Review / 200 Words Or Less
Downpresser
Age of Ignorance

Triple B (2009) Jason

Downpresser – Age of Ignorance cover artwork
Downpresser – Age of Ignorance — Triple B, 2009

Hailing from Santa Barbara, CA is the metallic hardcore attack of Downpresser. Six tracks of down-tuned, head cracking, thick skulled hardcore in the vein of early Merauder or any other band that you wouldn't be surprised supporting thick hair braids, bandannas, and stomach tattoos. Age of Ignorance toes the "Slayer-line," an imaginary line in which a band straddles being a hardcore band or a metal act. However, Downpresser are thankfully fast enough to keep hardcore kids happy, but also have enough blistering solos to have even the most inept air guitar player swinging a mean imaginary axe. In a hardcore world filled to the brim with crappy "deathcore" bands singing about rape and partying, it's good to see bands like Downpresser keeping metallic hardcore, well, hardcore.

6.0 / 10Jason • December 10, 2009

Downpresser – Age of Ignorance cover artwork
Downpresser – Age of Ignorance — Triple B, 2009

Related news

Life & Death Tour this summer

Posted in Tours on May 8, 2014

Comeback Kid on the road

Posted in Tours on January 11, 2014

Downpresser Announce Tour

Posted in Tours on June 15, 2010

Recently-posted album reviews

Totally Slow

The Darkness Intercepts
Refresh Records (2024)

I find Totally Slow a hard band to categorize. Their brand of melodic, hard punk is familiar and comforting -- rooted in ‘80s hardcore, ‘90s skatepunk, and post-something guitar-driven rock. The press release namedrops Dag Nasty and Hot Snakes, among others, which I think are good starting points. But while it’s familiar, it’s absolutely not a carbon copy. Like their forebearers, the songs … Read more

Steamachine

City of Death
Records Workshop (2023)

City Of Death is the third album from Polish noise makers Steamachine. Having dabbled in a few metal styles over their career, City Of Death has a heavy carnival influence to it which I have to say I really like. It's interesting just how much more sinister things sound when you pump eerie, jingly circus sounds amongst very dark, heavy, … Read more

Faulty Cognitions

Somehow, We Are Here
Cercle Social Records (2024)

The opening track on Somehow, We Are Here is a statement. Yes, Faulty Cognitions is a punk band with members of Low Culture, Shang-A-Lang, Nocturnal Prose,and more. Yes, this shares a lot of commonalities, but it’s also a new band with a new sound. The band humbly says they were going for an early, jangly R.E.M. vibe but self-confess that it has more of a Replacements thing going on … Read more