Atakke | en

From Crustcake


Somewhere in the bombed-out, post-apocalyptic wastelands that lie between metal and punk, a ragged tribe of dedicated and resourceful heshers have carved out an existence free from the rigid doctrine of either camp. By cherry-picking their favorite elements from two disparate cultures, these bands have forged a sound that's both unique and timeless. So much so, in fact, that they've been given their own Wikipedia page. Whether or not you knew it, chances are you've heard crust. If you're reading this, chances are you liked it.

Following in the hallowed footsteps of tribal elders Hellbastard, Amebix and Antisect, Brooklyn's Atakke (pronounced a-TAK-ay) are easily the cream of the current crust crop. With no major label backing, minimal web presence and anemic distribution, Atakke have released two near-classic 7" EPs on New York's fledgling Mountains of Madness label (purveyors of such awesomley-named bands as Blood of Christian Children), 2008's March to the Gallows and this year's Avalanche. The former is raw and earnest; the latter, more studied and polished thanks to the steady hand of Kylesa's Phillip Cope, who produced it at his Savannah enclave, the Jam Room. Rife with paranoid admonishments ("Lock the doors, they're coming for you!"), misanthropy, allusions to war and eco-political awareness ("We slash and burn everything that we see, everything we can reach"), Atakke resemble other, older anarcho-punk stalwarts but do so in a fresh and informed manner. They are the state of crust in 2009.


Sure there may be a bit of Bolt Thrower and Sepultura aping (they list both bands as influences on their Myspace) but what's less advertised is the Swedish deathgrind riffage, Bay Area thrash gallop, dual-guitar shredfests or the fact that the whole shebang is dipped in a viscous coating of NOLA sludge. That their image and artwork is also absolutely dripping in gas masks, bullet bets, ruined cityscapes and patched, denim vests is enough to prove that hero worship, when done right, can result in a fully-realized sound distinctive to the band. .