(DL53) NOMATRIX - FUTURE HATE SPLIT

Nomatrix are one of those bands that, through the relative isolation of Athlone, don’t quite have the profile of a feckless, horrible, city-based entity ­– Which is a damn shame really… They present well and have a musical output that has always been reliable. I’m pretty sure this band has been on and off and on and off (don’t worry, that doesn’t mean they’re anything to do with OnOff!) since their inception in 1997 and the material I’m most familiar with is the THROUGHPUT EP that came out on their own Deadlamb Record label in 2019. It was a fine record – compact in its delivery and punching in an admirable punk rock weight class.

This latest release is a split… a crusty old throwback format that gives me the fnuds, but they tackle it well with quality packaging, a decent insert, juicy red vinyl and striking cover illustration. These surface things probably shouldn’t matter to the overall aim, which is to present you, the listener, with a roundy piece of plastic containing glorious noise, but unfortunately they do ­– It’s a busy world out there in the independent underground and if your stuff looks like shit, don’t expect anyone to stop by and listen.

The first Nomatrix track, VANITY is wonderful – Anything that serves as a seething indictment of conceited online swagger and attention screaming is important work… And Nomatrix steer clear of artistic metaphor – This is frustrated, antisocial and to the point, as all fine punk rock should be. Think CH3 as a ballpark sound – that great strain of raw and formative ‘81-‘82 SoCal punk before anyone learned how to do orthodox rock n’roll or cow punk or sleaze metal. WEEKEND LIFE is a tirade against prescription social lifestyle, which I imagine is something well worth hiding from in Athlone. It’s in the same musical mode as VANITY but puts itself forward lyrically as an unapologetic mouthful, and the resentment that spawned it is obvious.

Future Hate from Mobile, AL, USA is a band I know nothing about. This has more of a screamy vibe to it. The second track in particular, Come In Waves (Naked Intruder) has a driving Ass Cobra era Turbonegro thing going on… i.e. when they were a powerful and poignant band and not a stupid ironic parody as a selling point.

Primarily, my interest is in the home-grown stuff and I’m here for Nomatrix… This and the THROUGHPUT EP are cheap independent and worthy Irish punk records

By Bozmugabe - Scatalogik

2 bands, 1 record!  2 units I have dealt with before, 1 opinion coming your way.  I like the ethos of split CD's, I like the ethos of Deadlamb Records and so far, I have enjoyed what I have heard from these 2-outfits.  I am not wasting time here - tis the music what matters, have a slice of this then.

Future Hate are a tempestuous band with a great gusto and a devouring accent. They hail from Mobile, Alabama and spit forth their noise with great punked venom and really make for a confounding cacophony to be reckoned with.  ' A Curse From Heaven' quickly spurts, spirals and throws a tantrum.  The opening thrustings are brattish and snotted with a fair threat brandished.  The song picks-up the impetus, thuds forth a good hateful and barbed attack with all intricacies both acute and in-line with the growing unease.   The structure of the song is not strictly orthodox, the band do what they do in their own style, there is a wonderful disgruntled unsettlement here - I am involved.  The second fist fuck up your oh so susceptible tender parts 'Comes In Waves' - a thrashing sub-sexy explosion of hormonal animal happening.  The loins of the lilt are worked with ardour, the inner system of sound is battered, clattered by held in line by some solid musical marksmanship.  The siren at the fore has a lovely snarl, the band compliment with a great slam and grind effect that really gets all juices flowing.  Of the two songs proffered I think this is my favourite - just!

Nomatrix come from the Emerald Isle, are a long-term crew with a fine DIY attitude.  The first offering puked up here is the neatly packaged onslaught of 'Vanity'.  The song rises on bubbling bass and builds a doom-laden intent before scatter-twatting with great haste and much disgust at the general 'me, me' situation out there.  Many only think of self and then throw in the odd token gesture to give the appearance of caring and being empathetic whilst all the while the scheme to get noted continues.  I like this terse burst of acidity, I like the switch in impetus and the contrast in the approach, Nomatrix still refuse to get entangled by unnecessary bollocks – I also like that.  The bands second offering is mid-paced, buzzes with enthusiasm, has a self-perpetuating gumption that sees the song move with decent liquidity.  There could have been an extra spark thrown in here I feel, but the band no doubt know best and I for one am finding nothing serious to gripe about.  The string work cuts to the core, the skin molestings are ravenous and the gob has the distinct accent I have come to know and love.  Not a bad do at all and completing a terse double injection of sonic goodness.

4 songs from 2 bands that complement each other and help spread one another's word.  I think they should do this all over again, maybe get another band in the mix.  My advice is to make it 3-way split and encourage a few others to do the same and then all swap, share and contribute to the end DIY approach - why the Hell not? 

Review by Fungalpunk

(DL53) NOMATRIX - FUTURE HATE SPLIT

8 Stars

Nomatrix I had two singles with before. They play a kind of punk that makes me think of the productive Destructors in some way and I think that's a real compliment because it's a band I really like. There are two fast songs by Nomatrix that clock in at 1.04 and 1.11 and it is a pity that they do not have a few more songs on the record. But we get aggressive fast punk anyway and we should be happy about that. 1.42 and 1.21 are Future Hate's length of songs and even they are too short I think, their music is not quite as fast but the angriness is really there. I like the song on the record and musically you will be a little surprised and I think of a group like Nomeansno in some strange way .. nice single but could have been much longer. 25/2-2021

Review by Skrutt Magazine