April 2022 Feature Release – The Revolution Edition

So just like that we find that a new month is upon us which of course means that we’ll be nominating a brand new monthly feature release for each clan. This essentially means that we’re asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter. We’re really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our chosen releases so don’t be shy.

This month’s feature release for The Revolution has been nominated by myself. It's 2010's third full-length album "MMX" from German mathcore outfit War From A Harlots Mouth. I absolutely loved this album at the time of release & it went on to become one of my albums of the year. I can't remember much about it now though so I'm pumped to reassociate myself with it's merits.

https://metal.academy/releases/9274

Ben, can you please rename this thread to April rather than March? I really shouldn't post these threads whilst cripplingly hungover.

Yep! "MMX" is every bit the absolute belter I thought it was back at the time of release. I hadn't heard of War From A Harlots Mouth going into the album but they thoroughly blew my socks off with their combination of mathcore athletics with elements of deathcore, djent, grindcore & sludge metal. The level of musicianship is really high throughout with current The Ocean drummer Paul Seidel being the star of the show. His blast beats are so tight it's not funny & he handles the more technical stuff with absolute ease too. The use of multiple vocal styles is very much in line with the grindcore model with frontman Nico Webers (also formerly of The Ocean) sporting a variety of screams & barks. His barkier style reminds me very much of Aussie progressive metallers Alchemist's Adam Agius. This is some very extreme music for The Revolution & it won't surprise me if Andi struggles with it as I've often found that to be the case with my more abrasive metalcore selections. There are some more subdued moments spread across the tracklisting though with a few random atmospheric pieces tossed into the mix. These are generally a little less effective than when War From A Harlots Mouth simply put the pedal to the metal & tear your face completely off your skull. I'm still a sucker for extreme music performed with precision & these guys don't disappoint in that area. In doing so they've created a minor underground classic in my opinion. How it's not metal enough to be included on Metal Archives is anyone's guess though.

4.5/5

This is actually not too struggling for me, Daniel. A great abrasive level I can stand but not without a few flaws here and there. To clarify further, here's my review summary:

In the year MMX, from what I heard, some mathcore bands out there have improved their songwriting and riffing, and one of those bands is War From a Harlots Mouth. This album is very listenable, with cohesive writing reigning through this album, and is slightly more tolerable than bands like Gulch, Fawn Limbs, and Inside the Beehive, though still a little flawed at times. The guitars are restrained in the chords, but the 8-string riffing is where they have their power, with Meshuggah-like polyrhythmic groove sections. The extremely low tuning you might think would overshadow the bass, but the proficient mix makes sure everything's audible. The drums by Paule Seidel (later joining The Ocean) all over the place, from slow in the soft bridge to tightly structured in the heavier parts. Vocalist Nico Webers (having just left The Ocean) performs decent highs and brutal lows. Once again, MMX is quite mature in the writing and riffing, mostly consistent and listenable. The guitars on their own would attract fans of Meshuggah and Car Bomb. However, with some flaws around, it still doesn't peak total interest in this band for me. Nonetheless, very solid and nicely intense!

4/5

Following my dalliance with Bad Omens this past few weeks and also making more of a conscious effort to stretch the boundaries of my taste, I decided to give War From A Harlots Mouth a try.  I didn't hate this by a long chalk but by the same token I find it a little to fluid in its transitions to the point where I find myself switching off.  For some reason I expected I would need less concentration for this to still seep through the room and into whatever I was doing at the same time.  However, without physically sitting down and focussing on the record I find little that sticks.  When I am in the zone with it the polyrhythms do attach themselves better but I still won't pretend that I keep up with it all the time.

The jazzy interludes are the parts that really standout to me,, otherwise it is too much for my tiny brain to comprehend in the main.

3/5