(((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain))))): MAJORITY RULE

Monday, 12 October 2015

MAJORITY RULE

Band: MAJORITY RULE

Genres: Punk / Post-Hardcore / Screamo / Hardcore / Ambient / Emo-violence / Black Metal / Grind
Related artists: City Of Caterpillar, Beasts Of No Nation, Haram, Highway Cross, Fairweather, Ghastly City Sleep, Ancient Sky and Trial By Fire.
Country: Virginia USA
Years Active: 1996-2004
Song: "At 3am"
Album: "Interviews with David Frost"
Year: 2001
Label(s): Self Released / Two Nine One Records / Magic Bullet Records / Submit Records / American Dream 101
For fans of: Llynch, Litany For The Whale, Love Lost But Not Forgotten, Endamori, Crestfallen, United Nations, Angel Eyes, Old Soul, Nic (aka ██████), The Minor Times, Truman, Spires, Tyranny Of Shaw, Oktober Skyline, Enkephalin, (old/good) Norman Jean, Corn On Macabre, Towers, PG.99, The Catalyst, Curl Up And Die and Takaru aka PROPER SCREAMO.

This post's artist is from the October 2015 Mix. This is track #1.

You can download: the October Mix#10 right here or get the new November 2015 Mix#11 here.

MAJORITY RULE were extremely influential for a lot of the screamier hardcore bands, especially those tucked inside Virginia, aka Swan Of Tuonela, Caust and Truman. Around for almost a decade with a plethora of releases, this band created massive and enthralling post-hardcore/black-metal/screamo that injected many other genres into the mix. The amalgamation of a variety of styles shouldn't necessarily work together, but holy moly they sure do. Shit gets really heavy but always manages to beautifully tie in some softer, jammy instrumentals. The crazy thick vocals go back and forth with upper and lower register bat screams. I wouldn't be surprised if their influences also spanned the grind spectrum, but if so only remnants cross over to their work. Overall the best things to say would be progressive, ahead of their time and it was absolutely mindblowing to find out that all of this massive noise was created by a 3-piece.

The band's earlier work, that I would say concludes in 1999, varied from pretty decent to pretty weak. The very early stuff sounds like straight-edge hardcore from the late 80s. Once 1998 hit the 'Turbine split 7"EP' dropped and they (for the most part) shed the straight up hardcore, but traces can still be found in "Great Concern". The threshold from one era to the next was the transition from 1999's 'Majority Rule 7"EP' and the 2000 releases of 'The Blackout Terror split 7"EP' and the 'Demo CDEP'. In particular, songs such as "Untitled" (which sounds just like Tyranny Of Shaw) and the ridiculous "At 3am" are leaps and bounds ahead of the stuff they were writing for the self titled 7" and before. The masterful use of atmospherics to drive the the latter song into oblivion is uncanny, with the climax at 3:15 uprooting and tossing aside any questions I may have had regarding the band's sound.

Once 2001 hit it was an entirely different ballgame, with the band blossoming and expanding their sound while knowing their limitations, strengths and weaknesses. Never was this more apparent than the genre shattering 'Interviews with David Frost' full length. The thick, building intensity of songs such as "The Sin in Grey", "The Progress of Elimination" and the aforementioned "At 3am" are rivaled only by the eerie atmospherics that would connect the chaos, generally abruptly changing their dynamics on a dime. If you check out anything make it this bad boy. Whoooooweeeee!

2002's 'Emergency Numbers' EP is a not the band's best outing, but the material is still very solid. The instrumental "Are Forever" is breathtaking in its simplicity and effectiveness at sounding like Russian Circles, Pelican and any other prog rock, post-rock, post-hardcore, post-metal - whichever you want. After 1:32 intro "49 Words" gets started and drives that screaming into you like a hammer and nails. The breakdown at 2:40 is fucking ridiculous and easily the best moment here. The release also houses the lengthy and epic "Too Late" which is slower jam but doesn't let go of the heaviness nor the screaming.

Associated not only by sound but also by releases, MAJORITY RULE had a split with the insanely influential and highly regarded PG.99. These four songs are among the band's best and have a bit of a dancier vibe but maintain that shroud of darkness and despair. "Not in My Name" is an excellent example that gets heavier and heavier until the end when the gang screaming and instrumentals are shredded. "My Version of Paris" is another stellar song with back and forth screaming paired with massive riffs and breakdowns.

I well I guess that's it. I thoroughly enjoyed re-listening to the majority (ha) band's output. Definitely check them out. I have posted pretty much the entire discography but happen to be missing one song from the 'Positive State split' ("Untitled") and the debut 'Half the Battle' LP. Should you have them please post them so everyone can enjoy the full discography <3

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DISCOGRAPHY
Click )==>here<==( to download the band's (almost) complete discography in mp3 form.

1996 - Half the Battle cassetteLP (got this? please post it for everyone!)

1997 - Partners in Profit (split w/Positive State) 7"EP

1998 - Turbine split 7"EP

1999 - Majority Rule 7"EP

2000 - The Blackout Terror split 7"EP
2000 - Songs (Demo cd) cdrEP

2001 - Interviews with David Frost cd/12"LP

2002 - Emergency Numbers cd/12"LP
2002 - Document #12 (split w/PG.99) cd/12"LP

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(2002) MAJORITY RULE - "My Version of Paris" (from 'PG.99' split)