Review: “Internal Revolution” by Peacemaker

“Internal Revolution is a kind of summary of the band’s activity from 2017 to 2024. These are nine very diverse songs with different tempos and atmospheres. We wondered for a long time if and how we would record these songs and how we would release them: singles, EP or maybe a full album…? Finally we made the decision to record and release a full album after establishing cooperation with Dawid (Spook Records)” ~ Peacemaker

Originally formed in 1996 in Rawicz Poland, Peacemaker have been playing music together since 1998, sharing stages with numerous bands from the Hardcore, Metal, Grind and Punk scenes including Ass To Mouth, Mortemorium and Icon Of Evil. Several periods of inactivity due to line up changes have often caused delays in the bands recorded works, however 2005 saw them unleash album “Brave New Day” independently, their hybrid of Death Metal and Hardcore an unstoppable force. Returning to the grindstone, music for their album “Internal Revolution” was recorded in 2024 before being mixed and mastered by Jarek Wysocki at Soundscope Recording Studio (Guantanamo Party Program, 71TonMan, Crimson Valley) in Wrocław Poland. Old school style cover artwork was done by Mieszko Jankowski (Night Lord, Morrath, Leprozorium) and one glance at it makes us think about the legendary Stampin’ Ground…

Raw and uncompromising, “Internal Revolution” opens with “(We come) from nowhere“, a cut soaked in the influences of early Sepultura and Hatebreed.  Accenting on the harsh as nails on a chalk board vocals adds a distinctive charm that sounds more Latin American than Polish but the English lyric sheet is easily followed. As you would expect, the guitars are crushing but its actually the drum sound where this record comes into its own. It may not be as clean and crisp as one would like but here that gives the record a live from the floor feel. “Stay human” finds the five piece joined by Jakub “Brasi” Jaskulski of Bloodstained fame and as they descend into madness in down tuned chugs, the sinister and menacing monster rises. An off kilter solo in the final throes is a nice touch, throwing back to the 90’s Florida Death Metal scene like a quarterback in the Superbowl. Stylistically the churning continues into lead single “Infected Mind“, the squeals in the riff turn around adding a touch of class. Chanted lyrical moments will catch you off guard, the subliminal voices commanding you join in with your fist in the air in the land of hypocrisy. Its easily done, even on the first spin, such is the instant appeal and gratification that this record offers. A false ending in the middle of the bruising “Today is the day” allows for a verse of downtempo caustic abrasions before rising back up to killing speed, lyrics like “So many thorns, So many wounds” screaming of real pain with grit and integrity. That flows nicely into title track “Internal revolution” which has guitars rooted in the 90’s Hardcore style of bands like Biohazard but a tone that is pure unadulterated Death Metal. Bands like Dripback spring to mind when listening to this one although they’re actually too young to have been an influence.

A dark tale of war between dictators fuelled by greed and the bodies that lay in their wake, “Hate crosses borders” feels like you’re being crushed underneath the weight of a tank. Spine juddering riffage and caustic vocals are par for the course but the powerhouse rhythmic dynamic of this one is something else entirely as the psychological warfare plays out in monstrous fashion. Flipping the script and pulling out some staccato riff breaks, the heavy end Metallic Hardcore of “The rat race has started” feels more personal as it brings another dimension to the bands sound. It’s like the five piece looked at each other across the rehearsal space and said “let’s do this how we want to do it; f*** what they say, this one is for us” and that attitude and approach has helped keep things fresh with new ideas rather than becoming stagnant. On that subject, the main riff of “99 thousand of lies” sounds like it was borrowed from the first Coal Chamber record and yet its still a surprising punishment beating. Simple and yet lethally effective, it’s about as much fun as you can have without diving into a swimming pool of piranha. A grand finale of a kind, the unhinged cries of “love, hate, anger, death” are very much the “Words of my life” as the single that first reared its ugly head in 2017 bring the bloodstained curtain down on this one with riffs to spare [7/10]

Track Listing

1. (We come) from nowhere
2. Stay human (ft. Jakub “Brasi” Jaskulski from Bloodstained)
3. Infected Mind
4. Today is the day
5. Internal revolution
6. Hate crosses borders
7. The rat race has started
8. 99 thousand of lies
9. Words of my life

“Internal Revolution” by Peacemaker was released on 31st October 2024 via Spook Records and is available over at bandcamp