Mourner’s The Rising End

Mourner, hailing from Minneapolis, are a hardcore band who dabble in the dark arts of blackened crust. “The Rising End,” their newest offering, is heavy on the hardcore but pleases with its measured use of black metal and crust. This music is abrasive to be sure, but not to the point that some of their peers do, providing a sharper sound than one is normally accustomed to. The production is definitely a strong point here, everything is heard concisely.

“The Rising End’s” absolute strong point is how much fun the band has with its subject matter in respect to their style. Punk rock aesthetics soar like fiery-winged angels descending on a beleaguered battleground. Being a shit person never sounded so good, or ferocious for that matter. Black metal tempos hammer with vigor, racing alongside D-beat threats that ride in and out of passages carved of pain and loneliness.

Mourner put forth some terribly honest effort here and it shows. “The Rising End’s” energy is at times palpable, especially on penultimate track “Dying.” Opener “58th and Bloom” and immediate follow-up “Knives Twist” are the prime examples of that great aesthetic that runs itself through the record. This is a deliciously bitter sandwich of a record with the crust not cut off, and gratefully so.

“Young and Ruined” is pitch-black, arranging its chords into icy formations that tuck gently at punk’s hand, inviting it to join in as long as it does what its told. The speed here flags the sorrow that moves beneath the surface, a track of sublime longing. The nihilistic, blast-beat riddled “Mouthfuls of Dirt” follows “Young and Ruined” perfectly from hell, mixing the latter’s contemplative agony with the record’s more neck-snapping speeds.

Mourner’s “The Rising End” is a solid listen, worth every minute and quite catchy for its coarse sound. The record can be purchased (physically, digitally) and listened to here, in addition to their other releases. Please do enjoy.