United Nations, United Nations
Featuring a couple of guys from Thursday and Glassjaw, among a few unnamed collaborator, United Nations deliver their socio-political message through a mixture of grinding power-violence and screamo. While that combination on paper sounds intriguing, you really need to throw this one into the player to really get a full sense of what this band has created on their self-titled debut.
United Nations is chock full of frenetic, face paced and aggressive hardcore that throws grenades of grind-core and melody into a churning mass of chaos. These dudes throw everything they’ve got into your face with reckless abandon. Discordant guitars are all over the place as unrelenting drums pummel you from all sides. Be ready for a heck of a ride.
The Spinning Heart of The Yo-Yo Lobby
The opening track lasts just under one minute, but in that short time span you’re hit from every angle with a bit of melody, a heavy dose of grinding power violence and unbridled aggression. What a hell of a way to open up a debut album.
Resolution #9
“Resolution #9” keeps the pace at full throttle with rapid firing drums and driving riffs. The vocals are for the most part layered and raw with cleaner more melodic portions thrown in here and there to break up the verbal onslaught a bit. This one is raw and in your face like a rabid pit bull. I love the swirling feel around 1:20 right before the dizzying chorus.
No Sympathy For A Sinking Ship
A little reverb opens up this can of furious whoop ass as United Nations get down to business quickly with churning guitars and bludgeoning rhythms. The layered screams and shots are unrelenting in their ferocity. Man, I’m digging the hell out of this album thus far. Even at the one minute mark with a bit of At The Drive-in alternative, melodic influences — way cool in a spacey sort of way.
The Shape of Punk That Never Came
I’m not entirely sure if the band is calling out Refused with this one or simply stating that there’s still more to come. Either way, it’s one hell of a track. Chaotic rhythms and driving guitars swallow you whole in an instant as the vocals fade into the distance beneath the din of noise and distortion. The track ends quietly and some what melancholy.
My Cold War
“My Cold War” explodes back into your face with this aggressive track that doesn’t quite make it to the two minute mark with layered vocals, swirling guitar distortion and a bit more of that At The Drive-in feel to the more subdued portions of the song.
Model UN
Barley over a minute in length, “Model UN” attacks with the full brunt of the band’s repertoire. Caustic guitars, melody, churning distortion and unrelenting drums come in from every angle on this one.
Filmed In Front of A Live Studio Audience
A brief, distant sound clip starts this one off as acoustic guitar comes in a short time later. Explosive drumming and driving guitars come in just before the one minute mark with a slightly blackened feel, but not completely full of desolation. Layered vocals are a bit more melancholy on this one as the track progresses. Softly sung melodies make their first appearance midway through the song.
Revolutions In Graphic Design
“Revolutions In Graphic Design” builds quickly to a discordant fury with lots of distortion and thundering beats. There’s plenty of stop-and-go tempo shifts throughout this one to keep you on your toes.
I Keep Living The Same Day
Softly spoken vocals and screams open up this completely noise-fueled, crushing track. There’s lots of industrial sludge storming through the speaks on each subsequent explosion on this experimental track.
Subliminal Testing
This one definitely lives up to its title. There are so many layered vocals and messages that it’s nearly impossible to keep track of any of them, especially when guitar distortion starts to suffocate them a bit. I love the groove to the track that comes in just before the two minute mark.
Say Goodbye To General Figment of The USS Imagination
There’s a lot that’s been thrown into the mix on this final track. Discordant guitars dominate as do the initial vocal deliveries, but there’s also a subtle melody tossed into the mix that creates an interesting dynamic. A bit of bluesy horn instrumentation comes in around the two minute mark that takes up the final two plus minutes of the track in conjunction with some slick guitar work.
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Taking elements of grind-core, power violence and influences from the likes of Converge and At The Drive-in, United Nations let loose with a chaotic, aggressive bit of discordant metal. This disc hits violently and often with distortion, screams, bellow and bruising rhythms. You’ve been warned, now go pick this one up.
Favorite Tracks:
All of them
Additional Notes:
N/A