Matriarchs – ‘The Shape of C#nts to Come’ [EP] [Album Review]

Every so often a band comes along that likes to push the boundaries of their genre just that little bit, right when things have got a bit samey and meh. LA-based metallic hardcore outfit Matriarchs are one of those groups that, by their own admission, were a “kind of by the numbers hardcore band” until they crossed paths with vocalist K. Enagonio. The resulting partnership can be heard on their upcoming release, The Shape of C#nts to Come, a collection of face-ripping singles compiled by the band.

A follow-up of sorts to their raging 2020 disc Year Of The Rat, this collection has the aim of expanding the minds of a fanbase that, thanks to some high-profile shows across the metal/hardcore scenes, is rapidly growing. With the missing piece of the jigsaw in place, there should be no stopping the guys in their ascension and, listening to the rapid-fire ferocity of “Solace” and “Ascendancy,” you’d be a fool to stand in their way. Built for moshpits, the LA pit-wreckers have shown through the likes of the aforementioned “Ascendancy,” that they’re all about powerful, anthemic songs that are there for you to lose your minds to.

But, as brainchild Ben Levi states, there is more to Matriarchs and, in Enagonia, they’ve got the perfect person for their experimental metallic onslaught. “R.A.N.” is the ideal example of this as the vocalist switches between terrifying, throat-shredding screams to angelic, haunting cleans. The jarring “Shadow Work,” while still possessing an experimental twist, is the musical equivalent to being hit by a train and the vocalist matches it with an equally seething display. As the seven tracks reach a conclusion, the band team up with Georgia rapper Jarren Benton for “EdgeLorde” a song that starts with pure rap steadily building into an explosive cocktail of hip-hop, nu-metal, metallic hardcore and outright fury.

Whether they’re opening up in some downtown LA club or tearing it up on a festival stage, these seven songs show that Matriarchs are the kind of band that demand your attention. They’ve got the attitude, they’ve got the songs, and they’ve got the bullish determination to kick down the boundaries of the hardcore scene. Listening to this abrasive set of songs, you’d have to have some sort of death wish to stand in their way.

The Shape of C#nts to Come Track Listing:

1. Intro
2. Solace
3. Ascendancy
4. R.A.N.
5. Shadow Work
6. Karma Sutra Puta
7. EdgeLorde (feat. Jarren Benton)

Run Time: 20:33
Release Date: June 6, 2022
Record Label: KnucklehedzInc