Reviewed by Ian Webber

This 14-track release is the second from this Lansing, New York-based outfit. What can only be described as experimental punk music contains elements of '80s indie, thrash and classic hardcore. Buckets of eerie horror are served up as the aptly named Splatter Guts delivers lyrics with growls, gurgles and spits. Each track is high energy and driven by a solid, pulsing bass. "Haunted Apparition" mixes a swirling flanged riff with a more traditional choppy hardcore sound to build momentum into what is a rollercoaster ride of styles. "Brain Splattered Matter" is probably the closest BFO get to all out thrash, laced with tub-thumping aggression whilst a more laid back, instrumental "Thoughts And Prayers" highlights some intricate guitar leads. Enjoyable as the quieter elements were, I found the most authentic moments on the recording were when the guitars produced a background of dirty fuzz to the spoken scratchy vocals. Lyrically the album reflects on struggles with human desires such as lust, greed and deceit while pointing towards Jesus as the cure for these ills. Although the themes on the album are clear to pick out, identifying any musical influences on these tracks is quite difficult. The closest I can suggest is the black metal of Horter. Having said this however, Blast From Oblivion provide greater variation in sound than many extreme acts and this may be their downfall. I feel that this recording contains too many lighter moments for diehard punk fans and an excess of aggressive elements for the more progressive fan. BFO are certainly a challenging listen that provide a surfeit of surprises.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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