BLACK ARMY JACKET – Closed Casket + 222
- by Peter Loftus
- Posted on 09-04-2017
New York’s Black Army Jacket were active in the 90’s, contributing heavily to the powerviolence movement. Their music was a schizophrenic, grinding maelstrom of violence that showcased influences from the hardcore scene, punk, crust, grindcore and even black and death metal. They were one of the earliest bands that Municipal Waste drummer Dave Witte worked with (and as you can imagine the drumming is spot on). Typically for this genre the listener is blasted with a myriad short tracks (although BAJ don’t really go in for all of the soundbites and intros we often find with this kind of music). But what is interesting here is the range of what the band can actually do. There are about 5 completely different styles of vocal delivery for example. This sense of variety means that BAJ are always unpredictable and engaging.
222 is the ‘full-length release’ as such and Closed Casket presents all of the band’s 7 inch/splits etc and pulls them together into a massive 50 song package.
When it all comes down to it the songs are the most important thing and BAJ deliver time and again in this respect. Fans of powerviolence really can’t be without this one.
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