OSMANTIKOS

I made the trek to Oakland last night to see ALPINIST and MASAKARI level a filthy warehouse, and even the mid show appearance of my least favorite Bay Area pit dick couldn't dampen my mood. Simply crushing displays from both bands, and it reminded me that I've been meaning to post this Malaysian gem for a while. The Dare To Rise cassette EP from 2010 takes obvious cues from mid '00s American melodic hardcore/crust and adds relentless fury and intensity to the assault. Generous attention is paid to the low end of the register, and the vocalist(s) have clearly spent their spare time snuggling up close to HHIG and FAR records. But OSMANTIKOS do not sound even remotely like a rehash of old sounds, rather they have used those sounds as a framework for creating their own. This, and a new EP, are available from Bullwhip if you feel like supporting the scene - but even if you just listen, this is devastating. I welcome a new wave of bulldozer crust coming to level us all soon.

DARE TO RISE