Countervail - "Assembly Line" 7inch x 2

Countervail were a heavy hardcore band from Southern California in the late 90's/early 00's. Playing what could almost tow the line between simply being heavy hardcore and metalcore, they did it in a style that pulled the best parts of both of those with a technical edge and nearly devastating melody at times. The opening track from their full-length, 'The Most Abused Word', still stands as a personal favorite and a song that can simply crush you beneath its weight while lulling you into it with moments of peace. I digress.

This ep takes two tracks from that full length along with two remixes of an earlier song, "Arrow & Tether." The remixes here are by two different artists and to be honest, for me at least, sort of just exist in their place. They aren't bad and they aren't earth shattering. The Tinfed mix seems pretty standard for taking a "rock" song and having a DJ remix it. The Mantis remix plays around a little more, but still falls in to some of the same patterns with a pretty standard beat and different elements of the song injected. I know this kind of thing caught on some and bands like Botch, Shai Hulud, & Snapcase had remixes on records of theirs- and this isn't a bad thing at all, but it doesn't always work out the greatest with hardcore bands. All the same, still worth the listen and still a record I gladly own.

DOWNLOAD: Countervail - "Assembly Line"