MINUS
"Halldor
Laxness" (Victory Records; 2003)
Reviewed by Mike SOS
Remember the first time you heard Refused and how jarring the experience was? Well, get ready for another epiphany, as Iceland's answer to that Swedish sensation have returned with the follow-up to successful debut, "Jesus Christ Bobby."
Armed with twelve tracks of ambient hardcore, "Halldor Laxness" is a CD that defies convention and most musical logic, as its crash and burn style and devil may care attitude juxtaposes early Fugazi, Hanoi Rocks, The MC5, and Sex Pistols into a vital musical beast that will creep into your subconscious and shake your entire foundation.
Of course, calling Minus hardcore is a misnomer of sorts, as the band prides itself in taking a rock'n'roll swagger and transposing it into a hardcore mainframe. While this sounds nearly impossible, Minus not only makes it sound effortless, but also make it a virtual work of art in the process, sharing all of its intricacies and spilling its innards for the sake of expression.
For more information, check out http://www.dordingull.com/minus.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2004 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 18 Mar 2024 11:16:00 -0500.
