Stress - EP Review - Misery Fatigue
A new addition to the scene, Wellington-based hardcore noise outfit Stress are about to launch their
career with their debut release Misery Fatigue. Interested in what exactly that entailed, I was stoked to get a chance to have a sneak peek at this highly anticipated Kiwi band.
The five-track EP begins with an intro of power strums and jungle drums forcing us into the swing of things. Accompanied by spell casting screams and trembling guitar riffs, this short piece perfectly describes just what we're about to experience, coaxing
us into the sound.
These guys use some very interesting tones, to say the least, ripping into track two with Judas they display a vast rift between distortion and clean. Drumming into the paradiddle of things and screaming down the vents of pain itself, this track supplies a punching start with an interpretive lyric to go with it.
Taking things upbeat with Strange Love the first potential 'Single' from the EP is discovered. Dark and dirty with huge pace while showing off the power of great songwriting this track is easily accepted. The bass lines push through, giving the track a special solidity underneath an absolute storm of guitar and vocal work.
Fast and unpredictable with the timing from hell, I was beginning to see what this was all about. With its blast beats and group vocals, Hex brings back the traditional hardcore roots of the band. Chasing around the pacemaker of drums these riffs cut through like a knife while confusing the listener as to what's coming next.
Civil Gutless is last up, violently screaming in acapella, to begin with, and taking advantage of our ears within seconds. Smashed out quickly in just over a minute sticking to the short song theme of the EP. High energy and an overuse of distortion bring the themes of this band to fruition.
The overall feeling of this release is hard fast and heavy, with relentless pace and static sound the band provides a decent window into what hardcore noise is all about. A multiple angle production, pushing limits and discouraging chill, Stress has made sure they hit the track running. A small window into what the future holds, I 'll definitely be looking forward to their next move.
About Stress
Stress came into being by a combination of good geographical timing, shared history, and a mutual love of heavy, dissonant and disparaging noise. Having cohabited stages, vans and floors with their respective pedigree bands over the past decade, Stress’s inception and sound was a natural and almost inevitable eventuality.
With an emphasis on abrasive tones, sustained intent, and a grounding in simplicity - Stress set forth a mandate of bleak density, drawing inspiration from historic iconoclasts of the order of Breach, Converge, Knut and Abhinanda, while drawing parallels with contemporaries such as Dödsvarg, Bridge Burner, and Coilguns. Stress deliver a dose of heavy hardcore with undercurrents of sludge, post-metal, and death-rock.
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