HELLBASTARD / HERIDA PROFUNDA – Split LP

Description

Hellbastard made maybe the quintessential crust demo, “Ripper Crust”, their debut Lp was an absolute classic dank punk/metal hybrid and their second album “Natural Order” was a face-ripping violent thrash belter. But you know what? Nobody gets a pass for life, particularly in punk – a genre which came about from rallying against complacency and musical conservatism – so I’m not gonna crawl up their arses just cos I love their early material, and frankly, this stuff is pretty balls. The music is kinda ok. Stupid intro track aside, it’s just standard thrash, maybe a wee bit stop-start Pantera in places, but not a complete disaster. The lyrics are abysmal, just total moron “I hate the system, me” crud. Opening chorus: “We’re all bitches now, Nobody gives a shit, Locked on 100 targets, Nobody gives a fuck”. Whoa. Somebody overturn the government right now. Herida Profunda play pretty boring hardcore with a crust bent and kinda grind vocals. It’s on a picture disc, but rather than put all the info on one of the gazillion inserts that come along with this thing, they’ve jammed it all on the record, along with the fucking gash new Hellbastard logo, which features skulls, wings, AND GUNS. Thinking I’ve maybe been too harsh here, but christ, just seems amazing to me that so many people involved in reformed bands these days can be so out of touch with what the score is, probably cos they’re surrounded with sycophantic arse candles who tell them everything they come up with is class. Get the Endless Grinning Skulls record instead, guys who’ve been at it for years who are actually still relevant.