Kev Rowland
There is no doubt whatsoever that the diversity in the British metal and punk scene in the late Seventies is what led to the genre fracturing into so many sub genres as bands started to push what people thought was possible and began influencing others. Discharge were formed in 1977 and although they started off as punk they soon morphed into metal, and as well as being the single most important influence on what would become known as grindcore, they even had their own genre named after them, D-beat. They did go through many line-up changes during the first half of their career, but 2001 saw Rainy, Bones and Tezz get the band back together with singer Cal Morris and release an album which had them right back to their roots. By the time of this 2016 release Bones (guitars) and Rainy (bass) had stayed the course, while drummer Tezz had left the band only to return as guitarist in 2014, while his 2006 replacement Dave Caution was still there while it was the second album for singer JJ Janiak.
It does not sound as if it was nearly 40 years since this band started as they are still as angry and upset as they were in the beginning, with brothers Bones and Tezz locked in tight so there are times when it sounds almost as one, Dave providing the D-beat drumming pattern with Rainy locked in as always, and JJ providing the punk angst. 15 songs, less than 34 minutes long, here is a band who sound as if they walked into the studio, laid it down and then went down the pub. It has the brutality which one has always associated with these guys, raw and taking no prisoners. This is not meant to be pretty, it is meant to evoke a reaction which is visceral and there is no doubt the mosh is not a place to be if you are my age. Yes, it is quite repetitive, but this is something which is designed to be played loud and proud and for people to get sweaty to, not sit back and gently relax to it. They are a band who are refusing to grow old gracefully, a concept I wholeheartedly agree with. The guys got back together in 2001 as they were unhappy what had happened to the band in their absence, and here they are certainly true to their roots as they blast through yet again.