REVIEW: Continents – Idle Hands [2013]
Artist: Continents
Album: Idle Hands
Label: Victory Records
Preview: Trials
So, here we are again in 2013, humanity survived another apocalypse that never came, and now we’re looking at a brand new year with a potential of brand new headbanging and brain shattering releases.
For me, the start of the new year is always a hard one, after all the excessive drinking and partying the realisation that nothing really changed since the last year hits me in the face like a block of concrete, my ever growing bigger elitist taste of music doesn’t help either.
With the last year in mind I did not expect much great things to happen anytime soon, I would even go as far as saying that I was done with music alltogether until something good hits again, something I thought would take a few months at least, since its getting harder and harder to make innovative music within the metal genre these days and for music that keeps sparking my interest (a troublesome development since my standards wouldn’t be considered high by many) With all that in mind, and the mediocrity of many bands, one music style can always be counted on to get you out of your lazy chair and fuck shit up, that style is ofcourse the hardcore genre.
2013 gets off to a great start with the first full length album release of UK hardcore band Continents, It won’t take you long after firing up ”Idle Hands” to be mind blasted away with the flawless blend of energetic riffage, the raspy and volatile (but oh so beautiful) screams and the bouncy beat downs. This tireless energy is kept throughout the roughly 40 minutes of playtime, the small but innovative elements like clean singing, melodic guitars or atmospheric instrumentals keep the album from stagnating too much and keep the diversity, but none of these elements ever seem out of place or overused and just add to the overall vibe. Continents also incorporates different metal genres into their music, genres such a death and metalcore help contribute to the already hard hitting brutality.
Upon jamming the album in its entirety, you will be sucked in and taken on a ride fueled by headbanging inducing and a ear destroying/massaging chainsaw of lovelyness, before long time will seem to go faster and before you know it those 40 minutes are over, probably encouraging you to play it again (and again)
Long time fans will be pleased to know that the destinct hardcore sound that their first 2011 released single ”Trials” has is projected througout all the songs on ”Idle Hands”, so if you’re familiar with it, you can stop reading here (or you probably wont be reading this review at all) and go buy it. The production is rock fucking solid and pretty much as good as it can get, not a bad feature for a bands debut album release in my opinion.
I’ve only known of this bands existence for a few days, but considering this is the only thing I jam wherever I am, I know for a fact this band will only get bigger from this point, easily blowing all other current upcoming bands out of the water. Continents has already cemented themselves among the greatest names in my library whenever this type of music comes to mind, no surprise if you think about it, because ”Idle Hands” has managed to hit all the right notes.
Rating: 10/10
For fans of: Bury Your Dead, Obey The Brave, The Ghost Inside, I Am Revenge
