Artist: Maharahj
Label: Now or Never Records
Release Date: 5/29/01
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Title: Repetition Artist: Maharahj Label: Now or Never Records Release Date: 5/29/01 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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Go to Reader Reviews | ||
Abyss's Review:
Okay, when I first heard the name of this band, the last thing I thought of was grindcore. I thought the name sounded more like a stoner band, or maybe a Middle Eastern death band in the vein of Nile. But hey, gridcore is just fine by me. And this grindcore is done fine by them.
These guys utilize the same formula that many of the newer grind bands use. Aggressive but catchy riffs that crossover into the realm of death, are mixed with musical, eccentric passages that are introduced to provide texture and contrast. This formula has been very successful with bands like Nasum, Cephalic Carnage, and Circle of Dead Children to name a few. What is impressive is that all these bands take the same elements and make a sound that is pretty much their own. From the hardcore tinged Nasum, to the delicate jazz patches that litter Cephalic’s material, it all works and it’s all interesting.
"But hey, gridcore is just fine by me. And this grindcore is done fine by them." Maharahj fit into this group easily, and if you like grind, I think you’ll be very pleased with this album. One plus is that the songs stand out a little more than on your average grind album, as the tracks “The Devourment of Intellect”, “Machines (Even They Have Ghosts)”, and “Cities & Script” leaped out at me right away as standouts on a very thorough album. This album is well worth your time unless you’re averse to chaotic grind.
Death's Review:
Now or Never Records presents the white-colored, abstract-design-adorned second full-length album from this Canadian quintet who sounds like a cross between Lamb of God, Diecast, Dillinger Escape Plan, Cannibal Corpse and Cephalic Carnage. Screamcore style vocals, tight, yet extreme riffing over adventurous, spastic patterns peppered with atonal dissonance. Believe it or not, for the most part, it's crushingly good.
CMJ described Maharahj's first record using a quote from the now-defunct Gothenburg, Massachusetts precursors, Overcast: "more metal than your ma's kettle." Hmmm. I'm not sure if my ma has a kettle, and if she did I'd imagine it was probably just as metal as metal could be. She's my ma, you know? Anyway, entertaining this forced analogy for a moment, I think that while Maharahj is definitely metal, you'd be remiss not to acknowledge the hardcore underpinnings from which they have arisen. Screaming vocals, baseball caps and short cropped hair are all part of the Majarahj package.
"Hanging in that extremest of balances between hardcore and metal lies the place where short-haired death metal kids pound the shit out of their instruments until they bleed with brutal efficiency and with absolutely no remorse. This is the punishing domain of Maharahj." Loudnet.com once said this: "these Canadians tear shit up with that tight style of insane hardcore that is so metal it sickens some people. The 'real' metal people don't like it, the kids that listen to bands that begin with 'X' probably don't like it, but the chosen few who appreciate music for music can't get enough of it." While I could probably take issue with each and every component of that statement [(1) "real" metal people may indeed-and probably should-like it, there is more than enough riffage and extreme deathcore in there to get you on board; and (2) I can't even think of any bands that start with an X but if I could I bet their fans would appreciate the sense of harcore spastic groove if they would just focus and listen), paying attention to it may begin to give you the right idea about Maharahj. Hanging in that extremest of balances between hardcore and metal lies the place where short-haired death metal kids pound the shit out of their instruments until they bleed with brutal efficiency and with absolutely no remorse. This is the punishing domain of Maharahj. The songs may not ultimately be all that catchy, but it sure is a brutal ride to the top.
Hel's Review:
Favorite tracks: “The Dust Settles on Our Bones” and “The Devourment of Intellect” I have to come clean. My very favorite song on the record is the hidden track, and the reason is one line: “Rock on, non-gender-specific individual.” It cracks me up. Ultimately, it cracks me up because of the entire way the track is presented. It’s just damn funny. I wonder if Maharahj also play the cheesy easy listening music in the background? “Time & Death & God” is an example which serves as evidence which makes me think it’s likely they do.
The rest of the album is completely unlike the hidden track. There are many evident influences, and it is obvious they are attempting to defy categorization, but that’s what we, as music reviewers, are required to do, so I would have to say the predominate sound is death metal. They touch upon many, many other kinds of music - from grind to jazz to black metal to easy listening… The singer’s vocals are relatively constant however, and I have decided it is a pretty straight-forward death growl, although a bit higher-pitched than typical.
"Frankly, nothing about this band is very typical. They play original, imaginative, crazy-ass metal." Frankly, nothing about this band is very typical. They play original, imaginative, crazy-ass metal. It is nutty and almost whimsical, and entirely unpredictable. The starts, stops, and changes are the greatest part of the music on this album. It shows they are tight and talented. The one thing missing for me is the sense that there is a grand plan, a logic that binds it all together, a brilliance behind the mayhem - this is what prevents me from unleashing the coveted 5 skulls. And I can’t even say for certain that it isn’t present, perhaps it has just eluded my grasp, or can be found in they lyrics (I haven’t gotten to dissect those yet), or maybe it would be evident live. I will continue to ponder the issue. In the meantime, if you are looking for a break from your everyday death, consider Maharahj.
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