Level Plane Records is a quality label in all that they do. They've got the arty-punk and progressive hardcore bands, and they even tackle post-rock. Recently they've been taking on metal; this new split features three tracks from each Landmine Marathon and Scarecrow.
Up first is Landmine Marathon who previously released Wounded in 2006. These Arizona metalheads resurface with a focused effort of thrash-infused metal. The good thing about these songs is they don't ape the Gothenburg sound - thank freaking God. Instead, there is a Bay Area thrash-influence heard in the riffs of "Skin from Skull." The other two cuts are more slaying of the guitar, plus a little bit of a metalcore-esque flavor with occasional breakdown and some grindcore blasts.
Scarecrow fills out the split with their own take on the world of heavy metal. I was oblivious to these guys before this, but I was pleasantly surprised by what I heard. "The Scum Also Rises" is an 80's thrash throwback to the era of early Megadeath and Testament. "Twilight's Last Gleaming" and "Scapegoat Parade" also borrow a lot from the era the defined thrash metal; there is honestly little updating to the sound, it's quite nostalgic.
