Harvester formed in Budapest at the end of 2006. There wasn’t a strict musical conception; “it must be fast and really gross” – was the point at the creation. Actually, the music is fast (as it is promised) and umh well. One should decide whether it is that gross or not. One thing for sure: these guys play a colourful and open-minded sort of extreme metal filled with strange samples. The listener can hear grindcore, death metal, as well as stoner rock. The length of the album does not even reach the dreamlike 10 minutes.
Some words about the cover. It features the head of a redskin sculpture – and this, as it will turn out has nothing to do with the music, there is no connection at all.
This very EP was recorded in the August of 2007 containing 8 songs. Each of them is different, has its own structure and message which cannot be understood due to the growlings and shrieks. But who cares? It entertains, and that’s the point. I will highlight some of the songs which are truly great in some sense.
To start with, there is Mabboths, a 1 minute long composition. While listening to it one realize that there is no need for 3 or more minutes, the ultra-magical 1 minute perfectly stands for itself. The best part of this mess is around the 20 seconds when the talent of the vocalist Bertalan Csala is exposed. Not to mention the different growling styles which are countinously changing from high-pitched ones to deep, goremetal ones. Furthermore, in these few seconds he sings in a stoner rock style which is weirdly gruff – thanks to the mighty materia called BEER.
I want to kill the Coccolino bear is a beautiful confession about the desires of a man who is tired of the TV advertisements and wants to do something about it after having some jars of beer which truly gave him enough strength and courage which will enable him to find and seek that bear which will end in a disgusting bloody slaughter which can be only compared to the monstrosities of 
Suggestopaedia enters with the solo of Lazy Dick. Lazy Dick is fat cop mouse playing one of the central roles in the famous cult classic 1986 Hungarian cartoon Macskafogó (Cat City – what a bad translation). The whole production has a deeper, hidden meaning. It’s a criticism of the post-far right, Stalinist government and society of that time’s Hungary and East-Europe. I doubt whether an American can truly understand what it’s about. However, following the jazzy trumpet-solo grindcore comes. After a while the stoner hits the surface again with great vocals.
A slap in the face of black metal, Corpsepaint is for Idiots is – says Yoda. It starts with high-pitched, distorted guitars and blast beats played in lo-fi. This later evolves into a slower, death metallish sound with deep growlings. At any rate, the listener should take up that the guys were drunk while writing this song, since they like black metal – one can truly criticize what he likes.
To sum up, Harvester is fresh blood in the old veins of grindcore – they don’t take anything seriously and this is what makes them enjoyable. In this sense a similar band is the American Crotchduster. With the nice sound of the album and the creative, sincere presentation they surely find a way to your heart. What a Hollywoodian ending.
-revon
VITALS:
Release: Fall of 2007
Label: Self-released
Avantgenre: Stoner Grind
Duration: 00:09:28
Origin: Hungary
Official site: http://www.myspace.com/harvestermusic
Review online since: 11.07.2008 / 12:02:55
TRACKLIST:
1 – Binomials And Collocations Reprise (intro)
2 – Mabboths
3 – I Want To Kill The Coccolino Bear
4 – Unexpected Clarity
5 – Suggestopaedia
6 – Corpsepaint Is For Idiots
7 – Powerline
8 – Odium
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