Bl’ast – For Those Who’ve Graced the Fire! [EP]

California’s Bl’ast, one of the “founding father” primal hardcore punk bands, has returned with its first new music in two decades. A five-minutes-and-change listening trek, this two song EP, titled For Those Who’ve Graced the Fire! quickly whets fans’ appetites for more.

As before, the band’s core members remain Clifford Dinsmore and Mike Neider. Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) and Chuck Dukowski (Black Flag) provide the rhythm section for this gristly two song EP, which the band states was recorded to “introduce the band back into now.” Bl’ast’s tunes are punk at heart, written by those who bore witness to the genre’s first real, radical outgrowth. Don’t expect “noodling” virtuosity: songs are noisier, simpler, and rarely melodic. Bl’ast sounds like the kind of band that will get fists flying and bodies swinging at shows.

The most important take-home message is that the new songs presented on the EP don’t seem to be typical ‘slowed down, in it for the money’ fodder like so many ‘comeback’ albums from heavier bands tend to be. From the slightly unpolished lead-ins, to the syncopation; from the tempos, to the authenticity of the vocals, this is part-in-parcel Bl’ast, the same band fans grew up enjoying. Snarling vocals, pounding drums, grinding bass, and thick, distorted guitar demand attention. For a band that has been riding it’s back catalog for some time, For Those Who’ve Graced the Fire! is a much-welcomed infusion into a strong discography, and to a genre that has since evolved a few degrees.

For those unfamiliar with the Bl’ast musical modus operandi, diving right into their world is encouraged. This brief and tantalizing foray into visceral, aggressive hardcore has a consistent, deep mix with plenty of bite and sizzle. Equally slammin’ on any halfway decent ambient or cranked earbud listening system, the digital version of this release, which can be previewed in full below, will hopefully tide fans over until For Those Who’ve Graced the Fire!‘s Oct. 30 hard-copy release date. A full length album, featuring the monstrous rhythm section of Nick Oliveri (Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age) and Joey Castillo (Danzig, Queens of the Stone Age), is also planned with a “TBA” release date.

Viva la resistance.

Links:
Official Band Facebook Page
Official Band Website