Coldworker

After the tragic death of Nasum front-man Mieszko Talarczyk and the band’s consequential demise, the legions of hardcore fans inspired by their legacy were thrilled to hear drummer Anders Jakobson was moving forward and forming another band. Barely over a year later, Coldworker’s first record has materialised and whatever your opinion of grind legends Nasum, this band is a completely different story. Their sound is much more accessible in the sense that there are longer, coherent songs and plenty of dark, melodious riffing. They bear striking similarities to Bloodbath, in terms of their European death approach and songwriting. They move easily from grinding tremolo attacks to head banging power grooves, always reviving the catchy parts, while forging novel riffs to accentuate the hooks. These heavy-handed grooves are one of the band’s resounding strengths, serving as thick and juicy muscle for listeners to sink their fangs into. They maintain a single style throughout the album, weaving their way through 14 tracks of bone crushing mayhem. Though obviously taking their cues from Bloodbath’s catalogue, The Contaminated Void is a solid release that’s worth checking out.