Result s/t LP (1999)
I don’t pretend to know a great deal about the Japanese crust scene, but I do know the singer in this band was in C.F.D.L. Now that over a decade has passed, it is apparent that Result were one of the premiere bands of that entire scene (Abraham Cross, Gloom, C.F.D.L., Crocodile Skink, S.D.S., Frigora, etc.) but at the same time this album represents a direction in music that was insufficiently taken up by subsequent groups.
Result play, basically, the unpromising genre of “heavy crust,” and this album’s art was cited to this effect by American heavy metal band Hellshock on their World Downfall EP. But, as heavy crust, Result are far beyond the Misery, Nausea, or Extinction of Mankind style, as well as the Extreme Noise Terror variety. One can hear some of the more melodic and compositional complexity which became far more popular with the Tragedy LP the next year.
I know that “epic crust” has totally disappeared as a legitimate pursuit, so that now we have epic crust bands writing double-LP concept albums based on the rabbit fantasy novel Watership Down, which is very sad indeed. Tragedy have retreated from this sound, also, on their Bastard-influenced 2005 LP, Nerve Damage. And new Japanese crust bands are disappointingly focused on Amebix, which I continue to find boring.
Result, however, got it right on this album—very powerful, moody, and huge-sounding crust, with distinct and catchy songs and tons of personality. All throughout the record, and especially the b-side, I am constantly saying—“I love this part! Turn it up!” From the weird harmonizing (!) on the chorus to “Communicate is the Key” to the plaintive anthem on “Why?” (the last and best song), Result are surprising and engaging, never painting-by-numbers or relying on blunt heaviness. The problem with the Amebix-style bands is that the presuppose Amebix’s success, which ought rather to be posed as a problem or a mystery to be figured out. Result, because they never assume that 4 minutes of dumbed-down palm-muting is going to be innately fascinating, are always outdoing themselves.
The verse riff to “Iron Island” is a masterful demonstration of how to actually WRITE heavy crust riffs, maintaining a mood and style while still shifting between tempos and narrative elements. All too often, bands just reproduce heavy metal, or emo, or scandi-crust riffs, relying on production and shouted vocals to mask budget-riffs copped from other genres. The result is that the “pretty” parts are awkwardly juxtaposed as payoffs to tedious and recycled discards from the most head-bobbing of Profane Existence bands.
I can’t let you go without mentioning the band’s secret weapon, their singer Takeshi. Whiny, high pitched, half-singing, and totally unlike any other hardcore singer, he gives the band so much character, and what’s more unusual, many of these songs are practically singalongs. Whereas Hellshock or Effigy or S.D.S. have interchangeably disposable singers, Result’s songs are squirmingly, unnervingly catchy (the lyrics are all in English which is decipherable if you read along with the record once). And the guitarist’s standard crust vocals are used to great effect to break up things once in a while. I can only compare it to Raw Power’s second singer (guitarist Silvio): the interplay here is riveting. And how often does one say that about crust vocals!
Judged against the “insane” Japanese crust bands of yesterday and today, Result don’t seem tame or staid. They seem like geniuses. Where other bands produce the *trappings* of a crazy, raucous good time, Result *induce* it by the elements of songcraft and an energetic, memorable performance.
[Recommended]
