Trap Them Sleepwell Deconstructor

"Oh, they're great at what they do, but really, it just makes me want to go back and pull out the albums that inspired them." While it's difficult to deny an underlying feeling of elitism of this statement, nearly every person who considers themselves to be a fan of one particular genre has said something similar at some point. Not to say that there's anything wrong with feeling this way, but for those with a real passion for seeking out a new potential favorite band, it's frustrating to see a band that does everything the right way, yet still bores you to tears. Thankfully, all that wading through some of the murkiest shit-filled musical swamps and something is bound to eventually float your way. Even if it's not surprising that a project containing current and ex-members of Backstabbers Inc, Grief, Transistor Transistor, and December Wolves is of such high quality, it still doesn't negate the pride associated with such a find. Hailing from the cold and sinister depths of New Hampshire, Trap Them not only raise the bar for pummeling grindcore with a modernized slant, they beat the scant competition over the head with it. Trap Them are total masters at taking their influences, perfecting their parts, and merging them together. Their combination of the best of the recent wave of Swedish grindcore bands along with hints of d-beat and the catchiest parts from Entombed distantly brings to mind the faster-paced work from the criminally underrated U.K. band, Mistress, as well as Pig Destroyer, Converge, and even Cursed. Beginning with a short minute-long introduction which effectively unveils the furious track, "They Followed the Scent of the Jihad All the Way to Thieves Paradise." With its galloping verses intertwined with bursts of speed, the song takes a breath with a few bent notes and a dissonant bridge. The track comes to a close with a crashing drone and collectively shouting a repetitive response to vocalist Ryan John McKenney's gritty middle ranged yells. "Instant Circulation" aggressively enters without missing a step, and "Collapse and Marathon" delivers more of the same with the addition of a fist-pounding break. Trap Them continue forging on with "Garlic Breakfast," the track that best showcases their ability to tie together the discordant and sharp hammer-on and pull-off riffs with their consistent barrage of grind beats. If you've managed to keep from destroying everything in your home in a frenzied rage, you'll be treated to "Digital Dogs with Analog Collars," which completely rips through your life with an assault of lead-filled riffs shamelessly influenced by "To Ride..." era Entombed, capped off a the sluggish and painful breakdown at the end. "Destructioneer Extraordinaire" and "Threatnurse" seem to be the only real resting periods that the band provides, the former offering clean-guitar, light drums, and pensive screaming, whilst the other exists largely as a thunderous instrumental encasing some sort of unintelligible spoken passage. Bottom Line: If you haven't already been sold by the abundance of ridiculous descriptions mandatory for most heavy music reviews, there's something else you should know. Perhaps learning that Sleepwell Deconstructor was recorded by the highly-regarded Kurt Ballou will motivate you to check this out. I'm just going to end this by saying if you miss out now, you're going to hate yourself later after everyone is done making fun of you for not having heard Trap Them. Don't fuck this up, freshman.