The Batlord

Quite possibly the best extreme metal album I've heard which has come out in the past few years. It combines modern (non-Hot Topic) metalcore with death metal brutality and the chaotic energy of grindcore/crust punk. Blast 'n' grind sections seamlessly merge with devastating breakdowns that set themselves apart from deathcore bands by being based around honest to god riffs, rather than nondescript chugging. All set off by what I guess you could call post-death metal hardcore screaming (i.e. not growling, but far too ugly to compare to Black Flag, Madball, or even Hatebreed.)

The thing I love about this band (apart from everything else about them) is that their attack is simple, primitive, and goes straight for the throat, same as any other extreme metal band, but their influences keep them sounding eclectic. Why every band doesn't combine metal and punk in such a way I really don't know, but Homewrecker show a lack of genre purity that makes many extreme metal bands just as dedicated to aggression seem irrelevant. Still, this isn't experimental by any stretch of the imagination, just intuitive.

If there's any justice, this band will soon be knocking critically acclaimed boots with other first tier extreme metal bands.

Edit: After careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that this band is the modern successor to Terrorizer, and they are just as awesome. They also have two albums that rule, as opposed to just one.

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