Album Review: Concrete - Free Us From Existence
Reviewed by CJ Claesson
In an obscure interview from 2014, Concrete singer and lyricist Lenny Fletcher stated that the band name just came to him and that he’s a fan of band names that are just one solid word. Perhaps unbeknownst to him, the band name would also become a reflection of their musical journey. The definition of concrete is “a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement that hardens over time”. With ‘Free Us From Existence’ Concrete proves that the time is now.
Forged in late 2010, Albany, NY unit Concrete entered the NYHC stage delivering thrashy, high-energy hardcore, rooted in the “old school” sound solidified by the likes of Leeway and Killing Time. Their following releases presented an increasingly heavier and darker image. Three years has passed since their 2017 full-length album ‘Everything Ends Now’ was released, and since then the band has reinforced their sound by exploring new sonic territory, ultimately making Concrete harder than ever.
Simply by sporting Cryptopsy and Marduk merch in the promo shots, it’s clear that this release will tick all my boxes. With a solid foundation in heavy hardcore, Concrete unites elements of black and death metal on ‘Free Us From Existence’. Produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by Shane Frisby and Pete Rutcho of The Brick Hit House (Revocation, The Ghost Inside, Bury Your Dead), the band unleash a battering audio experience filled with skull-crushing beatdowns, black metal blasts and of course a gun getting cocked and fired in the hate filled number ‘Psychological Crucifixion’. A pre-breakdown gunshot always hits the spot.
The production is noticeably elevated on this album which enhances the display of genre symbiosis and overall experience of the album. If not executed properly, the mix of black metal and heavy hardcore elements can appear a bit disjointed. However, ‘Free Us From Existence’ is an extremely coherent album which presents the bands vision of multi-genre brutality. Pit veterans know exactly what to do after the last sentence ‘Spare us not!’ in ‘Parasites’ and in-the-back-headbangers can get their sway on during six-minute closing black metal / hardcore escapade ‘Apthotic Mirror’. This album has something for everyone. Kind of like Lunchables but packed with barbed wire and knuckle sandwiches.
Did I expect H2O or Youth of Today-style hardcore positivity on this record? No, I didn’t. But if I did, I’d be very disappointed. The lyrical themes on this record are entrenched in negativity with a focus on the disintegration of humanity caused by online addiction, hatred, and the indifference of it all. It’s undeniably a pissed-off record with lyrics to convey that message. A lot of the lyrics would also make great back prints, which is just a bonus.
With steady hands on the steering wheel Concrete push the pedal to the metal with ‘Free Us From Existence’ showing no sign of pumping the breaks. A decade after their creation, the band delivers a perfect blend of extreme music solidifying their place in the scene for years to come.
‘Free Us From Existence’ is out via Black Voodoo Records and Blood Blast Distribution on August 7th.
