What is Bordeaux known for? Excellent wine and food? Of course. Beautiful landscapes? Obviously. Insane, wickedly fast hardcore? If that last one threw you off a bit, then you need to get with the times and introduce yourself to Black Turpentine, Bordeaux’s most outrageously angry band, and today’s Band of the Day.
The French trio formed in 2014, but it was only this year that they released their debut LP. From listening to the LP, Failure, it is obvious that Black Turpentine have used every second of those years perfecting the ultimate hardcore beast. It is a caged animal; get too close, and it’ll bite your fingers off!
Failure as an LP is in contradiction with its title; it is a furiously quick gut-punch, rammed full with distorted guitars and shouted profanities. It is violent and aggressive and full of life. What’s more than all of this, however, is that it is immensely fun to listen to. You will not be able to listen to this LP without wanting to see the band live and mosh along to “Old Schemes” or “Dark Circles”. These songs, every last one, is bursting at the seams with how much music and life has been stuffed in to it, something which becomes obvious to listeners from the word go.
While the music has been expertly composed to produce something which is as menacing as it is catchy, the bottom line of Failure is that it is a thoroughly enjoyable, incredibly chaotic riot, and it absolutely begs for listeners to open up a pit and have a good old fashioned mosh. Black Turpentine may have only released their first LP, but the promise laid down by the band is staggering, and without a doubt, has me very excited for what they’re working on now. Maybe do a tour of Scotland as well, lads?
Failure is out now and is available from Black Turpentine’s Bandcamp.
