Monday, February 15, 2010

Snowstorm - Snowstorm [Breathmint]

This Snowstorm tape follows up the Philly bass/drums wrecking crew's previous Breathmint release, a double c1 release. This release, while lacking the conceptual snazziness of a double c1, makes up for it by sextupling(?) the running time.
Four untitled tracks make up the first side and the first track introduces itself with a short bit of solo drumming before the bass rumbles in. The track skips through like 5 ideas for 5 different punk/hardcore songs in 1:30 with all sorts of rehearsed feedback ruptures and rhythmic aberrations woven in. The next track's amplified onslaught burns out nearly instantly. I really like the third jam on the side cause Snowstorm take a break from being "difficult artists" and just give you a catchy, melodic and still virtuosic speedfreak jam. They can rock with the best of them, you know. The final track is longer than all the previous jams combined. It finds Snowstorm really going for the jugular (or a number of jugulars,) with constant tempo/rhythmic changes and a killer bass breakdown that really lets the heavy Velcro fuzz and icepick feedback tear into your ears. The track is all climax and about as epic as a 3 minute jam can get. Play this shit loud!
The "controversial" B-side threw me for a loop initially cause its basically a remix/mashup of the first side. Snowstorm already had the breakcore influence (if that's the incorrect term, I apologize, my electronic music know-how is not up to par) in their jams and this track takes it a step further for maximum bash-yr-head-in intensity. Its pace is even more breakneck and the structure even more unpredictable than the typical Snowstorm jam so maybe the B-side is the final realization of what was intended all along. And unlike most "remixes" it really retains the spirit of the source material which is vital. I'm down for any further shit to be fucked up by Snowstorm, whatever the means.
I think this is sold out from Breathmint unless it's in the "random box full of releases". The tape looks very nice as Breathmint releases are prone to do. I think the band's full length 7" is still available from Malleable though, so that may be your best bet for checking these guys out. Cause you probably should...

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Breathmint released a limited C1, this tape was sold on their last tour.