Only Fumes & Corpses
The chaps in Only Fumes And Corpses recently dropped us a line, letting us know about their new digital EP, Selfish Act I, consisting of 13 new songs (crammed into just over 11 minutes!!) and released in early April. Having already played 190 shows alongside the likes of Sick Of It All, Glassjaw, Comeback Kid and Agnostic Front, this is a hard working hard core punk band who don’t do anything by halves – so I thought I’d better check out the music for myself!
Opening proceedings with Selfish Act things immediately get off to a distorted start, the sound of the guitars echoing the track into being before launching into a deep and powerful melee of bass rhythms, drum beats and a real sense of power. Deep and full of different elements, this opening is far more melodic than I’d expected, paving the way for Blinded to take over. Suddenly the feeling of the album changes and immediately changes from the slow and melodic approach to a fast paced hammer to the face full of roaring vocal lines, pounding drums and guitar lines that will immediately get you moving. What’s most striking about the track though is how short it is, offering up bite sized chunks of aggression to allow you to get involved, go all out for a moment, then face up to the next offering.
The next offering comes in the form of Lost Generation, once again continuing the fast paced and aggressive approach from the word go – it’s suddenly very easy to see why these guys have played along side the likes of Agnostic Front, their sound matches them perfectly and suggests the sort of thing which is going to get some pretty damned impressive pits going. Even including a guitar solo into this track, the fast paced movements throughout this one once again get you shifting, jumping, punching in the air and thanking what ever god you believe in that there’s still proper, hard faced and full on punk style music being produced out there. Downers slows things for a brief moment as it comes into being, but soon resumes the fast pace, hammering through the track at break neck speed and not allowing you a moment to rest once it gets going. Unsurprisingly, Towers Fall once again repeats this method, continuing to offer up tracks which are full of aggression, adrenaline and power. Fast paced and in your face, there’s something about this track which suggests it’s going to find its true form on the live scene, the sort of track which you know is going to get the entire venue throbbing from the word go.
Won’t Come Back, Full Circle, From The Start and Smile Forever all carry on the progression perfectly, really offering up a unique approach to crafting an EP. The short tracks mean you’ve got mere moments to get involved, but at the same time break up the EP meaning you don’t get bored or fed up with the tracks – there’s simply not time. This short approach also makes this one hell of an exciting EP to listen to, there’s variety every few moments meaning you’re constantly guessing what the next track holds in store. We Were Heroes is what’s next in this case, and presents us with a track which I personally class as my favourite from the EP. There’s something about the soaring lead lines which bounce around the behind the hammering riffs, roaring vocals and pummeling drums which turns this track into something almost catchy, something which will draw you in, force you to love it, then leave you gasping for more as it comes to a close.
Self Medicate keeps things moving once again, throwing down with a heavy guitar line and not allowing you a moment to take on board the fact that you’ve already reached track number 11 of 13. The short track continues to push the boundaries of what should be possible in the space of such a short track. That said, as The Lush Part 1 we’re once again shown why we need to be taking note of Only Fumes & Corpses, the slow and bass heavy track taking the lead and ushering in a metal edge to things, showing off the punk roots at the same time but managing to hark towards an early Sepultura sort of sound, it’s impressive to say the least. It’s only then left to The Lush Part 2 to close things, and the EP comes to a close on an expected high. Closing with a punk track full of catchy hooks, breaks which will get those pits moving once again, and a feeling that this track brings the album full circle, it’s a solid close which will leave you wanting more, leave you shaking, and leave you knowing you’ve just stumbled upon one hell of a band.
It took me a few listens to full understand this EP as simply, the tracks are so short that it takes a couple of listens to understand it properly. 11 minutes and 13 track shouldn’t normally work, but Only Fumes & Corpses have managed to make it work, crafting a sound which is heavy, powerful, and in your face from start to finish. If you like proper HC-Punk, then this is a band you need to hear, definitely one to check out!
To find out more about Only Fumes & Corpses, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Opening proceedings with Selfish Act things immediately get off to a distorted start, the sound of the guitars echoing the track into being before launching into a deep and powerful melee of bass rhythms, drum beats and a real sense of power. Deep and full of different elements, this opening is far more melodic than I’d expected, paving the way for Blinded to take over. Suddenly the feeling of the album changes and immediately changes from the slow and melodic approach to a fast paced hammer to the face full of roaring vocal lines, pounding drums and guitar lines that will immediately get you moving. What’s most striking about the track though is how short it is, offering up bite sized chunks of aggression to allow you to get involved, go all out for a moment, then face up to the next offering.
The next offering comes in the form of Lost Generation, once again continuing the fast paced and aggressive approach from the word go – it’s suddenly very easy to see why these guys have played along side the likes of Agnostic Front, their sound matches them perfectly and suggests the sort of thing which is going to get some pretty damned impressive pits going. Even including a guitar solo into this track, the fast paced movements throughout this one once again get you shifting, jumping, punching in the air and thanking what ever god you believe in that there’s still proper, hard faced and full on punk style music being produced out there. Downers slows things for a brief moment as it comes into being, but soon resumes the fast pace, hammering through the track at break neck speed and not allowing you a moment to rest once it gets going. Unsurprisingly, Towers Fall once again repeats this method, continuing to offer up tracks which are full of aggression, adrenaline and power. Fast paced and in your face, there’s something about this track which suggests it’s going to find its true form on the live scene, the sort of track which you know is going to get the entire venue throbbing from the word go.
Won’t Come Back, Full Circle, From The Start and Smile Forever all carry on the progression perfectly, really offering up a unique approach to crafting an EP. The short tracks mean you’ve got mere moments to get involved, but at the same time break up the EP meaning you don’t get bored or fed up with the tracks – there’s simply not time. This short approach also makes this one hell of an exciting EP to listen to, there’s variety every few moments meaning you’re constantly guessing what the next track holds in store. We Were Heroes is what’s next in this case, and presents us with a track which I personally class as my favourite from the EP. There’s something about the soaring lead lines which bounce around the behind the hammering riffs, roaring vocals and pummeling drums which turns this track into something almost catchy, something which will draw you in, force you to love it, then leave you gasping for more as it comes to a close.
Self Medicate keeps things moving once again, throwing down with a heavy guitar line and not allowing you a moment to take on board the fact that you’ve already reached track number 11 of 13. The short track continues to push the boundaries of what should be possible in the space of such a short track. That said, as The Lush Part 1 we’re once again shown why we need to be taking note of Only Fumes & Corpses, the slow and bass heavy track taking the lead and ushering in a metal edge to things, showing off the punk roots at the same time but managing to hark towards an early Sepultura sort of sound, it’s impressive to say the least. It’s only then left to The Lush Part 2 to close things, and the EP comes to a close on an expected high. Closing with a punk track full of catchy hooks, breaks which will get those pits moving once again, and a feeling that this track brings the album full circle, it’s a solid close which will leave you wanting more, leave you shaking, and leave you knowing you’ve just stumbled upon one hell of a band.
It took me a few listens to full understand this EP as simply, the tracks are so short that it takes a couple of listens to understand it properly. 11 minutes and 13 track shouldn’t normally work, but Only Fumes & Corpses have managed to make it work, crafting a sound which is heavy, powerful, and in your face from start to finish. If you like proper HC-Punk, then this is a band you need to hear, definitely one to check out!
To find out more about Only Fumes & Corpses, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls