Low Twelve - Splatter Pattern
Low Twelve have been around since 1998, with three studio albums under their belt and several tours of musical duty completed. At first listen, the band may just sound like another crunching, average hardcore band bellowing out their anger into a microphone. However, Low Twelve is apt at creating a sense for 'war metal.' It is done in the sense that a band like Bolt Thrower or Cobalt would do; Low Twelve likes to take things a step further. Amongst infectious melodies, brutal snarls, and a marriage between groovecore and grindcore, the band takes personal experiences from their time in war and apply it to their music, either through lyrics or
spoken word samples from the news, doctor offices, or other things that revolve around war.
With their latest offering, Splatter Pattern, Low Twelve step up their game even further. The music is a mixture of hardcore, death metal, grindcore, and groovecore, all focused specifically on what seems to be the wars that the U.S. was involved in. Some of the tracks have deeper meanings such as "A Heroes Last Stand" or "Not Forgotten" versus others which are a bit more brutal, such as "Bind Torture Kill" or the title track. Scattered throughout the albums are numerous spoken words, either as news announcements, historical recounts, the haunting opening narration of the first track, or other confessions, either by civilians or soldiers about their tour in the line of fire. Musically, expect a lot of hardcore chugging guitar riffs and steady
drumming. There's a lot of grunting, shouting, and some annoying screaming too; thankfully the screaming is rare. There's also a lot of random parts too, such as the steady groove going on the title track and then all of a sudden a very random, wild solo breaks the tempo of the entire song. It can either come off as experimental or annoying. The samples of people can be speaking are just as random. "A Witness To Carnage" is a very brief recount of the murders by the
Japanese upon China at Nanking, and "A Heroes Last Stand" involves some very solemn, memorial singing. All these elements add on the emotional impact of what the band tries to convey on the horrors of war.
As for the more straightforward metal tracks, the music is grim, with lots of gritty riffs, a monotone shout, and plenty of cymbal chiming (in the sense that Lamb Of God used in their earlier days). "Not Forgotten" has some great patterned drumming along with the chugging chords, but mostly what one hears on this song can hear it elsewhere, just rearranged. "Lines Drawn" is one of the most straightforward metal tracks, and also the most hardcore influenced. The slow pace of the song, combined with the vocals, set the tone fantastically, as this is the most comfortable style of the music. Unless you're a big war fanatic, a lot of the music will be lost upon the listener for the single-focused theme and tendency to use the samples around the same idea. The music here is brutal yes, with some good solos here and there, but the vocals will most likely get to the newer fans as bland, even if the lyrics spitting through them are very inspiring.
Those that are already used to Low Twelve will probably have no problem embracing Splatter Pattern, but for those just getting used to the band will need to spin the disc more than once to get a feel for the band. At first, yes, Low Twelve may sound like a grunting, hardcore mess with no real purpose, but pick up a lyric sheet or pay close attention to the spoken word samples and one may see the band has a little more purpose than just to make noise, no matter how great or how annoying. While the music may not be as epic as some of the more war focused metal out there, Low Twelve's latest offering isn't a complete waste of time either. There's a story to be told here; all that's need are listeners.
Originally written for The Metal Forge
spoken word samples from the news, doctor offices, or other things that revolve around war.
With their latest offering, Splatter Pattern, Low Twelve step up their game even further. The music is a mixture of hardcore, death metal, grindcore, and groovecore, all focused specifically on what seems to be the wars that the U.S. was involved in. Some of the tracks have deeper meanings such as "A Heroes Last Stand" or "Not Forgotten" versus others which are a bit more brutal, such as "Bind Torture Kill" or the title track. Scattered throughout the albums are numerous spoken words, either as news announcements, historical recounts, the haunting opening narration of the first track, or other confessions, either by civilians or soldiers about their tour in the line of fire. Musically, expect a lot of hardcore chugging guitar riffs and steady
drumming. There's a lot of grunting, shouting, and some annoying screaming too; thankfully the screaming is rare. There's also a lot of random parts too, such as the steady groove going on the title track and then all of a sudden a very random, wild solo breaks the tempo of the entire song. It can either come off as experimental or annoying. The samples of people can be speaking are just as random. "A Witness To Carnage" is a very brief recount of the murders by the
Japanese upon China at Nanking, and "A Heroes Last Stand" involves some very solemn, memorial singing. All these elements add on the emotional impact of what the band tries to convey on the horrors of war.
As for the more straightforward metal tracks, the music is grim, with lots of gritty riffs, a monotone shout, and plenty of cymbal chiming (in the sense that Lamb Of God used in their earlier days). "Not Forgotten" has some great patterned drumming along with the chugging chords, but mostly what one hears on this song can hear it elsewhere, just rearranged. "Lines Drawn" is one of the most straightforward metal tracks, and also the most hardcore influenced. The slow pace of the song, combined with the vocals, set the tone fantastically, as this is the most comfortable style of the music. Unless you're a big war fanatic, a lot of the music will be lost upon the listener for the single-focused theme and tendency to use the samples around the same idea. The music here is brutal yes, with some good solos here and there, but the vocals will most likely get to the newer fans as bland, even if the lyrics spitting through them are very inspiring.
Those that are already used to Low Twelve will probably have no problem embracing Splatter Pattern, but for those just getting used to the band will need to spin the disc more than once to get a feel for the band. At first, yes, Low Twelve may sound like a grunting, hardcore mess with no real purpose, but pick up a lyric sheet or pay close attention to the spoken word samples and one may see the band has a little more purpose than just to make noise, no matter how great or how annoying. While the music may not be as epic as some of the more war focused metal out there, Low Twelve's latest offering isn't a complete waste of time either. There's a story to be told here; all that's need are listeners.
Originally written for The Metal Forge
- Stains Of Our Past
- Splatter Pattern
- Bodies In My Pocket
- A Hero's Last Stand
- Hand Of The Dying
- Bind Torture Kill
- Scourge
- A Witness To Carnage
- Mountains Of The Dead
- Not Forgotten
- Defiance To The End
- Fire For Effect
- Dying Room
- Lines Drawn
Self released
Reviewer: Colin McNamara
May 17, 2010
May 17, 2010
Next review:
Blood Of The Black Owl - A Banishing Ritual
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