REVIEW: Destitute – The Reckoning [2013]
Band: Destitute
Album: The Reckoning
Have you ever been in a conflict where you are forced to fight your way out of a certain situation? I’m not talking about busting someone in the face just for the fuck of it, but those moments where some unsavory gentlemen have you backed into a corner with no place to run and when your animal instincts suddenly take over. Adrenaline starts pumping through your veins like mad and your senses are heightened to a super human level, you begin to percieve every small movement in bullet time, every punch coming your way, and every punch you throw in return are visible in the slightest detail. This is the image that always comes to my mind whenever I listen to the better hardcore/deathcore bands. Californian band Destitute has this vibe written all over their music with their debut EP The Reckoning, with mixed elements from (down-tempo) hardcore and deathcore it does an amazing job in hypnotizing you into a murdering bulldozer. The reason behind this is the simple (yet effective) formula Destitute uses in their music, it sets itself apart from other similar bands because the deep, skull crushing instrumentals they produce resonate; every strike on the guitar, every smash on the drum stays with you, sinking into your being even after the tones have already passed your ears and into your brain. While your senses are working overtime trying to piece together the heavy onslaught of distorded breakdowns and bass drops, vocalist Nathan Velasco bombards you with anger-filled hardcore screams, it is this combination that will motivate even the biggest coward to stand up and fight.
This sudden urge to fight will become apparent right from the intro song, where the strange but somehow addictive production of The Reckoning will instantly start to shine, with an overflow of distortion and anger, the production is the glue that holds all the magic for this EP together. The second song When My Lungs Fail Me picks up the pace with accelerated guitar and drum work, opening the floodgates and burying you in animosity. From this point on that extremely volatile vibe is kept throughout the EP, switching between (reasonably) fast and slow, crushing instrumental work. Since some people like it slow and some people like it fast; The Reckoning has something for everyone, creating an album that is not quite your average deathcore but not your cookie-cutter down-tempo hardcore either. By the time Order 66 has finished even your grandma will start fucking shit up.
If you like aggressive music in general and if you are looking to increase your mp3 folder in the ”lay waste to everything” section The Reckoning is a no-brainer. This band might not reinvent the wheel with their music but it’s not aiming to, it’s all in the execution. Destitute spawns a wall of addictive aggression through their music and production style that ignites the inner demon in all of us, and that is more than most new (hipster) bands can ever hope to achieve. The direct no-bullshit approach has always worked flawlessly with this kind of music and it will always remain that way. Check out this (free) release on their Bandcamp , put on your concrete boxing gloves and crush some fucking skulls with The Reckoning.
Rating: 8.8/10
For fans of: Suffokate, Oceano, Demolisher, Colossal, Overthrower, Catalepsy
