Album Review: APF Records - The Sound Of Heavy 2020
Reviewed by Tim Finch
APF Records may not be a record label familiar to everyone, especially if you don’t regularly listen to the heavy side of the underground metal scene in the UK. So let me briefly introduce them. Formed in Salford in 2017 by Andrew Field, the label has built a foundation in highlighting the work of some lesser known acts and thrusting them into the limelight.
On 31st May 2017, the label released Under’s ‘Slick’ album, catalogue number APF001, the first of what would be many. In the three years that have followed the label has amassed a back catalogue of 48 albums, EP’s, singles and compilations covering the stoner, sludge, doom, black metal, thrash and alternative uneasy listening.
To celebrate the label’s third birthday, Andrew Field has put together a twenty six track compilation album, spanning the labels history and highlighting some of the best talents in the British metal scene with all profits from the sale of the compilation going to South Liverpool Food Bank, a gesture that the label has repeated throughout the COVID-19 crisis multiple times.
So it’s time to strap in and take this compilation for a ride, whilst I cannot feature all twenty six bands in this review (for fear of boring you all) I’ll do my best to summarise this behemoth of a double album.
From the start you are into the downright heavy and abrasive stuff’s. The haunting opening of Beggar’s ‘Blood Moon’ leads into the expansive ‘Pain, Grief and Suffering’ from Desert Storm a song that takes the listener through the three stages it’s title describes in musically accurate fine detail before leading us into the slow and bowel clenchingly heavy Voidlurker offering ‘Bitchcraft and Misery’.
The first volume of this double album continues through a plethora of APF’s favourite bands before it hits some new tracks, Possessor’s cover of the Iron Maiden instrumental ‘Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)’. Following the intriguing take on that classic it’s PIST’s turn to step up to the plate with a cover of their own… Darkthrone’s ‘Fuck Off And Die’. A step away from the usual PIST sound and an outstanding cover of this unique track.
It’s more of the same on the second volume of the compilation. Kicked off by War After War’s previously unreleased track ‘Ignorance. The Sabbath inspired intro lulling the listener into a false sense of security before the brutality arrives to smack you in the face. The band with the best name on the album – and possibly the best band name in the country – Trippy Wicked and The Cosmic Children Of The Knight donate the previously unreleased ‘Carat’ to the compilation. The rough and ready production of the song suiting their sound perfectly, helping to add a layer of fuzz to this uncharacteristically quick number.
Things get heavier still as The Grand Mal’s ‘Explode’ kicks in which leads us nicely into BongCauldron’s live recording of ‘I’ve Been Sick’ with its beautifully low bass complimenting perfectly complimenting the rasping vocals. The second volume rounded out, rather fittingly by Under, who featured on the labels first release three years ago.
This compilation album does two things, perfectly highlights just how good the underground British metal scene is and highlights what a good job Andrew Field has done fostering a young label and promoting some of the best talents the country has to offer.
We can’t recommend enough that you check out this album, all the artists mentioned above, plus the ones we missed… Battalions, A Horse Called War, Diesel King, Mastiff, Tides of Sulfur, Video Nasties, Barbarian Hermit, Nomad, Widows, Trevor's Head, The Brothers Keg, Gandalf The Green, Sound of Origin, The Hyena Kill, Tronald, and Red Eye revival.
We just hope you go out and buy this record now, celebrate the label and help South Liverpool Food Bank along the way!
>> BUY THE RECORD HERE <<
