Genre: Metalcore
Origin: USA
Released: 2006
Website: Bludgeon
Label: Magic Circle Music
Uploaded: 11.05.06

I was a bit concerned about this album. It’s released by Magic Circle Music, a label started by the Manowar bassist Joey DeMaio, a label that’s previously released Rhapsody. And the description I got for Bludgeon was death/thrash, so imagine my surprise when I pressed play and it’s metalcore!
To me this is metalcore, pure and simple. Hardcore with a metallic edge, a small dose of both death and thrash metal, sure – but still metalcore. The riffs are very heavy and churning, and the drums pounds on, though sounding triggered. And the vocals are pretty typical for hardcore, which is too bad. When the music’s real heavy the vocals gotta go deeper, or at least throw in some growling to give your ears a rest. In comparison to the tunes the screaming/singing becomes weak. The closest I come to compare this to a band is Hatebreed, and I suppose it’s a pretty fair comparison too. Bludgeon don’t really live up to it, though. Usually the music’s mid paced to fast, but every now and then it speeds up a bit, like in the intro to Infidel. The track starts off with a thrashy riffing, and mangles on for a little while. And that’s definitely the best track on here.
The production is way too clean… I hate when the sound’s so damn lousy you can hardly hear a thing, but it can become too much the other way around too. Like in this case. It sounds way too digital and clean, and lacks emotion. And it’s a good thing the lyrics are included, ‘cause the tracklist’s totally fucked up. There’s not a single song that’s been correctly numbered on the cover. You gotta follow the order of which the lyrics appear in the booklet. The CD includes an 18 minute long multimedia track which contains interviews with the members, some footage from recording as well as a couple of drunken stupors. All in all; a disappointment.

Tracklist:
01. Unholy murder
02. Carnage begins
03. Bitter emptiness
04. Consumed
05. Infidel
06. World controlled
07. Save your servant
08. Refuse the truth
09. Hunt or be hunted
10. Awakening
11. Out of reach