Pyramido - Gun Mob - Split - CD (2011)

Labels: Ecocentric
Review by: Kunal Nandi

Maybe it’s because I wasn’t expecting all that much, but this split totally kicked my head in and had the good grace to do so using two separate methods. It’s a strange matchup; Gun Mob from Germany do fast hardcore and Sweden’s Pyramido make sludged-out stoner stuff. They are however both great, so what does it matter.

Gun Mob take elements of bands like Cursed, Morser, Nasum and Tragedy, which means burly, downtuned, mega-tight heavy hardcore that is mostly fast but is not averse to throwing in the odd bit of slowed-down chug to keep the variety levels up. Now there are approximately one million bands that already do that, but Gun Mob are totally on the case, creating an atmosphere of utter desperation through a keen melodic sense and some rip-roaring energy that suggests genuine rage. Powerful stuff.

Pyramido are at the other end of the speed scale, but still pack a wallop. Their sludge is made of congealing concrete, battling its way through the murk to make itself heard, leaving a raucous, pained racket in its wake. Now, another million bands also do just that, but Pyramido elevate themselves by sounding truly, deeply fucked up. It’s addictive and doesn’t get dull, always tricky with this kind of thing.

Ecocentric Records
Pyramido
Gun Mob