First I heard of Negative Standards was the solid side they put in on that Whitehorse split. Now there’s this, and it’s even better: ten tracks of dank, dark, vehemently angry crust stuff that’s overloaded with gloomy intrigue. While the crow-like shadow of HHIG looms large, I’m also minded of dense, dirty acts like Dystopia, ABC Diabolo, Scarver’s Calling and early Neurosis: ones whose metallic overtones seemed secondary to the kind of heaviness born of miserable, squat-dwelling desperation and listening to Rudimentary Peni without the heating on. Amid the sludgy heft and d-battered slugathons you get smart, thought-provoking lyrics, a swathe of genre-appropriate samples and ambient noise provided by A.C. Way, a chap known for his work with THOABATH, Sutekh Hexen and the Pig Heart Transplant-affiliated Carrion. It all slots together rather well indeed, wending its way between the familiar and the less-so in a manner that’s capable of grabbing you at once while laying hidden snares that’ll keep you entangled for listen after listen.
