Milwaukee has a rich history of ugly bands making uglier music. Whatever is in the water in WI, it seems to produce hardcore with a rare talent for creating bleak and unwelcoming atmosphere. Falter have assembled a collection of songs here that charge ahead at their own terrifying pace, always seemingly on the verge of coming apart entirely. It's as harsh and atonal at times as any record in the genre, but more dynamic than most, blending frenetic stomping rhythms with heavy breakdowns and truly memorable riffs. The comparisons to other current heavy bands are obvious, but Falter are really entering their own territory here. It doesn't fit squarely in any one style, feeling at times like blown-out Japanese d-beat, dissonant metallic hardcore, and crushing death-metal. Despite the mix of elements, it's no patchwork, the feeling is seamless, and the style feels coherent all the way through. You don't think about the varied influences that come together to make this record work, you simply feel you are hearing the sound of a descent into total madness.
