Existence Go to Heaven
- Format
12 Inch
£16.00
Crushingly heavy metallic hardcore from Stockholm’s Existence on this their first full-length LP.
It has been five years since Existence’s debut EP and they have returned in truly rampaging style. Punchy metallic riffs lay down a pulverising groove that is underpinned by a powerfully co-ordinated rhythm section, while lacerating vocals examine themes of social dislocation. The pacing dynamics are expertly executed, allowing moments of acoustic introspection to amplify the wider metallic assault. Nods to their 1990s’ forerunners All Out War and Indecision are explored and Field of Flames are an apt contemporary yardstick.
The story of Existence dates back to 2016 when a group of young Stockholm hardcore heads wanted to get into some good old Cro-Mags worship. After some changes in personnel, the current line-up of deranged idiots has been paving the way for a violent future since early 2017. They currently share members with several other bands, including Blood Sermon and Speedway and are all active in the local DIY community in different ways, for example running Alive and Well Fest. With an EP under their belt in 2018, several tours across Europe and beyond, as well as appearances on such stages as Outbreak, the sound began to evolve leading up to the masterpiece that is the debut LP, ‘Go to Heaven’.
Clocking in at nearly 40 minutes we don’t think anyone can truly be prepared for this insanely epic body of work. From Slayer, to Merauder, to H8000, to Arkangel to Integrity, this is a masterclass in metallic hardcore songwriting by the strong beating heart of Stockholm HC. Songs that take you on a journey from a classic metallic breakdown riff to acoustic guitar sections to sword samples needed a hand that was not afraid of the complexity, leading to Jonah Falco of Fucked Up on mixing duties giving this the depth that it deserved.
At times introspective, and at other times classic brute force, the themes of the lyrics are well summed up with the painted artwork by Nora Löwenberg of a face behind shattered glass, exploring the multifaceted nature of humanity and the ever changing place of the self in today’s global world. So if this all sounds like your kind of hardcore, then listening to this LP will truly be… heaven.
—Quality Control HQ