Presagers
Graves
Self-released (2013)
Sounds like: Heavy metal influenced hardcore with elements of crust and d-beat.
Score 8/10
I was recently talking to an old friend of mine about the current state of the Las Vegas punk and hardcore scene. He came across rather jaded when he said, “It seems like there are no good local bands any more.” My response was a simple and resounding, “Dude, you’re just not listening.”
And with that, Presagers is the latest local band I’ve heard that has piqued my interest. Now anyone that really knows me can attest to the fact that I am not a huge fan of metal influenced hardcore (aka metal-core), but fortunately, this seven song EP features more crust, d-beat and real metal elements than it does knuckle-dragging, meathead mosh parts. And I can’t deny that I’ve liked double bass ever since I first heard Metallica’s “One” way back when.
I am also constantly impressed by the recording quality I hear these days, and Graves is no exception. The guitars have that perfect “Dual Rectifier” distortion, the bass provides a solid foundation in the background, and every aspect of the drums sounds dialed. Harsh, bellowed, I-guarantee-this-dude-has-a-sore-throat style vocals are unintelligible to the ear, but they compliment the music and are mixed perfectly as well.
All of the lyrics from this EP can be found on the Presagers Bandcamp page, and they paint a pretty bleak picture with lines like “There is only pain after youth” and “You’re gone searching for the brighter sides of life/I’m done sorting through the fucking lies.” The noose depicted on the cover of Graves is also a pretty good indicator of the message contained within, and although I tend to sway more toward the positive than the negative, I have been able to relate to these sentiments at different times in my life. Expressing these negative emotions through music also provides a catharsis that is completely understood.
A hard copy of this EP is said to exist but I have not seen it, so I cannot comment much on the art or layout beyond the cover. As for the digital format, Graves can be obtained through the likes of Bandcamp and iTunes. These dudes also seem to be playing live a lot lately, so be sure to catch them in person at some point.
It is easy to envision Presagers on a cool record label like Deathwish Inc, and it will be interesting to see what the future holds for this band, especially after hearing this solid debut.
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