Bunkdope
Sores
4.6
In Oregon there is Agalloch, Black Elk, and, uh, Bunkdope. Quite different from one another, the latter are an unsigned brutal death outfit that clings to the subgenre’s requisites almost religiously. While the execution on the 8-song Sores leaves little to complain about, Bunkdope prove unexciting as the material becomes monotonous all too quickly.
Beginning in a classy, highbrow manner, “Two Hour Jack Shower” announces its presence with a growl that morphs into a distinguishable “What the fuck!” right before the blasting commences. Again, Sores rarely ventures outside the usual brutal death boundaries – if ever – and thus includes eviscerating instrumentation, unintelligible guttural vocals, and sex/drug/gore-centered lyrical content. Because the songs embrace either a mid-paced or fast-paced tempo, and fail to offer anything unique or genuinely arresting, Bunkdope get boring fast. It also doesn’t help that every track runs upwards of three or four minutes.
Nevertheless, I imagine numbers such as “Dopemestic Violence”, “Stomped on Twice”, and “Bag Whores” are punishing in a live setting, but as studio recordings provide only mild, fleeting entertainment. Since there are so many superior bands out there, I don’t see any reason to waste your time with the subpar. Bunkdope aren’t beyond hope, of course, but Sores is just tedious.
