From The Depths / Next Victim - Split (2011)

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! FINAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLY! The split from From The Deaths and Next Victim was released! I can't believe that two phenomenal bands in crust scene have BOTH come together to create such a wonderful bond of music. The split consists of 7 tracks of axe-grinding tracks spanning almost 30 minutes long. Alrighty so lets get down to FtD's side. From The Depths are an anarcho-punk/crust/MELODIC AS FUCK (LOVE THEIR VOCALS) band featuring ex-members from Catharsis and Requiem. They released their first full-length on Crimethinc. I have thrown them up on my blog once before and I'm proud to say that they're taking another turn up on it. The album opens up with the track Peace In Our Time, which is pretty much an anti-war song and opens with GOD-TIER fucking vocals. I swear this chick can sings at the top of her lungs in such a beautiful voice. I LOVE IT! I guess I should take the time to learn her name huh? Martyr is to follow, a very, VERY dark song about renouncing religion. The vocalist seems to take a different approach, a very harsh one. The overall tone of this song is a very eerie one that'll drop your jaw. For Us The Horizon is just a little interlude instrumental and what not. Now... NOW, is their last track, Lullaby. It starts out with very soft vocals, acoustic guitars, and quicky gets into that familiar heavy distorted guitar and dual vocals back into very slow instruments, almost reminiscent to post-rock. Hell, there is even some twee sounds thrown in at the end of the track to give you a real lullaby feel to it. Overall, I'd say this is by far my favorite stuff from this band. Let The Black Flag Fly may be an extraordinary song and all but holy fuck does this split deliver so much more! Now, if you know anything about Next Victim they are closely similar to FtD and have ex-members from Mind Pollution in it. I wouldn't say their side is as good as FtD's but it's definitely not forgettable. It seems Next Victim is focusing a lot more on the guitar work and dual vocals unlike their first album, The Cold Gust Of Wind, that even had an intro spoken word track all done by the female vocalist. This almost reminds me of Mammoth Grinder a bit but with more uhhh... I don't really know. It just has that sound but it doesn't. It's still fucking great and full of raw hatred. It's just heavy as fuck and very very instrumental. This by far has been my favorite release so MOVE ASIDE Hatred Surge and Mammoth Grinder, Downfall of Gaia and In The Hearts Of Emperors!!!!

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