Call me a boomer or whatever else hardcore complainers like to hurl at people in my age group, but the '90s was the golden era of the split EP. I mean, Turning Point/No Escape, Dropdead/Crossed Out, Neanderthal/Rorschach, Ottawa/Jihad... I can go on and on.
Just this morning, Jensen Ward of Iron Lung Records hit my inbox with a new release that sounds In line with the spirit of the splits I'm talking about above. It unites DC bands Brain Tourniquet and Deliriant Nerve on a 16-track EP that Jensen perfectly describes with this gem:
"People should listen to it if they prefer their blast beat music done The Old Way. No frills. Hardcore, rugged, and raw."
Brain Tourinquet's sound is power violence-minded, with blasting tempos opening up to big, dumb (in a perfect way) stomp parts. It's a formula that when done right is tough to beat, and these guys have mastered the art. The trio is fronted by guitarist/vocalist Connor Donegan who has put in time as a drummer in such bands as Pure Disgust, Eternal Champion, and Genocide Pact, showcasing his impeccable taste along the way.
Meanwhile, Deliriant Nerve reminds me of everything from Terrorizer to Nasum to '90s-era Napalm Death. Their contributions to this new split keep the short-and-sweet approach of their excellent 2023 LP, Contaminated Conscience. The vocals are low and gruff, but not in a grating pig squeal-style, which is totally up my alley.
Props to Arthur Rizk (Brain Tourniquet side) and Eric Zidar (Deliriant Nerve side) for their engineering touch on this split which proves that grind records can have crystal-clear clarity and not lose any punch along the way.
Keeping the powerful union going, Brain Tourniquet and Deliriant Nerve are celebrating the split with a European run of dates starting in early July:
The Brain Tourniquet x Deliriant Nerve split EP will be out on June 28th (pre-order).
Tagged: brain tourniquet, deliriant nerve