Band : Terror

Album title : The Damned, The Shamed

Label : Century Media

Distributor : EMI

Release date : 23/05/2008

Release : CD

This Los Angeles based self-claimed self-styled "TerrorCore" outfir is one of the textbook examples of how a modern Hardcore band with the necessary work ethics (you gotta wanna go for touring just about àll the time possible, take on àny opportunity to get out on the road to promote your music!) and a little luck (to get that first deal) can make it from respected Underground band to one of the influencial bands in the scene!

Founded by former Buried Alive and Despair frontman Scott Vogel and Carry On guitarist Todd Jones, the outfit's first 4-track demo led to a deal with Takeover Records for a one-sided 7-inch single, which consequently drew the attention of respected Hardcore label Bridge Nine, who released the band's 9-track EP Lowest Of The Low in January 2003. East Coast dates during April saw the band touring with Ramallah and the legendary Ringworm. The outfit then increased their profile even more by signing to Trustkill, and their August 2004 debut One With The Underdogs for that label would include guest vocal appearances by non less than Hatebreed's Jamie Jasta, Scarhead & Crown Of Thornz' Lord Ezec, and Madball's Freddy Cricien. Summer of 2004 saw the band touring the US in support of Between The Buried And Me and Stretch Arm Strong. Planned ensuing Canadian gigs were cancelled when Vogel hurt his neck at the Aggressive Music festival, but he still contibuted a guest vocal on Agnostic Front's Another Voice album. In September, a video was filmed for the track "Overcome", and following several live appearances on their own account, Terror rounded off the year by a higprofile tour (during December) of North America linking 'em with Full Blown Chaos and Hatebreed. In May 2005 another high-profile tour of the US and Canada first saw the band allied with Cephalic Carnage, Shadows Fall, and Zao, and Trustkill re-issued the band's debut Lowest Of The Low with bonus unreleased material (a full live set from Tokyo) in a package with new artwork. Later in May (and throughout June) the band joined Comeback Kid, Modern Life Is War and Sinai Beach for yet another North American tour. In September the band returned to Canada for a series of gigs in a package also including Converge, Ciesed, and Mare. In December of that same year the band had to go look for a new bassist, and to make things worse guitarist Frank Novinec joined Hatebreed in March 2006.

Replacements were apparently swiftly found, stabilizing the line-up to the current one including Vogel, guitarists Doug Weber (there from the beginning) and Martin Stewart (played on Donnybrook's Lions In This Game), bassist Jonathan Buske (already contributed to AlwaysTheHardWay), and drummer Nick Jett (the 3 rd remaining original member). Having already recorded their upcoming album, the outfit returned to the road, crossing the Atlantic Ocean for their first Eurotour as part off the European edition of the Sounds Of The Undergroud festival tour (alongside All That Remains, Chimaira, Madball, Manntis, and Unearth)which started in the UK on May 10 th. In support of their upcoming DVD The Living Proof and new studio album Always The Hard Way (both released in July), the band again hit the road in June allied with Death Before Dishonor and Through The Eyes Of The Dead. The band then allied with the US part of the Sounds Of The Underground festival tour (this time partnered to As I Lay Dying, Behemoth, Cannibal Corpse, Gwar, In Flames, The Black Dahlia Murder, The Chariot, Through The Eyes Of The Dead, and Trivium) for gigs throughout the Summer.In September Terror allied with Animosity, Through The Eyes Of The Dead, and Unearth for continued live promotion in the US. More European live dates started late November on the European Persistence tour (other bands featured on that bill were Comeback Kid, Germany's Destiny, Madball, and Walls Of Jericho).

The beginning of 2007 saw Terror touring with All Shall Perish, Stick To Your Guns, The Warriors, and War Of Ages in the US. Throughout April and May, the band teamed up with Full Blown Chaos and No Turning Back for another European tour. During the Summer the guys not only recorded the material for the October 30 released EP Rhythm Amongst The Chaos (issued trough Reaper Records), but also the tracks which were to become this very album. Produced by the renowned Zeuss of Hatebreed and Shadows Fall repute, the recordings were done by early August, the band taking the luxury to leasurly poll for interest by other labels in their search for an even higher profile than before. The quintet then allied with Chimaira and Kataklysm for dates throughout November and December, and in March '08 they were direct supports on the US tour of the newly reformed Earth Crisis (the tour also including Down To Nothing, Recon, Shai Hulud, and Sworn Enemy). Within days after that tour, the band posted the happy news that they had signed to Century Media, and with only a couple of days of rest in between, the guys were back on European soil in a package deal with Burn The 8 Track, Death Before Dishonor, Ignite, and Strung Out for a sting of dates concentrating on Germany, while also playing a couple of dates in Holland, Austria, and Belgium. The end of April even saw the guys vear off to Russia for gigs in Moskou, St. Petersburg, and Petrozavodsk, before returning to more gigs in Western Europe (again returning to Belgium, amongst others) and again jumping over the Atlantic Ocean to do their 4 th tour of South America (which is about finished by the time you read this). Next up is a month's worth of "rest" (actually a gearing up for the upcoming 2-month tour of the US which will then ensue).

Hey...about time we talked about the band's music, right? If at least you don't know already what this band stands for, which is pure Hardcore driven essence with a musical twist of Thrash Metal just to make things a bit more aggressive overall, without ever losing sight of a decent portion of melodic content. Both Vogel's lead vocals and that of the backing singers have a hoarse quality to 'em which enhances the aggression factor even more! When you'll check out the songs posted at myspace.com/terror (only the one off the new album, 4 more off earlier material...and if you're looking for even more, check out the band's spot at trustkill.com), you may conclude that in essence the guys have hardly changed their style since the beginning days, but you'll also have to agree that theirs is a very effective one! Personally, I'll agree to the fact that unaware fans of both Hardcore ànd more aggressive Thrash Metal may need some listening sessions to get into the whole thing, even if the initial session will already give some determination as to whether you like or not. Hum...I guess continued listening sessions might even get original doubters across, eventually. One thing's for sure: you'll need very supple neck mussles to endure the tendency to headbang which will overcome you as soon as you get into the music!

Let this therefore count as the last warning from yours truly: if the above has sparkled an interest in the uninitiated to find out a little more about Terror's music, be prepared to be completely overwhelmed by the all-out fury the band will unleash upon you! Also be prepared to break open your wallet in order to get your own copy of any or all of the band's releases. In fact, the moment is very fortuitous, as there's a sale on all older stuff by the band at only $5.00 a piece from the band's webstore...check out the blog at their MySpace, but be quick enough about it, because I think the offer ends June 15 th!

Anyways...need I really tell ya that this is yet another addition to that "Best Albums Of 2008"-list of mine?

98/100

Tony.