After a decade of existence, The Right Wing Conspiracy independently released their 5th full length album “To Defy” on the 3rd of August 2016. This Christian Grindcore band from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina USA was formed in the year 2006, and lists Napalm Death, Nasum, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Brutal Truth and Godflesh as some of their influences. The band featured former members of Zadok and Clear Convictions. In the past, the band had shared the stage with Diecast, Grave Robber, Early Graves, The Secret, Death Before Dishonor, Finger Painted Death, At Half Mast, The Hundredth, Conception of Being, The Creepshow Mofo, SAVAS, and many others. Synonymous with the band’s name, their lyrics are outspoken, satirical and politically incorrect.
The album opens up with “To reap” which gives a good blasting on the drums and heavy guitar chugs but ends in no time moves on to the title track “To Defy” which again ends as soon as the listener gets the hold of what was shoved down one’s ears. This formulaic continues for the rest of the album, and song after song we get jolts of shock lasting for about a minute. The album finishes up in less than 15 minutes, considering it has 17 tracks listed, makes one believe that all tracks would be chosen in some order to deliver something extra-ordinary. But that’s not the case here, as the songs have abrupt openings and equally abrupt closing.
Few songs however do stand out from the rest of the album, such as “Criminal Lawyer”, “Dead End”, “Lights out” and “Filth”. They deliver a punch in the short time they get on the album and are definitely a notch up and helps pickup the ratings on this album.
Although not a big fan of the grindcore myself, I gave this album multiple attempts to impress me, but it just didn’t click. Being so uptight and upfront would have not helped review this album, so I let go of my biases and listened to this record after a break. All I hear on the songs are machine guns muffled drum beats, incomprehensible growls, plebeian guitar work, no solos, no melody. The songs itself rarely cross the minute mark, which makes it difficult for the mood or the idea of the song to set it. Before I could really get hold of a song and understand the structure, the song changes.
Production – The production on the album isn’t good, the songs haven’t been mixed well, and I hear a lot of channels overlapping which makes the album sound more like a live performance.
Conclusion – If you truly dig the Grindcore genre, you may want to give it a listen, for all others I would suggest you, Skip it!
Rating: 6/10
Written by: Ankit Sood
Track list:
01. Reap
02. To Defy
03. The Chemist
04. Lost
05. The Blame Game
06. Overdose
07. Denial
08. Betrayed
09. Stubborn
10. Criminal Lawyer
11. Dead End
12. The Anti Hero
13. Filth
14. Cheap Grace
15. Coexist
16. Lights Out
17. Dilemma
Band Members:
Rafael-guitar
Luis-bass
Discography:
“Give War a Chance!” (2007)
“Separation of God and State” (2009)
“The Right Wing Conspiracy/ Eternal Mystery” split (2010)
“Alternate World” (2011)
‘Santa Claus is NOT coming to Town’ single (2013)
“The Slaughtered Lamb Split” (2014)
“The Remake” (2014 bandcamp)
“The Remake” (2015)
“To Defy” (2016 bandcamp)
“To Defy” (2017)
Record Label: SkyBurnsBlack Records, Feb. 2017
Buy the album here:
Holland: First Paradox
Norway: Nordic Mission