Sunday 19 November 2017

IN THE NAME OF HAVOC

BandIN THE NAME OF HAVOC
GenresPunk / Rock / Hard Rock / Hardcore / Metal / Alternative / Metalcore
Related artistsYoo Doo Right, The ScowlsVeranda liv, GG Peach, False Lives and The Inside Track.
CountryMontreal, Québec CANADA
Years Active2014-present
Song: "It's So Damn Cheap to Look This Damn Good"
Album: "Loose Teeth split"
Year: 2017
For fans ofEvery Time I Die, Von Wolfe, The Bronx, Protest The Hero, Between The Buried And Me, Leveless, Deftones, Thrice and Alexisonfire.
Label(s): Self Released
This post's artist is from the November 2017 Mix. This is track #4.
You can download: the November 2017 Mix#11 right here or get the new December 2017 Mix#12 here.

I first heard about Montreal's IN THE NAME OF HAVOC when the band messaged me hoping to jump on a show in Hamilton on September 3rd, 2016 to which I was able to provide, along with Not For You, Sarin, La Luna and my old band The World That Summer (review/videos linked here). They stayed at my house, were super nice people put on a great set. A few weeks later, on September 22nd to be exact, The World That Summer played a show in Montreal with IN THE NAME OF HAVOC (abbreviated as ITNOH) and they were even better (review/videos linked here). It was at this point I knew that this band was evolving into something excellent, and in 2017 they dropped their split cassette with Loose Teeth and my assumptions were confirmed. Perhaps one of the best things about ITNOH is that I can't really find very good "sounds like" comparisons, as I can't pigeonhole them because of their ability and reach that extends beyond any obvious genre classifications and band worshiping correlations.

The band's debut release is the five-track '1180' EP, which is pretty on par with the subsequent releases, just a little more raw. The screaming, growling and clean vocals are all here, along with rock, punk, hardcore, metalcore and who knows what other styles. Opener "Drunk-Yard Dogs" contains a pretty lengthy guitar solo, "Bad Language" and "Bloodlust Succubus" seem to be quite influenced by hard-rock, "Cry Havoc" is probably the most hardcore of the songs and closer "You Shindig Shin-Don't" is the most reminiscent of their later material as it has a very Every Time I Die feel to it and growls that bring Between The Buried And Me to mind.

IN THE NAME OF HAVOC upped their game in 2016 with 'Doubt', which was the EP I heard when they asked to hop on a show that I was putting on in Hamilton, and after hearing the first track I said yes. "Roped In" is much more mature than the first EP and the love for Every Time I Die is even more evident. The balance of screaming (Orin) and excellent falsetto (Malcolm) shine through, alongside Stephen Young's guitar influence, as he was not involved in the first release. "W.N.B." is a rager and follows a similar formula to the first track but promotes the heavier side, with excellent guitar work and drums. "Judas Pig" is very heavy, streamrolling through sludgy hardcore with a bit of singing in the chorus and...is that a ska section throughout the second minute? Why, yes. It is. "Rampage 64" is appropriately titled, as it packs a violent, metallic hardcore punch over five minutes, while closer "Auxiliary Beer" is just over two minutes of guitar wailin' more sick drums from John, who also rocks out in Yoo Doo Right.

The 2017 split with 'Loose Teeth split' honed the sound they were fleshing out on their 2016 EP. "It's So Damn Cheap to Look This Damn Good" is the penultimate IN THE NAME OF HAVOC experience, using call and response with both vocalists and beautifully constructed, driving hardcore. If you want an ITNOH song to test if they are for you, or to show someone else, it's gotta be this thing. "Fishhooked" is a pretty progressive song for the band, and one could posit that it should be getting radio play. Orin busts out some nice melodic vocals (keep in mind that this usually Malcolm's department) and the entire thing is a nice, post-hardcore jam. Their final track on the split is called "This Is Not Your Home", and it's 1:07 of extremely pissed off, moshy hardcore. At this point perhaps the best comparison would be Von Wolfe.

After releasing a good EP followed by a great split, I am very keen to see what IN THE NAME OF HAVOC do next.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2014 - 1180 digitalEP (stream/donate/download here)

2016 - Doubt digitalEP (stream/donate/download here)

2017 - Loose Teeth split cassetteEP (stream/buy here)

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(2017) IN THE NAME OF HAVOC - "It's So Damn Cheap to Look This Damn Good" (from 'Loose Teeth' split)

(2016) IN THE NAME OF HAVOC - "Fishhooked" (from 'Loose Teeth' split) live in Montreal

(2016) IN THE NAME OF HAVOC - "W.N.B." (from 'Doubt') live in Hamilton

(2016) IN THE NAME OF HAVOC - "Roped In" (from 'Doubt')

(2014) IN THE NAME OF HAVOC - "You Shindig Shin-Don't" (from '1180')

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IN THE NAME OF HAVOC additional links

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