One of the most positive surprises in 2010 was the “comeback” (if you want to call it so) of the legendary but often criminally unregarded Pale Creation. Hailing from the Cleveland area for almost 20 years, but musically always a bit different than their allies in Integrity or Ringworm, all Pale Creation releases became sought-after collectors items; even the compilation CD is pretty hard to find – although it was rereleased only a few years back. Anyway, last year saw the release of a new Pale Creation 7″ on A389 Records, the first new material since… I don’t know. Quite a long time for sure. And this was one of the very few Hardcore 7″s I really got into that year, it was simply amazing. So now TDON Records just released a split 7″ featuring Pale Creation and an Australian band called Abraxis. Can Pale Creation keep up with their former releases? And can Abraxis keep up with Pale Creation? Read it after the jump!
Short version of answering these questions: yes, no. Pale Creation definetely wrote two amazing songs, nothing less but a resumption of their former work. Like basically everything they did so far, those new songs are set in mid-tempo, with amazing riffs and strong, dark vocals. Maybe a little more of reverb on the lead guitar (like they often used it before) would have been fine, and a little more diversity vocalwise (like the sung parts on their last 7″ – damn they were awesome). Anyway, these points are nothing to keep you from enjoying those songs. The finale of the second one, Dreams Behold, is among my top 5 song-finales this months, heavy like a motherfucker.
On the flip side you’ll find one song, My Disease, by Abraxis. Abraxis are totally devoted to the classic Holy Terror sound à la Integrity, and they are copying this sound pretty well – but pretty uninspired. Especially this kind of Hardcore has been played so much throughout the last years, you have to come up with something a little more radical or innovative to catch up with the top bands of this genre. I mean Abraxis are quite good – they’re just doing nothing that hasn’t been done a hundred times before exactly the same way.
So picking a “winner” of this split record is too easy – Pale Creation rule, and you should order this record NOW. Damn.
You can order the split 7″ on thirtydaysofnightrecords.bigcartel.com.
Take a listen and buy digital:
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