ZYCLONE - Visions of Impending Death
Over the past year or so, I’ve taken an unprecedented hiatus from punk. Sure, I’ve had my occasional months-long breaks, but this one has dragged on longer than I’d like to admit. Thankfully, ZYCLONE, is the band that’s finally breaking my silence.
Visions of Impending Death marks ZYCLONE’s debut self-release. Clocking in at under 7 minutes, the demo is a surge of aggression, holding a sense of urgency essential for any hardcore band worth their salt. This is fast-as-hell D-beat hardcore, firmly influenced by the canon of past Scandinavian greats. Sure, plenty of current bands follow this tradition, but not all do it justice. While I’ll always support DIY music regardless of its polish, I would be lying if I didn't sometimes want a release that stands out from the endless churn of Google's bullshit algorithm-fed YouTube music recommendations that get spewed at me. Sometimes, you just crave the proficiency that a band like ZYCLONE brings.
From the opening seconds, Visions of Impending Death hits with pummeling intensity. The drumming, bass and guitar playing are absolutely insane-blisteringly fast while also being technically sound. The growling vocals carry a nihilistic flavor both sonically and lyrically that are drenched in just the right amount of reverb. This is especially evident in tracks like “Exterminate Them All.” My favorite track, though, has to be the title track with its combination of one-two beats with abrupt shifting riffs. The track's ending lyric—“Reality is constant death”— encapsulates the war-torn capitalist machine we’re all entrapped in.
One thing unique about ZYCLONE is their geographical makeup: the band draws members from Mexico, New Orleans, Austin, and Philadelphia. My interest always gets piqued when hearing about cross-location bands like this, as it brings diverse influences and perspectives. Alongside their varied geographic makeup, the band's members also come from an array of former and current projects, such as GUERRA FINAL, ELÉCTRIKA, and PSYCH-WAR. While no level of nepotism or seniority should qualify a band's value, ZYCLONE blends character from each of these other bands in a way that makes me appreciate them even more.
Maybe I'm over-reading the impact of former bands and geographic locations...but then again, maybe I'm not! Anyways, none of that actually matters that much because, all in all, Visions of Impending Death is just a good-ass punk demo.
Listen here: https://zyclone.bandcamp.com/album/visions-of-impending-death
Zyclone