Handshake Inc

Surachai ‘To No Avail’ Review – DC Metal Review

handshakeinc — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 20:06:58 +0000

Surachai-To No Avail

Surachai’s latest release, To No Avail, is one off those releases you really need to let sink in. The first listen will reveal an innovative and challenging black metal album, but on further inspection, the songs reveal themselves to be full on meditations of the darker aspects of life. It’s this exact quality that makes this release so striking and in many ways evokes the same mood as Nachmystium do in their more atmospheric moments.

Composed of just two songs, labeled “Side *” and “Side **”, To No Avail is a relatively short listen, but in those two songs is over twenty minutes of some of the best industrial tinged dark metal you’ve heard. Seriously, for the price of some hard drive space, you could have the perfect soundtrack to a long night-time drive on an unlit dark road, or the sounds to accompany some not so pleasant reflection. Or, simply some great metal that pushes numerous boundaries. The most refreshing thing is that neither song is laborious or boring, but they shoot by with relative ease; a strong testament to Surachai’s writing abilities. One of the best releases this year.

-Dan

Handshake Inc. injects exciting new blood into extreme metal with Surachai, TSTAT – Meat Mead Metal

handshakeinc — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 20:05:06 +0000

Handshake Inc. injects exciting new blood into extreme metal with Surachai, TSTAT

November 18th, 2011

We have an exciting new record label in our midst, but it’s a name you’ve probably heard before if you’re way down in the gutters of extreme metal. Handshake Inc. is well known for their visual presentations, most notably their “Maryland Deathfest” films (let’s see if VH-1 and their “metal” push has the guts to show this sucker), “When the Screams Come” piece about Pentagram, and “Disgorge Mexico the Movie” based on the album by Canada’s Fuck the Facts, as well as video clips for Jucifer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed and Hail of Bullets, among many others.

But now Handshake is dedicating time to releasing new music, and just like their visual work, it’s been a pretty damn exciting venture so far. Taking cues from ANb freak J Randall’s wacky Grindcore Karaoke digital label, Handshake head honcho David Hall moved forward with an eye toward exposing some of the more exciting, daring underground bands going that might not be ready for even the most open-minded of indie metal imprints. And that’s fine because these groups may be better served now by this wholly dedicated boutique-style venture. People with niche tastes probably are more likely to give Handshake a shot until they gain some steam, and those who do check out what’s coming from this label are bound to be blown away by what’s offered. I know I have been.

We’re going to look at two of the label’s offerings today, but it’s certainly not all Handshake has to offer. For example, we’re not going to discuss the label’s first release, Sulaco’s “Build and Burn,” and not because it isn’t worth your time. I just haven’t spent enough time with the grindcore noise chaos yet to intelligently talk about it, and I didn’t want to hold this piece any longer. As always, I’ll add a link to the label below so you can find out more for yourself, and if my word means anything, let me say you will not be disappointed in what you’ll discover. Unless you buy your music at Hot Topic. Then you might have some development in front of you, but hey, we all have to start somewhere.

First up is the new full-length from black metal/ambient/doom/electronic crusher Surachai, a one-man audio nightmare who has a smattering of releases to his credit but really hits one out of the park on this two-track offering. The Chicago-based musician certainly has absorbed some of his home city’s influences, and this new effort “To No Avail” is way more brutal and metallic than his last full entry “Plague Diagram,” that was far more industrial and overtly programmed. That’s not to speak ill of that record, because it also was really good and riveting, but Surachai just goes above and beyond on “To No Avail.”

Available both digitally and on vinyl, this collection is bound to get your mind and heart racing. They’ll probably struggle to keep up with each other. Maybe lay off the caffeine for a while before taking on this thing. The songs are simply titled “Side *” and “Side **” and work nicely in tandem with each other. The first track is spacious and sprawling, with furious growls, riveting melodies, a blaze of noise, oddball interference and a cacophony of madness that somehow remains self-contained. There are excellently placed highs and lows, and every time you think you have a moment’s rest, he lights the whole thing on fire again. It’s a nice example of experimental black metal that doesn’t go too far into left field and always keeps you interested. The second cut lets its programming traits show a little more, but it’s smashed by a thunderstorm of psychedelic storming, black metal thunder and simmering hiss, not to mention his banshee, throat-mangling cries.

I’ve listened to this release a lot since receiving the download a few weeks back, and it never fails to keep my brain working and me guessing. It’s one of those efforts that reveals itself more each time you come back for another bout. It’s bound to confuse and put off your less-daring listeners, which is to be expected, but for those who like things unpredictable – the comparisons to Deathspell Omega and Krallice are accurate, and I’d toss in sudden trip-hop lovers Blut Aus Nord as well – you’d be doing yourself a giant disservice by not seeking out this jackhammer.

For more on the band, go here: http://surachai.org/

To buy “To No Avail,” go here: http://shop.handshakeinc.com/

Or here: http://handshakeinc.bandcamp.com/track/surachai-to-no-avail-side-o

The second album we’ll look at is “Summer Darkyard,” the new one from oddly named The Sun Through a Telescope. Like Surachai, we’re dealing with a one-man wrecking machine, Ottawa-based Lee Neutron. His music forces you to pay attention to every second, because he can go from serene and calm one minute to spastic grand mal seizure the next. If you’re driving your car, you may want to pick something else to soundtrack your journey, because nothing will send you over an embankment quicker than what you’ll hear on this four-track effort.

Neutron recorded and produced this effort himself, which he culled from compositions he initially dreamt up working on his past projects and some that he conjured this past summer, and he went to FTF guitarist and producer of all hellish sounds Topon Das for mastering. The music really can’t be pinpointed accurately, but I can tell you with relative certainty that if you’re into bands such as Sunn 0))), Godflesh, Thou and Khanate that you at least have a jump-off point. Opener “Darkyard” is filled with catastrophic noise, some oddball bluesy riffs, mortal wailing and crushing charges. By the way, just when you think this thing is winding down, it absolutely explodes with black hole fury. That’s the point in time when you’d lose control over your vehicle. “Cro-Magnon Nightmare” has a bit more delicacy, but eventually it morphs into Voivod-like space thrash and maniacal diatribes, where Neutron imagines total universal death, especially when observing a “violent death of a star” in the middle of his nightmare. “I’ll Die, Goodbye” leans on Vocoder-laced vocals and a terrifying glimpse into hell and post-life decay, and despite it feeling gorgeous and sungazey, it’s wholly horrific. The closing interlude lets you down easy, but not after your psyche has been permanently scarred.

The Sun Through a Telescope likely won’t sound all that fitting at your next house party, unless you plan to slaughter all the guests at the end. But if you want to get in touch with your ever-changing mentality and some of the psychotic darkness that lies beneath your demeanor, this will help you get there and might even push you over the edge.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.tstat.org/

To buy “Summer Darkyard,” go here: http://shop.handshakeinc.com/

Or here: http://tstat.bandcamp.com/

As noted, these are only a couple of Handshake’s ventures, and they have future offerings in store from ((Thorlock)), Maruta and Yakuza (the latter two live efforts), and they still have some remaining video clips on the way for Rwake, Rottenness, Vilipend and FTF. They also have a new “Deathfest” film in the works and something on Jucifer that is sure to be awesome. Handshake has me excited for the future of metal. I don‘t always feel that way about things because of how safe and homogenous everything has become, but this company is keeping things exciting and slightly ablaze. I’m down with that.

For more on the label, go here: http://www.handshakeinc.com/

And here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Handshake-Inc/341492067038

http://handshakeinc.bandcamp.com/track/surachai-to-no-avail-side-o

Handshake Inc Announce Third Release as a Label – Good Morning Metal

handshakeinc — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 20:02:15 +0000

Handshake Inc Announce Third Release as a Label: The Sun Through a Telescope’s “Summer Darkyard”

Handshake Inc. is super stoked to announce their third release as a label: a three-song single called “Summer Darkyard” by Ottawa’s The Sun Through a Telescope. For experimental metallers and drone-freaks, the release mixes doom, sludge, electric, and new wave sounds for a mind-blowing underground sample of the darkest pop imaginable. Fans of Sunn 0))), Jesu, Burzum, Mordant Music, and Cocteau Twins will dig the harsh, uncompromising sounds of “Summer Darkyard”. All are welcome to listen to the single as a free digital download on November 1^st, a leftover treat post-Halloween.

Sulaco ‘Build and Burn’ Review – Metal As Fuck

handshakeinc — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 19:59:21 +0000

Sulaco – Build and Burn (Handshake Inc.)

Progressive/grind/thrash dudes Sulaco are almost out of this world.

In James Cameron’s Aliens the U.S.S. Sulaco is a great, hulking, dangerous-looking vehicle full of testosterone and deadly aggression. As well as sharing a name, much the same could be said about a U.S. progressive-grind metal band on their debut album, Build and Burn.

And burn they do: in fact, Sulaco are on fire.

Mixing the most surprising and effectively eccentric elements of the likes of The Melvins and Mastodon at their widdly, fitful best, Sulaco’s sound is impossible not to get drawn into. The relentless, heavy chug-chug-chug of the guitars bores through every track ceasing temporarily to launch into furious solos. The grind/screamo elements of Johnny Truant and Remembering Neverfused with a heavy, abrasive influence of The Dillinger Escape Plan build up the madcap timing changes and drumming that would give Dave Lombardo wet dreams.

The hammering stop-start of On The Fence gets Build and Burn off to a dizzying start. The spiralling guitar riff and multi-layered scream-vocals of The Approach leads into the sludge/grunge anger storm intro of It’s Over Johnny which in turn has moments of blistering black/thrash metal.

To keep up this momentum is a tough challenge and there are signs of the energy fading towards the end. But at a speedy 7 tracks it’s barely an issue.

Unlike its fictional outerspace namesake Sulaco never quite hit 0.74 light years per sidereal day (read: fast) but the intricacy and skill on display and down right humongous balls to attempt and carry off said impressiveness is to be highly commended.

http://metalasfuck.net/zine/reviews/2011/sulaco-%E2%80%93-build-and-burn-handshake-inc

Surachai ‘To No Avail’ Review – AV Club

handshakeinc — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 19:57:12 +0000

Earlier this year, Lake Of Blood delivered As Time And Tide Erode Stone, its two-very-long-songs saga. Structurally, Surachai’s To No Avail seems similar. Comprising a pair of 10-minute-plus tracks, the Chicago band’s new disc also traffics in sustained, Deathspell Omega-style blasts of bleakness and atonality. But unlike Lake Of Blood, Surachai rarely comes up for air, coasting instead on an acidic pall of negativity and noise. That’s a thumbs up, by the way.

By Jason Heller November 2, 2011

Album Review: Surachai ‘To No Avail’ – Exclaim

handshakeinc — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:10:10 +0000

By Laina Dawes

The New Yorker recently annoyed metal fans with their observations on the U.S. black metal scene ― there’s inevitably some ire when a mainstream publication tries to explain an extreme musical genre. However, while the writer did an okay job, they didn’t mention Surachai, which could be a blessing in disguise. To No Avail is excellent and yes, “American,” in a sense, as the one-man masterpiece borrows from other musical genres to create stellar, unique music, versus heavily relying on the traditional norms found in European-based black metal. The desolateness, urgency and brutality of American Black metal are clearly palatable, as well as a commonality within the vocal style. But what Surachai adds is an electronic, yet gritty, underbelly that’s slightly industrial in nature. In To No Avail, every instrument is provided space to breathe, not hidden under urgent (and usually monotonous) riffage that often separates black metal from other sub-genres. Sure, Surachai deserves the publicity, but unlike the other bands mentioned in the piece, this isn’t a trend ― this is art that will live past the hype.
(Handshake Inc.)

http://exclaim.ca/Reviews/Metal/surachai-to_no_avail

Album Review: Sulaco ‘Build and Burn’ – Exclaim!

handshakeinc — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:08:24 +0000

By Laina Dawes

Fronted by Brutal Truth axeman Erik Burke, who shows off his vocal skill, as well as his guitar prowess, Build and Burn is a flurry of technical wizardry with deep roots in grindcore and a punk ethos. Stepping away from the infusion of jazz signatures found on 2006′s Tearing Through the Roots, the quartet layers on the technical time changes and groove-heavy riffs, but unlike other notable progressive, yet extreme, metal bands, melody is thrown out the window, replaced with a rage-induced urgency that’s palatable in both Chris Golding’s awe-inducing drumming and Burke’s unhinged vocals. Burke’s vocals are something you’ll either “get” or won’t, as what stands out on their second full-length, especially on “Make a Move,” is the wonderment of how he gets though everyday life without eviscerating someone; it is that angry. The musicianship is undeniably incredible, but it will take a certain type of listener to see the beauty in such an intense album.
(Handshake Inc.)

http://exclaim.ca/Reviews/Metal/sulaco-build_burn

Exclusive Video Premiere: Jucifer’s “Hiroshima” – Metalsucks.net

handshakeinc — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:06:32 +0000

Man oh man, do we have an awesomely weird one for you today. To our delight, Jucifer asked us to premiere their new video, for the song “Hiroshima,” and we can pretty guarantee you that you haven’t seen a metal video like this before. It might be fun (or horrifying, we’re not really sure) to drop some acid before watching this clip. But if you don’t have acid, well, no worries — the images in this video will more than convey the feeling that you are tripping balls. Seriously, this is a strange, strange video, and we mean that as a very high (!) compliment.

Check out the David Hall-directed clip below! “Hiroshima” appears on Jucifer’s latest, Throned in Blood, which is out now on Nomadic Fortress/Relapse. The duo has a new album and a European tour planned, both slated for April. In the meantime, they’ll celebrate their nineteenth year as a band and twelfth year of nonstop touring with dates across the midwest and east coast. You can get all their upcoming tour dates here. The band’s early four track EPNadir has recently been mastered for reissue by Scott Hull, and will see its first digital release via Grindcore Karaoke soon.

http://www.metalsucks.net/2011/10/24/exclusive-video-premiere-jucifers-hiroshima/

But wait! There’s more! Director David Hall — who also made the Maryland Deathfest movies, as well as videos for Today is the Day, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Sigh, Fuck the Facts, Hail of Bullets,and Woods of Ypres — is getting out of the of the music video business, and into… the VHS business??? Read more after the jump.

That’s right — while Hall is currently wrapping-up a batch of music videos for some really cool bands (including Brutal Truth, Rwake, Maruta, and the aforementioned Fuck the Facts), as well as one final MDF documentary, once those are done, he’s leaving the music video and movie business behind. Instead, he’ll be concentrating on “VHS albums.” And what are those, you ask? Hall explains:

“A VHS Album is basically an album output to a VHS tape, with an accompanying video track created specifically for the music. Each VHS release will be extremely limited, like 1 to 5 copies – and the visuals on each tape will differ slightly, so every VHS album will be one-of-a-kind.”

Which sounds potentially pretty interesting, no? And if you’re a fan of the bands Hall will be working with, you’ll have a real collector’s item on your hands.

Hall’s first VHS album will be Today is the Day’s totally killer Axis of Eden; Total Fucking Destruction’s Hater, USX Appalachia’s (U.S. Christmas) Salt the Wound, and Sulaco’s Build and Burn are also all on the docket. You can get more details from Hall’s official website.

TAGS: DAVID HALL, EDGAR LIVENGOOD, GAZELLE AMBER VALENTINE, JUCIFER,

Album Review: Sulaco ‘Build and Burn – Teufel’s Tomb

handshakeinc — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:03:04 +0000

SULACO
BUILD & BURN

GENRE: PROGRESSIVE TECHNICAL DEATH METAL

FORMAT:VINYLTRACKS:7

LABEL:HANDSHAKE INC.

YEAR:2011

While SULACO‘s full length debut, TEARING THROUGH THE ROOTS was a solid slab of technical death metal, the band’s follow-up, 2011′s BUILD & BURN takes the band’s sound to a whole new level of awesome. This time around the Erik Burke-fronted quartet fly through seven tracks of original progressive technical death metal, that’ll leave any prog/tech fan in a puddle of their own filth.

The material on BUILD & BURN feels like a logical progression from the band’s previous release. The album is filled with killer original songwriting, constant tempo changes, great melodies and is a refreshing breath of fresh air in an increasingly stagnant genre. The overwhelming majority of death metal bands who claim to be “progressive,” never really create anything new or unique, they seem content to just play slightly modified DEATH, CYNIC and ATHEIST songs, and pass them off as their own. Not SULACO though, Erik Burke and friends have made a concerted effort to create something completely original in the progressive metal genre.

The riffing is tight and technical, with plenty of odd time signatures, tempo changes, blazing leads, and is infectiously catchy. Erik Burke’s vocals are pretty solid on here as well, he doesn’t bother with a silly death metal grunt or growl, he just sticks with a more natural sounding wail. Not 80s thrash style, just a powerful howl with a Chuck Schuldiner-like vocal cadence (though completely different vocal delivery).

The bass lines compliment the guitars and the drumming has a lot of variety, it’s not like so many bands whose drummer just blasts so much when he steps away from the drum kit he twitches and shakes like an over caffeinated zombie. It’s clear Chris Golding has taken the time to learn how to play the drums, and wants to show off the skills he has and doesn’t rely on playing the same fucking relentless triggered blast and cymbal smash for an hour.

I’m actually very surprised that this album isn’t being released by Willowtip, Relapse or any other bigger label than Handshake Inc. If Willowtip had the chance to release this and turned it down, label head Jason Tipton needs a slap across the face. I’m talking southern gentleman style, like Jason just offended my girlfriend, but instead of challenging him to a duel with a white glove, I’d do it with with a cock smack across his neck while making direct eye contact. I don’t mean that to sound like an erotic act, it would be an act of animalistic dominance, and shaming him by forcing him to wear the purple mark of the cock welt for having not released this album, and instead choosing to release a bunch of boring hacks ripping off DEATH,CYNIC and ATHIEST and rehashing the same ideas over and over again. Of course if he wasn’t offered the chance to release this, I take it back and offer him a firm and hearty handshake and implore him to negotiate the CD release rights for this fantastic album as it completely humbles every prog/tech death album Willowtip has ever released. Not hatin’, just sayin’.

While I was disappointed with the most recent album featuring Erik Burke’s guitar work, BRUTAL TRUTH‘s END TIMES, he didn’t stay in my shitlist for long. SULACO‘s BUILD & BURN is easily the best progressive death metal album released in decades, maybe ever, and while you may think that praise might be undeserved, I can tell you that this album is so good that disliking it will cause your brain to explode in violent defiance. Fucking awesome!

ORDER ONLINE:
Handshake Inc (LP)
Amazon (LP)
Amazon (MP3)

THIS ALBUM IS…

MANDATORY! A MUST OWN RELEASE!

Review by TEUFEL

http://www.teufelstomb.com/reviews/sulaco-build-burn/#.TqSNlpm6HD4.twitter

Build And Burn, Grind Or Die: Embrace SULACO Now – American Aftermath

handshakeinc — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:59:47 +0000

Sulaco are an insane grinding band from New York. I wouldn’t exactly call them a grindcore band. No, they are much more than that. Incorporating elements of death metal and progressive metal into their sound makes theirs unique. I have gotten countless e-mails about the band but for some reason I waiting until now to check them out. Holy shit. I was blown away by their extensive, unpredictable grind. And these aren’t your every day short, fast and brutal grind tracks. These tracks range from almost four minutes to six-and-a-half minutes. That’s a lot of fucking grind.

On the band’s Facebook page, they describe their sound by saying the band “integrates mesmerizing quirkiness into a devious songwriting regimen that is as spasmodically progressive as it is abrasively visceral.” and I think that pretty much says it all. If that isn’t enough to make you check this band out, maybe the fact that their album Build And Burnis currently available for pay-as-you-want right here! Get it! Grind!

~R. Gnarly//Dig It or Die.

http://americanaftermath.net/tag/handshake-inc/