Whenever any album is years in the making, there is bound to be a certain amount of hype around it, particularly if the band in question has an underground legacy to live up to. Cold World have exactly that legacy, and in the time passed since their last full length ‘Dedicated To Babies Who Came Feet First’, their cult following has continued to rise, waiting with baited breath for the moment a new album would be announced. From the moment you hit play on ‘How The Gods Chill’ and are greeted with the opening statement of “It’s almost like we were never there, we were just trying to make our mark in the world”, it is clear that this album has been worth the wait.
It may come as a surprise to many to see a hardcore album that has been heavily influenced by hip-hop released on Deathwish Inc, alongside blackened hardcore and crust bands like Young And In The Way and Trap Them, but if not as dark as those bands musically, ‘How The Gods Chill’ will match them pound for pound in both bleak and real lyrics. This is an album of harsh realities, and the day to day struggles in life that anyone trying to get by can find solace in. Drummer and main songwriter Nick Woj has always worn his heart on his sleeve in Cold World’s lyrics, and ‘How The Gods Chill’ is no exception. You will not find any macho posturing, or tough guy bravado here, just tales direct from the heart, set to the sound of crushing guitars, killer breakdowns, 90s grooves, melodic vocals, and a hip-hop vibe. Recorded at Studio 4 by Will Yip (Title Fight, Tigers Jaw) the production value has been upped, with every part being tweaked to perfection, all the while maintaining that raw sense of urgency from Cold World’s previous releases.
The one-two punch opening of ‘Blind’ and ‘The Real Deal’ crash and careen along in hard style, almost enough to make Madball jealous, then moving into a Life Of Agony style melodic groove on ‘Never Knows Best’. Frontman Dan Mills’ trademark vocal delivery is at its best – and most vicious – on ‘Cracks Of Hate’ which drops mid-way through into a hip-hop break, featuring rising Queens, NY rapper Meyhem Lauren. The genre bending on this album continues through and through, and is pulled off perfectly, never once upsetting the ebb and flow of this record. By their own admission, Cold World are influenced by everyone from Life Of Agony and Leeway, to Biohazard and Eric B & Rakim, all of which are clearly evident on ‘How The Gods Chill’, but this is what makes this record hardcore like you have never heard before.
One of the stand out tracks on the record is ‘Never’, which will be a future anthem for the disenchanted with its cry of “Do you feel alone in a crowded room?”, and also showcases what Cold World do best: straight-up hardcore punk. A theme that carries on through ‘Omega’, and the NYHC inspired track ‘Youthful Expression 2014’. We are then treated to the album highlight of ‘Hell’s Direction’ – featuring legendary multi-syllabic rapper Kool G Rap – that throws all the elements of the album that came before it into one melting pot of rap-rock and groove-laden hardcore. A perfect ending which makes you want to hit repeat.
It is hard to be original in hardcore these days, and as the years go by more bands appear, then fall by the wayside only to be forgotten about. That will not happen here, as Cold World transcend hardcore, and have created something truly special by making one of the most original albums in recent memory. This is not an entry level album that will be an instantaneous hit with anyone just discovering hardcore, but it will resonate with people who realise the true meaning and expression of hardcore, that it is more than how hard your breakdowns are, or how tough your vocals sound. When people discuss the classic albums that defined the hardcore genre – Sick Of It All’s ‘Scratch The Surface’, Madball’s ‘Set It Off’, Biohazard’s ‘Urban Discipline’, and so on – there is no doubt that ‘How The Gods Chill’ will be mentioned among them. This is hardcore in 2014, and this is the future of hardcore.
GLEN BUSHELL