Violent Elements

I always thought Beneath the Remains ended after their (excellent) "Quest of the Lost Souls" EP. As it happens, they kept some hidden recordings under the mattress. This ‘album’ (“Violent Elements”) was recorded soon after that EP, but remained unreleased for another decade. It comprises eight songs that may or may not have been intended as a full-length. I don’t know the story behind it. Perhaps they folded before finding someone to distribute it, perhaps they didn’t like how it sounded and shelved it, perhaps they just didn’t have enough time or money to finish it off.

Given that it eventually came out in 2010, this record sounds out of time and out of step with the music of that era. This style of grubby, death metal-ish NYHC has never been popular, but it has always had a rabid underground following. This stuff sounds rancid next to the newer styles of melodic metalcore that predominated when it was eventually released. This is not a criticism, it sounds great to my ears. These songs present us with a significant amount of new and unheard music. If you like this band, as I do, then you can’t go wrong with this.

On average, perhaps these songs are inferior to those on the EP. Some of the gloominess and darkness has been supplanted by thrashiness and speed. The vocals are less varied, being shoutier and lacking the introspective moments. The production is OK but feels rushed. I presume there were some last-minute production tweaks that never happened, for one reason or another. Such inconsistencies don’t present much of a problem. Music like this sounds better undercooked than overcooked. There is no sheen, and it sounds as rugged and hard as you might expect (or want).

The band’s signature move has always been their ability to vary the tempo from furious to slow and ugly, introducing momentous chuggy riffs en route. For this reason, my favourite songs here are "Empty Shell" and "Unsung Heroes". The former has some proper heavy thrashing riffs that would appeal to fans of Exhorder and Sepultura (naturally), but veers into a chorus of back-up vocals and then into a huge breakdown. The latter is probably the closest the band has to an ‘anthem’, with a catchy sing-along to draw the crowd in, and another massive breakdown.

This stuff is too sharp and well constructed to qualify as pure caveman music, but it isn’t exactly subtle either. This isn’t for people who like technicality, intricacy and melody (although some of that stuff is present, in small doses). This music is more for people who like the visceral thrill of violent, lurching, chugging riff transitions. I love that shit, and Beneath the Remains always had a knack for it (being much better at it than more famous bands, like All Out War and Merauder). “Violent Elements” might not represent the band at their peak, but it is as good as you need it to be.