffs and thundering drums perfectly. This one only lasts about 30 seconds or so.
Immaculate Infection
The transition from the previous song to “Immaculate Infection” is so seamless that if you’re not paying attention you’d easily mistake it for a single song. Several tempo changes will keep you moving in all sorts of directions, delivered with the tell-tale fury that the band established a few minute ago in the opening songs.
All the Kings Men
Manic drums and guitars drive the duel vocals down your gullet in just over 20 seconds. I love these aggressive blasts of activity from the group. Short and devastatingly sweet.
The Mistake
Eight seconds of raw, Buzzov-en like psychosis accompany distorted guitars and chaotic drum work.
Revelation
There’s a whole bunch of sludge filling your speakers with this one. The slower pace on “The Mistake” is a nice change of pace from the manic eruptions that pepper this short disc. It’s got a raw, unbridled aggression filtered though some toxic substance and I want more of it, damn it. The distorted guitars toward the end of this one are a perfect fit to the aggressive vocals and thundering rhythms and the fuzz builds to near full capacity as the album ends. At over 4:20 in length this one track makes up nearly a third of the total run time.
~ ~ ~
Man, this short disc can only be described as the collision of atomic particles. It’s so quick and so violent that there’s really no other description that could adequately describe this self-title release from California’s Trash Talk. Sludgy riffs, manic drums and raw, unfiltered vocals combine for an aggressive, violent attack. While I’m not completely familiar with Albini’s sound, his touch on this disc is definitely apparent and makes for one hell of a hardcore album.
Favorite Tracks:
All of them
Additional Notes:
N/A