Kaospilot

Long done with burning churches and corpse paint (although can we ever be done with burning churches and corpse paint?), it seems the Norwegians are tackling the extreme hardcore/screamo scene, and with strong results, and likely less jail time than their black metal brothers. Kaospilot’s debut full-length features 11 songs of piercing, abrasive, vicious screamo/power violence-styled abuse. Reminiscent of the defunct Pg. 99, Orchid, Reversal of Man, Saetia or their ilk, Kaospilot careen through just over 26 minutes of loose, barely controlled noise with vocals buried firmly in the mix, hints of melody floating about and an air of mayhem to the entire record. Granted, there’s not a lot to differentiate between Kaospilot and others plying this spastic, less metal-influenced, more noise-derived version of hardcore, but Kaospilot’s desperation and intensity is palpable in their music and they do it well. Its fragmented bits of spoken word alleviates its mainly screamed vocals and occasionally a slower drone or semi-melodic moment will break up the rampaging attack, however briefly, before throwing them back into the fray. Not innovative but intense.