“BROTALITY is band formed by 2 brothers based on faith, love & heavy music! We embrace the brutality of being counter-culture in today’s society.”
Ok so it’s always hard to critique a band that is on the same label as your own band, such as in this case and to be honest I don’t always enjoy it, but I am an impartial reviewer so regardless if you a friend or not or a fellow label mate or band I will always speak as it is, if you like it or don’t like it, it’s not my problem, but yours alone. I will still greet you down the depths of a dark alley.
So it was not so long ago that I was greeted with their first full length album, “Worldwide Desolation” in 2021 on Rottweiler Records. Certainly in my opinion one of the more important signings that Rottweiler Records has made and which was an impressive introduction to Brotality not only as a first full length album, but as a young band, both in its members and the band itself. Their progressively thrash leanings certainly outlaid a group with much talent and a bright future if they play their cards right. That onus also in part falls on the label which has in the meantime changed hands, and plays an important piece of the puzzle with the cards out laid before them, so let’s hope Rottweiler Records does not drop the ball with this band which could be one of the more important Christian metal bands going forward. To bring it all into context these young lads have opened for bands like Deep Purple and Judas Priest.
“The Woods Will End You” really starts in my opinion with “Nose Dive”, it hits hard from start to finish and highlights the quality song writing skill of the band and their ability to smoothly transcend through the different movements and moods of their songs. An important quality for me is the retention of energy through a song with a band like Brotality, and this again is something they generally do well, and have matured into from their last album. These New York boys carry that New York aggression that is often harboured in the famous New York Hardcore scene into their brand of progressive influenced thrash metal. For me “Nose Dive” could pass the critics on a hardcore stage. Bryce’s hair by the way is metal in its own right and deserves some sort of metal hair award if there was such a thing.
Back in 2017, two friends Donovan de Necker and Tom Mong began talks of creating Dispraised. Both agreed to make something very different and special for Christian punk rock fans to enjoy. Enter a true punk rock sound and style created by the two that in and of itself offers a critique against the mundane that passes for “punk rock” and has become only little more than milquetoast elementary school ear fodder. Dispraised took on Justin Ram (of the Grave Robber, The Jericho Harlot fame) as their drummer who held the same convictions and critical ideals that the band had clearly aired. Justin began to record live drums for Dispraised’s first full-length album, “Moral Rot.” which was released on January 28, 2022.
As much as hardcore and thrash metal feeds off of aggression and challenging societal norms, Hyderabad, India-based NYHC influenced band R.A.I.D would pleasantly alter this belief with their Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) based ideology.
Light Unseen recently signed with Rottweiler Records and releases “Visions Of Archetype & Apocalypse”. The album was previously released (2018) through Nosral Recordings.