Album Review: Lunglust – Repetition is Hell

“She is waiting for you in Hell, and she’s turned cannibal. When you get there, she’s going to eat you alive – over and over and over again. Because that’s what Hell is all about, Robbie – REPETITION. I think in our hearts, most of us know that ….”

A quote from Stephen King’s Emmy award winning screenplay “Storm of the Century” 1999 mini-series.

Earlier this year, Boston based metal webzine Ghost Cult, called Lunglust “one of the best up-and-coming bands out of the state.” A pretty bold statement if you stop to consider the high quality of heavy oriented noise that routinely emanates from the a place that was born from fire and good old fashioned anti-disestablishment attitude. The early-onset of east-coast angst, that to this day does not think twice about questioning authority helped pave the way for bands like Gang Green, Slapshot (who just released their eleventh record last year and fuck yes, it’s good), Sam Black Church, and one of my personal favorites, the mighty Tree. Let there be no mistake; the Boston music scene is very much alive and would like to kick your face in for thinking otherwise.

Lunglust’s latest contribution to their dirty hardcore catalog, Repetition is Hell, brings the fuck-you-fury as hard as their predecessors. The band got started in 2010 and put out their first EP later that same year. Not long after the release, Lunglust picked up two new members, Devin Charette on bass and Nate Dress on drums. The band then put out a split in 2011 with fellow Boston-area hardcore metal band, Western Syndrome (RIP) and their first full length in 2013, As Guilt Collects Dust available at Tor Johnson Records. Fast-fret forward to 2014 –  Lunglust added a second guitarist with Nick Wolf and a new bassist Brad Macomber before starting to write 2015 the bands sophomore record, Repetition is Hell. A record that finds the band coming into their own, death-blow by death-blow.

Lunglust vocalist Jeff Sykes said that while the band collectively admire bands like the aforementioned Slapshot, it was Boston band Siege and their lyrical takes on human rights, war and freedom – as well as the abuse of power that continues to rob humanity of its very soul, that spurned them forward. Besides, how could you not crush on a band that was once disqualified at their High School “Battle of the Band’s” competition for hurling obscenities at the crowd and smashing a bass guitar on stage? The fact is that you can’t, so says Lunglust (and yours truly). Sykes also credits his ten-year-old self for being star-struck by the aggression and discontent that was springing up in early thought-provoking hardcore rap culture by way of NWA and Erik B & Rakim. Later that led Sykes to embrace bands from Fugazi, Napalm Death as well as the sounds that were coming from Boogie Down Productions. Like the great Joe Strummer once reflected in “Let Fury Have the Hour“, “Underground hip-hop, not the pop-culture stuff, picked up where punk left off and ran full steam ahead.” While you won’t find any specific homages to old-school rap on Repetition is Hell, what you will find is some great dark, discordant hardcore with a metal edge and lyrics sharp enough to slit your throat.

Eight tracks strong, Repetition took about five days to record and was then mastered over at New Alliance East, recorded and mixed by Alec Rodrigues then was mastered by Nick Zampiello. It’s a vitriolic mix of anger and rebellion, spun together with elements of classic hardcore and metal. The track Broken Idol sounds like a mosh pit careening out of control. It’s anthemic and gritty right down to moment when you hear Sykes’ rip apart the words “I hope you DIE!”. Things get a little darker on Godless State thanks to some sweet black metal riffs from guitarist Eric Lee. Lunglust is deep in the dirge when it comes to its subject matter on Repetition and its that same subject matter that drives the band forward. But there is also a distinct feeling that continuing to rage against will ultimately result in victory. And that’s what Repetition sounds like to me. A fucking victory for Boston’s hardcore scene. A scene steeped deep in anarchy and chaos that refuses to die, specifically because it has to kill you, and anyone standing in its way first. So stand up for what you believe in or get the fuck out of the way, posures. I HOPE YOU DIE!

Repetition is out on vinyl and cassette later this year. Thanks to Lunglust for the early listen.