Scar Culture
Inscribe
7.3
Brutally violent is probably the best way to describe Scar Culture. Other than finding that out from the first listen, I don't know a whole lot about this band. To the best of my knowledge, this New Yorkian four-piece was formed in 1997 with the intent of fusing thrash and grind with a touch of hard-core. Although I rarely hear many hard-core sections throughout Inscribe, they do exist and when they come around I instantly put on the metal grimace. Produced by the infamous yet legendary Billy Milano, known as "Buzzard" by these boys from Brooklyn, the heaviness possessed by this band (or should I say possesses this band) comes across like a throttling forearm to the face. I had no idea Mr. Milano had the knowledge let alone the talent to make a band sound this good on disc. The production on Inscribe is by far the most impressive trait this release has to offer. When it comes to the individual performances on this effort, I'd have to say the drumming would be the winner with the powerful vocal attack not far behind. The guitar playing is speedy and technical as it has to be to keep up with the chops going on underneath, but where I get lost is the lack of hook involved in these songs, which is a requirement in my book. Not that this band doesn't have the skills needed to be a dominant force in this saturated scene we know as metal, but bands of this style need to be doing something exceptional and deserving to contend with the likes of Dying Fetus, Skinless and Cryptopsy just to name a few. I don't want it to sound like I'm ripping up this band. Please realize that they are early in their career and this release is definitely a great foundation to build on. The effort here is solid and these guys certainly have the potential to be explosively productive in the future. If you are a fan of the three heavyweights I mentioned in the previous paragraph, than this may not be beneficial to your collection. I do, however, recommend it to any and all hard-core fans for I believe this band will be the bridge to lead you over to the dark side. Favorite Track: Servant
7.1
Here's the situation at hand. I put Scar Culture's, Inscribe in the player days ago. Listened with a half-opened ear and a half-assed preconceived opinion. I immediately thought to myself well here we go again with another substandard attempt at a sound that we have all heard before. Not for one moment giving them the attention that they so deserved. I blame this possibly on the day I had or perhaps the current bands that I have been engulfed in. Either way I was completely foking wrong. When the justice truly beckoned to me was under the wraps of my headphones, with lyrics in hand. Immediately upon the first guttural crush of Pheroze Karai's "it rises, it rises," I knew that I had missed something special upon my first listenings. The scene was set and away I went. The heavy outpour that was delivered was ruthless. I had no choice but to rewind the punishing moments, which would not seize. It was almost spiritual, due to the fact that I had almost washed my hands of this band. Easily put in the fine words of Pheroze Karai's "I feel sick." Duke Borisov's assault behind the kit is beyond menacing. Beats so inscribed with metal prevalence that to say any less would be blasphemous. In comes John Conley, wielding some of the most get up and "punch your neighbor in the face" riffs, that my knuckles are still soar to this day as I write this. Frank Cannino's bass playing is the final compliment to this metal entourage. Delivering a solid backbone in which the rest of Scar Culture can feed. The final touch would of course be the producing commandments of the legendary MC of metal, Billy Milano. Who better to have on your side in a promising band such as Scar Culture? I have seen stigma's written describing Scar Culture's sound as one of "hardcore." This could not be any further from the truth. Scar Culture is in no way to be lumped into such a category of mediocre. Their sound is of truth and pure aggression. Bottom Line: Scar Culture is a refreshing sound in the world of metal and deserves to be in your collection.
