Review Summary: Where there is chaos, there is greatness.
Alas, from the murky depths of the garbage disposal unit that the hardcore music scene has to offer, there is finally some hope for the genre. Hope, however, is in fact the exact opposite of how one would describe thrash endowed metal band from hell, Trap Them.
Darker Handcraft, one of their more recent offerings, has proved worthy as ever. Stepping aside from their earlier onslaughts, Trap Them has devised a slightly more mainstream take on their sheer ferocity of grind and prime. By crafting a much more structured album out of their already bloodthirsty sound,
Darker Handcraft is one for the books. Still, the brutality remains within its confines never letting up from its breakneck speed and skull smashing riffs. The dark wallows of the album art as well suggest nothing less.
After the disc has successfully slipped its way into a designated player, album starter “Damage Prose” has already caused somebody in the world to run face first into a brick wall. This image will become consistently apparent while
Darker Handcraft begins to play out. The first four songs are similar, in a sense. They all contain catchy, well-placed riffs and transition nicely into one another. “Evictionaries” especially, will have even non-metal fans swinging for days at its crunchy mid tempo rhythm. The drumming on “Slumcult & Gather” is equally note worthy judging by its constant speed, intensity and technicalities. At numbers five and six of the countdown, “All By The Constant Vulse” and “Sordid Earnings” are essentially one song separated into two parts and are obvious eye openers for the listener. An argument can be made that part one has the strongest connection to hardcore compared to the rest of the collection for its increasingly imminent buildup followed by a breakdown that can only be described as being crushed by the foot of a wooly mammoth. Part two, acting as an outro for part one, finally gives the listener a moment to breathe with its slow, sludge induced guitar lines.
The brutality continues on the second half of the album leaving similarly shaped footprints. “Saintpeelers,” “Manic In The Grips” and “Sovereign Through The Pines” could not have been placed better in accordance with one another. One by one, this trifecta of songs shoot for the kill in a mere minute long standoff each time around. These three songs are also some of the stronger standouts on the album. The mid range shouting of the vocalist is possibly the most dominating force on
Darker Handcraft which is very upfront and downright vicious. Despite the fact that the vocals are nevertheless brutal, the singer’s voice actually adds to the surprisingly emotional “Drag The Wounds Eternal,” a song which evokes a very sad feel with its repeated guitar crooning and can be argued as the most technical song on the album. The final cut, “Scars Align,” is about twice the length of the average song on the album and possesses yet another catchy, chugging riff. “Scars Align” too, has a bit of emotion packed into its guitar parts and is a nice closer, ending the album at a solid half hour.
In conclusion, the album works quite well from start to finish with no fillers. No doubt, it will find its fans. Hardcore fans especially will gravel at the brutal, beautifully crafted riffs and intensity that
Darker Handcraft brings to the table. Even with the teaspoon of added emotion, the whole thing feels pretty dark and grungy overall, thus keeping up with its names sake. One more note is on the production, which sounds very clean in a distorted chaotic sort of way. All of these positive elements make this piece one hell of a listen and is sure to leave anyone trapped.
