While there there may be some contention as to where Crust’s origins lie, (was it HELLBASTARD’s LP Ripper Crust? Was it AMEBIX? Or was it simply a name given based on the appearance of it’s fans?) when it’s done well, it really hits. Bands like NAUSEA, ANTI-SECT, and DOOM paved the way with their mixture of metal and raw punk with lyrics about the ills of society, animal rights, and the horrors of war. Many bands have followed in those footsteps, and the most recent to catch my ear is the U.K.’s CATASTROPHE and their new cassette Dead On Arrival. Fronted by Jon Osborne of ANTAGONIZM and the excellent but now defunct MASTERMIND, CATASTROPHE crushes it on their debut; seven tracks that take the abrasive nature of the aforementioned bands and filter it through a modern lens. Osborne’s vocals are urgent and chaotic, a perfect match for the galloping drums and guitars that wail on more than one occasion. Standouts for me include “Fear of Death” and “Society’s Cries” but frankly this thing rips start to finish. Already on it’s second run through Pogo Till You Drop, snag a copy if you can, you don’t want to sleep on this!
