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Indestructible Noise Command
Shelton, Connecticut, United States | MAJOR
Music
Press
ndestructible Noise Command were a poor man’s Megadeth in thrash metal’s boom years; upon reuniting in 2010, the band shifted focus and are now a poor man’s Pantera. But there is still value in their power-groove thrash: For every embarrassing moment of overgrown teen angst (see “God Loves Violence”), there is awesome, hysterically fast riffing, like in the middle section of “Swallowed,” which suggests Sacred Reich at their most unholy. Really, whenever the band kicks up the speed, it’s pure thrashing power; it’s the mid-tempo grooves that are stale. And one unfortunate old INC trademark remains: The songs are too long. GREG PRATT - revolvermag.com
If you were into thrash back in the late 80s and lived in the New York, New Jersey or Connecticut tri state area, then you will know who INC are - if not, prepare yourself for a lesson in violence. While MTV bands mockingly taunted the airwaves, kids like INC founder guitarist Erik Barath sat festering and brooding at their lack of affinity to the mainstream. Solution? Form a band. Not just another band, mind, but one that personified their anger and resentment, completed by a healthy dose of cynicism to tease the trendies back. And so, INC were born and 2 albums later, with the likes of Pantera opening for them, and a record contract looming, they decided to step back - a bad career mistake that saw them painted outta the landscape for the next 25 years. Now they're back making the album they wanted to make back then, and it's certainly another gamble given the landscape has changed again. However, respect where it's due, when other people seem to compare them to Anselmo & co or even newer bands like Lamb Of God, I feel it should be the other way around, given these guys were on the block earlier, and many of their sounds were taken on by these bands in founding their own style. Listening to the likes of "Fist Of Fascista", "God Loves Violence" and "Full Metal Jacket" this is US thrash in its purest form along the lines of Pro Pain, Pissing Razors, Skinlab, and of course, Pantera. From Dennis Gergely's swaggering, raw, aggressive vocals to Barath's squeaking, super charged guitars to the pedal to the metal rhythm, INC are back from the dead for one more round on the road to hell. - battlehelm.com
Indestructible Noise Command… Now that’s a moniker promising a serious beatdown. Rising Records is obviously a very productive label, and they send us their stuff all the fucken time. I have yet to come across a good band from them though. If you, like me, expected either A) a hardcore band sucking the ass of everyone or B) a fucken industrial bullshit act that makes you wanna shit in your CD player – you’ll be surprised. INC thrashes and moshes and actually do it with some quality. They sure look like complete idiots on their MySpace page, but “Heaven sent… Hellbound” is a fuckload better than anyone would ever think. - globaldomination.se
The thrash resurgence has brought back obscure bands that haven’t been heard from in decades. For them, it’s another chance at stardom or an opportunity to make an impression on fresh-faced listeners. Indestructible Noise Command, or I.N.C for short, reunited last year and have released their first studio record in 23 years, “Heaven Sent, Hellbound.” Old-school fans coming back for the ride will find the band has not been trapped in a time warp. The goofy sound of the past now has a lethal, groove-injected bite.
No more cartoon-ish cover art or abstract rendition of songs from The Cars. There is no room for brevity in their serious attitude. Religion, politics, and the pitfalls of humanity are the harsh lyrics spat out by Dennis Gergely. With a new bassist in the ranks, Gergely focuses on his aggressive barking tone. His voice has a lot more power than in the early days, though he puts on this faux Phil Anselmo cloak to sound indistinguishable from the hundreds of clones that popped up in the late ‘90s.
“Jackboot Thugbots” is the standard instrumental, leading into the groovy “Fist Of Fascista.” The band is inspired by the work of Machine Head, Lamb Of God, and Pantera, with the chugging riffs and loud rhythm. Much of the album is in this vein, heavy and punchy, but lacking in innovation. The last four songs pound this sound into the ground, and while “If I Were President” does something different with a bouncy melody, little is done to inject some pizzazz in.
Indestructible Noise Command has not forgotten their thrash upbringing. “God Loves Violence” is vicious in its tempered assault on the ultra-religious, and “Bleed The Line” doesn’t subside on the unhinged tempo generated. “Full Metal Jacket” drops the lame sound byte used on the version released on last year’s “Bleed The Line” EP, but keeps the latter-day Exodus vibe. The guitars are nothing to scoff at, especially from a lead’s perspective; the shredding will melt chromium.
“Swallowed” is the only track where the band is bold enough to take initiative. The track breaks the mold by incorporating a rich orchestral breakdown at the halfway mark. The jolt into a thrash frenzy is one of the most exciting moments on the record. “Swallowed” shows a level of comfort that should have been dwelled upon more than just one instance.
Comparing “Swallowed” to the rest of the album shows one glaring flaw: the band’s insistence on playing it safe. “Heaven Sent, Hellbound” is almost like a second debut for Indestructible Noise Command. Their third album is a welcome-back party for the regulars and an introduction to ween in all the newcomers. The band seems energized by the extended break, and their more direct approach suit them better. Hopefully, this is just a starting point towards something more adventurous on the next record. “Heaven Sent, Hellbound” will find an audience with people into modern metal, as long as they don’t mind a little groove with their thrash.
Highs: Ripping leads, harsher vocals fit music, thrash with a little groove
Lows: Last few songs blend together, not enough innovative material like "Swallowed"
Bottom line: Indestructible Noise Command revitalizes their career with their modern thrash take on "Heaven Sent, Hellbound." - metalunderground.com
Discography
Razorback-1987
The Visitor-1988
Heaven Sent...Hellbound-2011
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Bio
n 1985, Connecticut’s Erik Barath and Dennis Gergely birthed I.N.C. out of the frustration and annoyance arisen by the cookie-cutter bands plastering videos on the sole cable station to bring music alive and deliver it to the masses, MTV. This hunger to create more than the norm was what harnessed Erik and Dennis’ energy to form Indestructible Noise Command. Intent on not wasting their precious time on such feeble pursuits, they drove the angst they felt into the type of music they wanted to see assaulting them from off the small screen; Angry, resentful, aggressive, violent, and vicious. As soon as guitarist Anthony Fabrizi and ex-drummer Gary Duguay got on board, I.N.C. starting booking local gigs – playing anywhere that their message could be heard.
“We were angry and wild,” states guitarist Erik Barath. “[That music] didn’t represent what we were feeling. Aggressive Thrash Metal was our outlet and our truth.”
The still relatively new Indestructible Noise Command crew recorded a demo tape in 1986 and immediately started booking bigger shows, appearing on stage with the likes of Exodus, Megadeth and King Diamond. Less than a year later and only six months after their high school graduation, I.N.C. were signed to Giant Records to begin work on their first full length album, Razorback, which was released in 1987.
Critics and fans throughout the tri-state area were hammered over the head by what they heard. The band’s heavy, destructive style translated well to stage and to vinyl. But why stop at one album when you can turn around and crank out another that’s even wilder and weirder than the first one?
I.N.C. used their 1988 album, The Visitor, as a showcase for what made them stand out in the first place. The album won I.N.C. a place in thrash metal history as probably the only band bold enough to blend razor-blade-edged, raging guitar riffs with the kind of vocal peculiarity only Dennis Gergely could provide.
Back on the road, bands like Pantera started opening at I.N.C. gigs. People were lining up in droves to take in the spectacle that is Indestructible Noise Command. In 1988, I.N.C. hit #1 on the U.S. college metal charts and stole the U.K. #2 import slot out from underneath Aerosmith.
After recording and releasing Razorback and The Visitor, the band was hopeful. They were booking great gigs and their thrash metal antics won over throngs of underground fans as well as respectable music critics to make a virtual overnight success of what started in response to a hatred for putrid, repetitive music.
After funding from Giant Records began to lose steam, I.N.C. decided to step back and assess the weary record contract landscape for what it was. The band was determined to build a life outside of the metal arena until they were able to finance their own comeback and then launch into a full-fledged resurrection.
As one savvy Carlos Ramirez pointed out on AOL’s Noisecreep.com, “In the years since their initial breakup, [I.N.C.’s] eccentric brand of metal has been embraced by a new breed of record collectors, proving that their style was definitely ahead of its time.”
And now sees the new age of Indestructible Noise Command. Emerging as the band’s first offering in 20 years, the Bleed the Line EP was written, recorded and produced by the band between the spring and summer of 2010, aside from the single ‘God Loves Violence’, which was cut by seasoned producer Fredrik Nordström (At the Gates, In Flames, Opeth). The Bleed the Line EP was released on the band’s label, M90 Records.
Within the first six weeks of completing the Bleed the Line EP (2010) recordings, even before the CDs were pressed, I.N.C. has created an enormous buzz. In a few short weeks, I.N.C. has been added to stations around the world including the great KNAC in Los Angeles, WREK Atlanta, WRBC, WLFM and WEOS in New York as well as the syndicated European FM metal show, The Metal Abbey show. In it’s first week, the Bleed the Line EP debuted at #4 Most Added on the CMJ Loud Rock charts. The EP entered the charts at #12, which is rare for an offering other than a full length LP.
Although a more straightforward version of the music video for single ‘God Loves Violence’ was released at MetalUnderground.com this year, I.N.C originally debuted a more violent version in 2010. This video shocked the metal industry when it received over 50,00 views in just a little over 2 weeks. The song and video impressed the producers at Scuzz TV so much, they immediately requested a hard copy and since then added ‘God Loves Violence’ to their weekly playlist. This addition gives I.N.C. heightened exposure to hundreds of thousands of metal fans every week.
I.N.C. recently announced their signing with UK record label Rising Records. The band will be releasing a new full-length album later this spring with the label, entitled Heaven Sent, Hellbound. The release is being produced by world-famous record producer Fredrik Nordström (At the Ga
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