Detroit’s Possession1981 unleashes a flurry of occult, blackened beatings on their forthcoming EP, Faster on Fire.
Comprised of former members of Fero Lux, Possession1981 weave together elements of blackened hardcore, screamo, and metalcore into a caustic sound full of chaos and character. Though this particular mixture of styles may sound preposterous on paper, the opening track on Faster on Fire’s A-side, “Dog Will Feast,” will quickly convert the doubters. “Dog Will Feast” delivers an onslaught of muscular, pummeling rhythms and piercing noise riffs, whose violence is only exacerbated by a bestial guest vocal performance from Remembering Never’s Peter Kowalsky. The addition of brooding, blackened sensibilities add a new dimension of heaviness to the track, and keeps it out of the stock metalcore realm.
“Realfuckingnightmare” follows next with an adrenaline-pumping assault of dissonant, razor-sharp riffs and tumultuous drumming, which ultimately lead to a breakdown of seismic proportions. The tracks “Pendulum Has Swung” and “Faster on Fire” follow a similar approach in that they both subject the listener to cacophonous bursts of atonal riffage and bruising, metallic hardcore beatdowns, though the latter track showcases more blackened screamo characteristics à la pg.99. The record’s third track, “Salamander Letter,” stands out from the pack with its emphasis on straight-forward black metal instrumentation and haunting atmospherics, which are intermingled with shrieking mathcore. The track “Dangerous Thought” also sticks out for being a straight-to-the-point hardcore slammer whose rage is heightened by Ren Remirez’s scathing guest vocals.
Possession1981 decided to include a short collection of previously-released material as a bonus for Faster on Fire’s B-side. This includes a duo of heavy-hitters titled “Don’t Wanna Hear It” and “Cemeterio Clandestino” from a previous split release, as well as their doomy take on Have a Nice Life’s “Bloodhail.” If the listener enjoyed any part of side A and is unfamiliar with the band’s previous material, then Faster on Fire’s B-side will be the icing on the cake.
In summation, Possession1981’s Faster on Fire is a no-holds-barred riff-fest that will please those who enjoy it when their music smacks them in the face.
Rating: 8/10
Release Date: 10/1/2021
Label: Cliff Parade Records
Favorite Tracks: “Dog Will Feast” and “Pendulum Has Swung”
For Fans Of: Ed Gein, Majority Rule, and pg.99
Mathcore Index 