28th November 2024

Review: “Voluntary Serfdom” by Pyrecult

Mixed by Andy Nelson (Weekend Nachos, Sinister Feeling, Vermin Womb) and mastered by his cohort Pete Grossmann (Frail Body, Indisposed, Mouth For War) both at Bricktop Recording, “Voluntary Serfdom” marks a return for Paris France based Blackened Hardcore quintet Pyrecult after seven years in the wilderness. Themes of war, revolution and violence were at the heart of their previous two EPs, 2015’s “Sought To Overthrow” and 2017’s “Obedience“, something which continues here although there is so much more with a social commentary and the demise of mankind all part of this new, malevolent evil…

The savage beating gets underway swiftly and remorselessly with the classic like “I’m not locked in here with you, you’re locked in here with me” from Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach in 2009’s Watchmen, set in a Beatdown flavoured Hardcore surrounding designed to open up mosh pits. A throwback to yesteryear its a punch of aggression that will crack a smile on the face of even the hardest of Metal heads before title track “Voluntary Serfdom” returns us to the bands more traditional Blackened Hardcore territory. A vicious tune of barbed origins, it combines scalding vocals with riffs for two steppers in a way which everyone can enjoy and while it may not be unique it’s certainly a rare gemstone in the hills that surround Paris. The bands choice of abrasive guitar tone gives cuts like “World Ablaze” a raw quality as they begin to sound like “Roots” era Sepultura playing Hatebreed covers for shits and giggles. Pummelling percussion and staccato riff breaks push the envelope but its the throat shredding vocals which place it in the palm of your hand. The end of humanity is a bleak subject matter but the apocalypse is one which they embrace.

“Now you’re not naïve enough to think we’re living in a democracy, are you buddy?” said Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko in 1987’s Wall Street, a sample which ushers in the darkly oppressive largely instrumental “Breather“. A crushing track that has some demonic growls and hints at Doom Metal influences with its slow, meandering pace, it’s a fine example of what this band can do when they put their collective minds to the task. Machine gun percussion injects fresh energy into “Chains” as the band return to their staple Hardcore with vim and vigour, the root of all evil perhaps being a Slayer influence underneath the weight of it all. Breakdowns begin to pile up like fat pancake stacks, so much so that a shares in a tow truck company are needed to sort out the mess. The death nail in the coffin is the Noise Metal of “Oblivion“, a cut of hell sounds and brutal screams that are enough to make the neighbours think an exorcism is taking place [7.5/10]

Track Listing