SLUG Contributor Limelight
September 5, 2019
Contributor Limelight: Peter Fryer
Senior Staff Writer Peter Fryer is a writer’s writer. Since March 2005, Fryer has covered his beat of hardcore music faithfully and masterfully. Even though his palate for music is vast, he maintains a focus on hardcore as a lifer who’s immersed himself in its history, tropes and ever-evolving styles and cultural permutations. Fryer’s favorite SLUG assignments include his interviews with Riley Gale from Power Trip and Kurt Ballou from Converge, and his reviews of Propagandhi’s Victory Lap and Planes Mistaken for Stars’ Prey. You can read Fryer’s review of Knocked Loose’s A Different Shade of Blue in this month’s issue on pg. 32—he maintains his penchant for proclaiming the hard work and artistic merit of musicians on the independent circuit. Hence, Fryer is all SLUG. We cherish having Peter Fryer on the team and love his work!
Articles by contributor
Local Music Singles Roundup: May 2022
Get your fix with our Local Music Singles Roundup! Take a ride with these six musicians as they celebrate their new releases and gear up to be wheel blown away. … read more
Local Review: Threar – Demo Tape ’21
Threar = Rise and Fall + Trap Them + Explosions in the Sky … read more
Local Review: NARC – Personifying the Antithesis of American Values
NARC = ACxDC + Weekend Nachos + Ceremony … read more
Local Review: Deathblow – Insect Politics
Deathblow = Exodus + Municipal Waste + Slayer … read more
Reviews: Piss Piss Piss – Never Herd of Ambeix
On the title track of Never Herd of Ambeix, Portland’s Piss Piss Piss call out punk elitism, purposefully misspelling and mispronouncing the progenitors of crust punk. Acceptance is not an uncommon sentiment in punk, but a dressing down of the genre’s litmus test ethos is interesting. … read more
Reviews: Phantom Glue – A War of Light Cones
Phantom Glue are drinking from the long tapped well of sludgy punk-infused stoner doom—perhaps this release would have sounded fresher were it to have come out in a timely manner, following its recording in 2011. … read more
Reviews: Stomach Earth – Self-Titled
Stomach Earth is the solo project of Mike “Gunface” McKenzie (Red Chord), and is being branded as a funeral doom record, although there are industrial sounds floating throughout, and the album isn’t sorrowful so much sorrowful as menacing. … read more
Reviews: Native – Orthodox
Like an amped up Minus the Bear channeling Fugazi and At the Drive-In , Native are putting the rock and hardcore back in math rock and post-hardcore. … read more
Review: Wrekmeister Harmonies – Light Falls
Wrekmeister Harmonies = Earth + ISIS + Godspeed You! Black Emperor … read more
Review: Wolves in the Throne Room – BBC Session 2011...
Ethereal as their studio recordings are, the BBC Session provides a different and equally as compelling experience. “Prayer of Transformation” is a slow and whispered black metal trek on Celestial Lineage, but in the live studio setting it shares a kinship with the patience-testing doom of Bell Witch and Samothrace. … read more
Review: Warfuck – Neantification
Warfuck = Magrudergrind + Wormrot + Insect Warfare … read more
Review: Violent Reaction – Marching On
Violent Reaction = Negative Approach + Agnostic Front + Blitz … read more
Review: Usnea – Random Cosmic Violence
Usnea = Samothrace + Disma + Winter … read more
Review: Trap Them – Blissfucker
School is in session, and Trap Them are teaching a graduate level course on how to make a blackened-crust hardcore record in 2014. Let me illustrate: first, that ride cymbal in the opening of “Habitland.” … read more
Review: Trigger – Start Our Revenge
Trigger = Magrudergrind + Man is the Bastard + Napalm Death … read more
Review: Today is the Day – Animal Mother
Today is the Day = Converge + Neurosis + Pig Destroyer … read more
Review: Total Abuse – Excluded
Total Abuse = Black Flag + Ceremony + Void … read more
Review: Stuntman – Incorporate the Excess
Chaotic and frenzied, France’s Stuntman packs an impressive amount into Incorporate the Excess. On its surface, this grind-influenced album would appear to be predominantly grind based, but with so many odd time signatures and syncopation, their assault is more calculated. … read more
Review: Sissy Spacek – Lead Their Exit
Sissy Spacek = The Locust + Wolf Eyes + Pharmakon … read more
Review: Seeker – Unloved
Knee-jerk reaction would lump these guys in with the somehow-still-prevalent deathcore genre, but Unloved lacks the breakdowns and the tech-noodling. What they do play is ferocious, syncopated rhythms where guitars serve as another percussive instrument, punctuated by slow interludes of open strumming. … read more
Review: Red Hare – Nites of Midnite
“Don’t want to not fit in in the wrong way” sings Shawn Brown on Red Hare’s debut, kicking style over substance square in the balls. Nothing less should be expected of a punk veteran like Brown, or the rest of Red Hare. Although technically a debut, Red Hare is essentially Swiz/Sweetbelly Freakdown with a new drummer, the raging Joe Gorelick (Bluetip). … read more
Review: Punch – They Don’t Have to Believe
Punch = Vitamin X + What Happens Next? + Suspect … read more
Review: Power – Heavy Muscle
Power = Bl’ast + Blacklisted + Cold World … read more
Review: Planes Mistaken for Stars – Prey
Planes Mistaken for Stars = Hot Water Music + Unbroken + These Arms Are Snakes … read more
Review: Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
Power Trip = Cro-Mags + Morbid Saint + Nuclear Assault … read more
Review: Propagandhi – Victory Lap
Propagandhi = Iron Maiden + Descendents + Rush … read more
Review: Pallbearer – Heartless
Pallbearer = Khemmis + Black Sabbath + Pink Floyd … read more
Review: Of Feather And Bone – False Healer
There is heavy music, and then there’s heavy music that makes you want to put your fist through a wall. Of Feather and Bone’s False Healer is one of them. … read more
Review: NAILS – You Will Never Be One of Us
Blood Eagle = Pig Destroyer + Weekend Nachos + Die My Will
… read more
Review: No Turning Back No Regrets
No Turning Back is no one’s favorite band. Sure, they probably have fans since they’ve been around for 15 years, and have seven full-length releases under their belt, but nothing they’re playing on No Regrets touches on any of the keystones of a memorable hardcore album. … read more
Review: Oathbreaker – Eros|Anteros
Eros|Anteros should be more enjoyable than it is—it’s like going to a restaurant where the menu looks amazing and the food is decent, but you won’t recall what you ate the next day. … read more
Review: Imperial Triumphant – Abyssal Gods
Imperial Triumphant = Deathspell Omega + Gorguts + Artificial Brain … read more
Review: Iron Reagan
Iron Reagan will initially be recognized for its membership, which counts two members of Municipal Waste and two members of Darkest Hour in its ranks, but this should be eclipsed by their music. … read more
Review: Integrity – Suicide Black Snake
If you have been following Integrity’s trajectory these past five years or so, through split after split, EP after EP, Suicide Black Snake is the natural evolution in Integrity’s arc. … read more
Review: Integrity – Systems Overload (A2/Orr Mix)
For as good as the original Systems Overload is, it’s firmly planted in 1995. The new mix is rawer and louder, and the instruments have more space. My only gripe is that everything is loud, making songs that should be more dynamic and punctuated lose potency as all dials are pegged at 11. … read more
Review: Great American Ghost – Everyone Leaves
Great American Ghost = American Nightmare + Pulling Teeth + The Suicide File … read more
Review: Haraball – Sleep Tall
Europe has produced many great hardcore bands, and by all accounts, Haraball should sound of a feather with OFF!, and in most regards they do. … read more
Local Review: Youth Choir – Demo 2013
The real story is that Youth Choir is making tight, succinct, raging hardcore that retains no shortage of ’80s hardcore and attitude. … read more
Local Review: Villain – Self-titled
Villain are the real deal. Bridging the gap between mid-paced, ’90s-style hardcore and the modern day, Villain’s four-song debut is 100-percent all the way through. Give me an amazing four-song EP any day over 10 songs of mediocrity. … read more
Local Review: Sorrowset – All Ends, Begin with Ease
Sorrowset = Baroness + Botch + Isis … read more
Local Review: Sonnets – Of Wrath and Sorrow
Sonnets = Angel Hair + City of Caterpillar + Love Lost But Not Forgotten … read more
Local Review: Scalps – Serenades Of An Abomination
We’re not talking dandruff shampoo here. Scalps is assuredly a reference to those bloody spoils of war—a perfect mascot for the music this band makes. … read more
Local Review: Repulse – Frail
Repulse = His Hero Is Gone + Rotten Sound + Trap Them … read more
Local Review: Mustard Tiger/Satanic Hispanic
This grind/fastcore/powerviolence split comes from two groups who don’t take themselves too seriously. Mustard Tiger, whose name is derived from an insult hurled during an episode of Trailer Park Boys, bring some raw jams to their side—and we’re talking raw. … read more
Local Review: Dead Revelator – Concrete Law
Concrete Law gets your head bobbing and is unmistakably Western, particularly in the interludes. … read more
Local Review: DiseNgaged – Hazardous
Hazardous is the debut effort from Salt Lake’s DiseNgaged, and, while uneven, many of the tracks show potential for the band. DiseNgaged deal in groove-oriented death metal and clearly have hardcore undertones. … read more
Local Review: Blood Eagle – Bloody Gull
Blood Eagle = Aksumite + Amon Amarth + Touché Amoré … read more
Review: Torche – Admission
TORCHE = Floor + Hum + Sleep … read more
Local Music Review: Shit Dogma – 2019 EP
Shit Dogma = Man is the Bastard + Discharge … read more
Review: G.L.O.S.S – Trans Day of Revenge
G.L.O.S.S. = Minor Threat + MDC + transgender identity … read more
Review: Full of Hell – Full of Hell & Merzbow
Full Of Hell = ACxDC + Noise + Weekend Nachos
… read more
Review: Falling Stacks – No Wives
Falling Stacks No Wives Battle Worldwide Street: 06.08 Falling Stacks = Mclusky + Burning Airlines + The Mae Shi Post-hardcore is a difficult genre to penetrate for me. The genre dances around the edges, obscuring meaning with angular guitar riffs and vocals that vacillate between lackadaisical mumblings and bursts of energy. These guys from Bristol
Review: Erlen Meyer – Self-Titled
Erlen Meyer = Celeste + Cult of Luna + Lycus … read more
Review: DSGNS – Hexes
DSGNS = Botch + Norma Jean + The Chariot … read more
Review: Drug Church – Paul Walker
The album is called Paul Walker, and there are songs named “Deconstructing Snapcase” and “Reading Youtube Comments.” … read more
Review: Drugs of Faith – Architectural Failures
If any genre should be bulletproof to experimentation and expansion, it’s grindcore, but in 2013, strong releases by Call of the Void and Beaten to Death have challenged this notion, and Drugs of Faith are right alongside them. … read more
Review: Earth Crisis – Salvation of Innocents
Earth Crisis Salvation of Innocents Candlelight Street: 03.04 Earth Crisis = Hatebreed + Cavalera Conspiracy + Skinfather How do you continue to be relevant some 20 years after you wrote one of the most iconic riffs in hardcore history? By releasing a concept album and comic book tie-in, of course. While it may seem like
Review: Deafheaven – New Bermuda
Deafheaven = Darkthrone + Built to Spill + Slowdive … read more
Review: Deafheaven – Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
Deafheaven = Alcest + Nothing + Emperor … read more
Review: Converge – The Dusk In Us
The Dusk in Us = The best parts of Converge’s albums since Jane Doe … read more
Review: Crowhurst – Self-Titled
Crowhurst = Deafheaven + Mutilation Rites + Wolvhammer … read more
Review: Code Orange – Forever
Code Orange = Disembodied + L7 + Blistered … read more
Review: Comeback Kid – Die Knowing
Comeback Kid Die Knowing Victory Records Street: 04.04 Comeback Kid = Bane + Figure Four + Terror Most reviews of Comeback Kid are mired in the details of the band’s circumstance, singers, Victory Records, etc. Here’s the deal: Die Knowing is one of the most energetic and invigorating hardcore records I’ve heard in a while.
Review: Celeste – Animale(s)
Listening to Animale(s) is not enjoyable. It’s a tough, thick, oppressive listen, sung in French, with few moments of respite from what sounds like 100 guitar tracks crunching over relentless drumming. … read more
Review: Cerebral Ballzy – Jaded and Faded
Cerebral Ballzy = The Ramones + Circle Jerks + The Only Ones … read more
Review: Bullet Treatment – Ex-Breathers
For some bands, a rotating cast of musicians is not their most notable aspect, but rather a necessary extension of the transitioning musical nature of the principal member. … read more
Review: BoySetsFire – While a Nation Sleeps
In an alternate universe, BoySetsFire would enjoy the popularity that the endless stream of emocore (or scene, or whatever they’re called these days) bands receive. … read more
Review: Baroness – Purple
Baroness = Mastadon + Hot Water Music + Kylesa … read more
Review: Baptists – Bloodlines
Baptists = Converge + Disfear + All Pigs Must Die … read more
Review: Ceremony – In the Spirit World Now
Ceremony = Wire + Devo + New Order … read more
Review: Knocked Loose – A Different Shade of Blue
Knocked Loose = Jesus Piece + Disembodied + Year of the Knife
… read more
Local Review: Voidsmen – VOIDSMEN EP
Voidsmen = Baroness + These Arms are Snakes + Metal … read more
Review: Unruh – Tombs 3xLP Discography
In celebration of their 20th anniversary, Unruh’s discography is being reissued as a 3 LP box set. The set contains Unruh’s two full-lengths, Misery Strengthened By Faith and Setting Fire to Sinking Ships, as well as a third disc of their various 7”s and demo recordings. … read more
Local Reviews: V/A
The size, popularity and volatility of the Salt Lake hardcore scene has ebbed and flowed over the years, and it only takes a cursory glance at the posts on grudgecityactivities.com to realize this. However volatile and large or small, the scene is (I remember packed shows at Bricks back in the late 90s and small shows in band practice spaces) something that is never absent is intensity. … read more
Review: This Ain’t Your Mom’s Hardcore vol. 2
V/A This Ain’t Your Mom’s Hardcore vol. 2 Full Lock Media 7.24.07 TAYMH= Solid State Bands + Ferret Bands + Boring Spazzy metalcore If you are dyed in the wool fan of Solid State Records or Ferret Records this may be the release for you. The only enjoyment I can see anyone getting out of
Review: Le Petit Lieutenant
Le Petit Lieutenant Xavier Beauvois Koch Lorber Films Street: 04.17 The police crime genre is one that is inundated with small variations on ultimately similar stories. A rookie cop is usually a prime main character, said rookie cop is a standout of his class, an out of the ordinary crime occurs and the rookie cop
Local Reviews: Esther
Esther’s self-released EP, Common Choirs, finds its groove in the post-hardcore/ screamo realm—it would sit well on the shelf next to late ’90s/early ’00s genre releases. The hallmark heart-on-your-sleeve, metaphorical lyrics are abundant, just waiting to be turned into tattoos/T-shirts/Facebook status updates, and are backed by emotive guitar lines that dip into heavier territory than others of this genre might. … read more
Local Review: Yaktooth
There are a few key things you need to know about Yaktooth: They like to talk about North Korea and Kim Jong Il, and they like to play math rock. Yaktooth wouldn’t be out of place on Hydra Head’s roster, and their jams rock.
… read more
In the Trenches with RJ Philips of Life Long Tragedy
Hardcore’s longevity is a testament to the constant need of an outlet for angry disillusioned youth. It is all contingent on a seemingly endless stream of youth that are passionate beyond their years, but with the youthful mantra of “I hope I die before I get old.” In recent years, the media, corporations and mall-punk
Maximo Park Show Review
Maximo Park July 19 Larimer Lounge Monsters are Waiting The giant Zune (Microsoft’s sort of answer to the iPod) bus out front of the Larimer Lounge was a dead give away that a band more grandiose than the average 1986 Econoline-driving group was playing. I was expecting stage props, swank industry professionals and wall to
Explosions In The Sky | Denver
3-26-08 Ogden Theater-Denver, CO Explosions in the Sky is not a band you go to see for the dance party. But don’t tell that to the guy in front of the stage with the Romanowski Jersey doing his tomahawk chop-finger point – air drum – beat your palms on the stage dance. He was
Converge w/ Red Chord, Baroness, and Genghis Tron
4.13.08With a packed bill like this you know that it’s going to be a good show. Converge alone is worth the price of admission, but I was excited to see how the rest of evening would turn out. First up was Genghis Tron. Their spastic drum-machine infused electronic metal amalgam was as involving live as
Dethklok @ Fillmore Auditorium (Denver)
Initially, this seemed like a strange bill of bands, but in hindsight it offered Dethklok the chance to showcase some talented, lesser-known bands, and allowed those talented, lesser-known bands to lend even more credibility to the metal mythos of Dethklok. … read more
Converge: The Kurt Ballou Interview
I sat down with Kurt Ballou, guitar mastermind of Converge and recording guru of Godcity Studio, before their show Oct. 10 in Denver. He had a lot to say. We got to talking about high school bands, solar powered cars and of course, the new Converge album. … read more
National Music Reviews – May 2012
New and recent releases from Ane Brun, fIREHOSE, Gift of Gab, Mean Jeans, Saint Vitus, Sleepy Sun, Torche, Zammuto and many more are reviewed. … read more
Local Review: Rocky Mountain District
For the past few years, bands have been rescuing the screamo moniker from its relegated position as an evil music genre epithet, a cause furthered by Rocky Mountain District. Brandishing their swords and screams proudly, and recording their performance in brilliant lo-fi glory, any notions of the negative connotation of emo and screamo are cast aside. … read more
Singing Those Armageddon Blues: An Interview with Power Trip’s Riley...
It was an interview that almost didn’t happen. After not one, but two failed attempts at speaking with Power Trip frontman Riley Gale, it seemed that this piece wasn’t to be. Fortunately, a third go found SLUG and Gale on the phone discussing everything from the awesome, “WTF” lineup of Power Trip’s upcoming tour and new material to graphic novels and the militarization of police.