It’s been over two decades since Terror first spin-kicked their way into the hardcore scene with their debut album One With The Underdogs. Since then, the LA band have established themselves as one of the most important hardcore bands around, consistently delivering punishing, abrasive records that are delivered with the conviction of a band who know precisely what they are and clearly have no intention to change. It does also help that Frontman Scott Vogel is the human equivalent of a motivational sledgehammer, barking out lyrics that are part tough love and part blood-curdling battle-cry.
Still Suffer opens with ‘Erase You From My World’ which wastes approximately zero seconds getting to the pointy end of the stick. This isn’t music that’s going to give you a soft landing…all you get is a few warning shots on the bass before a riff arrives that hits like a door being kicked off its hinges. If you were thinking Terror might soften with age, you were clearly mistaken!
Across the entire record the riffs are razor sharp, each track is cut down to optimum efficiency leaving no room for sugar-coating or unnecessary noodling. This is music that is all about intent…and it seems that their sole intent here is to crack your skull open. The drums are played hard for maximum impact, the gang vocals feel specifically engineered to be shouted back in a room full of people who all suddenly believe they could run through a concrete wall. Let’s be frank, it’s familiar territory, but Terror are a band who have always understood that hardcore isn’t about novelty or introducing new ideas, it’s purely about execution. And here, the execution is done with a razor-sharp axe.
That being said, album closer ‘Deconstruct It’ clocks in at around eight minutes and is practically a prog song by Terror standards, stretching their usual formula into something more expansive and introspective. Incorporating spoken word and hip-hop style beats, it adds some vulnerability and a bit of extra depth to an otherwise straightforward record. Other stand-out moments are ’Destruction Of My Soul’ which hits a bit more of a thrashy feel, and ‘Fear The Panic’ which features our favourite fisherman, Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music on guest vocals.
Lyrically, Vogel remains firmly in his comfort zone, barking his statements of morality with an intensity that gives away just how pissed off he is with the state of the world. If there’s an overriding theme here, it’s endurance through hardship. The title itself, Still Suffer, pretty much spells it out…this is about continuing to push forward even when things don’t improve. It’s not a celebration that we’ve made it; it’s a reminder that we’re still here!
So, Still Suffer doesn’t exactly expand the Terror blueprint, don’t expect them to pull out a violin and a cello and start playing concertos anytime soon. Yes, at times, the songs may blur together, and if you’re not already a fan of hardcore then it’s unlikely to do anything new to convert you. However, Still Suffer is a reminder that consistency, when done this well, is as good as any kind of musical evolution. It’s loud, it’s focused, and it absolutely does not care whether you’re ready for it or not. It may not surprise you…but it won’t think twice about hitting you in the face.
Best Paired With: An unwashed jockstrap and a pint of snakebite.
Reviewed by Bryn.
Terror – Still Suffer is out now on Flatspot Records.
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