Poison The Well
“Tear From the Red”
(Trustkill Records)
Brilliant album. Showcasing the best of what happens when really emotional metallic scream drenched hardcore can find some melodic within its assault. Both the vocals and music are able to toggle between harsh, abrasively aggressive deliveries and an almost Deftones sense of a melodic breakdown.
It’s about an 80/20 balance of the heavy against… not so heavy. These frail breakdowns cradled within the brutally rough metal/punk hybrid typically referred to as ‘hardcore’ are why Poison The Well are one of these bands that just command respect, regardless if your particular tastes lean toward this intense of a sound.
The song “Lazzaro” displays this dichotomy well when it pulls back into a minimal crisp and rolling crunch of one note guitar rides and accenting drums over which the vocals come gliding in. Mix it out into the hardcore, and then even combine the hardcore singing in the melodic guitar part. Poison The Well shine with their ability to craft unpredictable songs that don’t lose their focus along the way. Much in the same way a band like Tool can move a song around, Poison The Well are the hardcore version breaking out of the mold. The sheer intensity of the vocals will keep them firmly underground, but I’ve seen it live, and the underground is quite aware of Poison The Well. Where you been?
