As much as the old school death metal trend continues to be re-tread over and over, there’s something about the HM-2 guitar buzz and hardcore that seems to work. One of the scene’s strongest names is that of Trap Them, who have returned for their fifth album, Crown Feral. A punchy, short-but-sweet kick in the groin with just enough atmosphere to keep it from sounding like it repeats itself.
A brash d-beat hardcore approach is benefited by the filthy HM-2 pedal crunch (as other bands have done, yes), but Trap Them does provide some added moments of gloom. Be it the ominous opening riff of “Phantom Air,” the darkened lurch of “Twitching the Auras,” or the calculated build-up of “Kindred Dirt,” some songs have an added layer of bleak atmosphere that helps identify the band as one that isn’t afraid to go in their own path. It also does a good job of breaking up the violent neckbreakers like “Hellionaires” and “Stray of the Tongue.” The band even goes into a fairly catchy path with “Revival Spines,” which carries a heavy mid-tempo chug but uses some galloping riffs in the chorus to wind things up into a fever pitch that you can’t help but get into. Other tracks use some stronger melodies, such as “Prodigala,” which surprisingly keep all of the venom they can muster intact. Don’t expect the band to do any less than abrasive, even at their most melodic (and near groovy) moments. It’s the sum total of all of these little nuances that allows Trap Them to stay on top of their game in a genre that seems to be picking up momentum.
Visceral yet memorable, pummeling yet catchy – Crown Feral is bound to get you off your seat and thrashing. Other bands may blend hardcore with darkened HM-2 crunch and atmosphere, but few can combine it all together like Trap Them.