Someone, somewhere knows something. It’s not a secret, but they’re keeping it from you. They know it and you don’t. Earlier this year Music For Nations signed Flesh Creep and re-released their debut album ‘We Need You To Bleed’. It’s because they knew. Listening to new EP ‘Glimmer’ you’ll know it too.
Despite their disgusting band name Flesh Creep aren’t a deathcore band or a grindcore outfit. Their music is based on hardcore in the vein of Sick Of It All or This Is Hell but with their mixture of breakdowns, lead guitars and spoken/yelled vocals a closer comparison is Feed The Rhino. Basically, if you like your music aggressive and slightly dangerous, you’ll love it.
Opener, ‘Flake’ tells you exactly what to expect. Shoulder-shrugging marching, a blast of hardcore then swirls of lead guitar, it’s vicious, snarling and surprisingly droll. Every song plays in this space, but each is different.
The band describe their music as ‘power violence’ but the songs are surprisingly melodic, not beautiful melodic, but you can feel yourself grooving to the chord changes, or at least you can until the breakdowns kick in, and they love a good breakdown, sometimes multiple breakdowns back-to-back. While this could be off-putting, they do have a trick, structure. Despite the songs repeatedly changing shape they’re also anchored, giving them a wild, barking-dog viciousness without becoming unchained. It’s that illusion of freedom which is so satisfying. This is particularly true of ‘Cheap Heat’ which goes around and around and around, clearly designed to start a circle pit while being underpinned by riffs. It’s very impressive.
Flesh Creep write short songs. Despite doubling the length of those on their debut album, these are still short, but fleshed out and pointed. Indeed, ‘Straight Flush’ is all about momentum and its guitars sting like a swarm of bees, while the post-chorus riff on ‘Bubblegum’ swings back and forth, cutting like a saw. By comparison ‘Optics’ appears to be an outlier, slowing things down with an unsettling, slightly evil guitar part, and then tightens all the screws, making for a memorable rush of riffs and feedback. It’s choices like these that help distinguish the songs from each other and Flesh Creep from other bands.
Tom Bienkowski’s throaty yells are varied enough to hold your attention and work incredibly well with the rugged music. Spoken passages litter the verses with a delightfully condescending tone, particularly him muttering ‘the adults are talking’ or where he cries ‘Clean up on aisle five’ before a massive, massive breakdown hits. There’s also a knowing irony to ‘Straight Flush’ where he takes a Radiohead chorus and twists it into a ferocious spit-ball, completely changing its meaning. Between the joyful roar that opens ‘Flake ‘ and the wicked burst of laughter on ‘Bubblegum’ you can feel his energetic, fun performance.
They know it. Now you do too. Flesh Creep are a stunning hardcore band. ‘Glimmer’ tells you everything you need to know. It’s a blistering, exciting EP that froths with enthusiasm.
IAN KENWORTHY