Metal Anarchy

Botch vocalist Dave Verellen is featured on Great Falls‘ new cover of Rorschach‘s “Mandible.“ You can check that out via Bandcamp. The track was recorded for Hex Records’ 25th anniversary compilation.

Label founder Ryan Canavan commented:

“Regarding the Great Falls cover it felt essential to include them because their membership extends back to my very first hardcore show: guitarist/vocalist Demian Johnson’s band Undertow played and it lead me down a path extending to what I do today. His next band, Nineironspitfire, played the first show I ever booked. After that I released the final EP from his next band Playing Enemy through Hex.

When I moved across the country and settled in the Northwest the Great Falls/Great Sabatini split was one of the first records I released after settling here. Our paths crossing over the last three decades may be more a lattice of coincidence rather than outright fanboying, but make no mistake, I do really enjoy his output as an artist and musician.

And if that weren’t enough cross-examination they went and asked Dave Verellen to do vocals on this track (whose band, Botch, also played that very first show I ever booked). Anyone who knows me and knows the history of this label should immediately be able to discern that the way in which Botch created their music is a major influence upon my expansive and outside-the-box view of what punk and hardcore can be. Having him on this track was not planned by me, but it sure is a nice cherry on top.

So why Rorschach? Clearly they were a big influence upon both Great Falls and Botch. After all, they were a band credited with bringing more metallic, chaotic, and for lack of a better term ‘math-y’ elements to hardcore.

Without Rorschach there would be no Deadguy, no Kiss It Goodbye, no Botch, no Great Falls, no Converge. They set a template. And while I don’t think there’s a bad Rorschach song out there “Mandible” just happens to be my favorite. So I asked a band that I know I wanted to be a part of this thing, who also conduct themselves in a manner that is forward-thinking and immediate, and who would instantly get it.

Great Falls were the clear answer and they were up to the task and then they just went and surprised me with the guest vocals from another person whose musical output I also greatly respect. So thank you Shane, Demian, Nick, and Dave for this contribution.”