Jungbluth - Part Ache

Named after a German communist and resistance fighter Karl Jungbluth that was executed by Nazi forces in 1945, this is Jungbluth; the newest band from members of German crust band Alpinist, who sadly went on hiatus last year much to the dismay of many. But every cloud has a silver lining, right? After a storming self-titled tape of visceral melody-tinged hardcore with a penchant for sonic drama, Jungbluth has released their first full-length Part Ache.

Meshing the emotional pleas of Alpinist with screamo-like vocals and the urgency of crust, Part Ache is a half hour record of vibrant hardcore that is not to be missed. In many ways, they’ve picked up the baton where Alpinist left it but Jungbluth have taken on a presence of their own.

We’re introduced to Part Ache by the epic sounds and feelings of ‘Crevasse’, an instrumental that is rife with riffs and pulsating basslines. As far as setting a tone for things to come, Jungbluth have pulled it off perfectly.

That said, for all the band’s fevered and relentless flurries, they are certainly not afraid of hooks as the lead riff will ‘These Rare Moments’ will testify, being ebullient and almost bouncy as it collides with caustic shrieks and unifying gang vocals.

Meanwhile, ‘No One But Myself’ erupts with devastating drumming to counteract the buoyant melodies and segues to a crunchy slog that acts as a breather before another storm of aggression comes hammering in. Jungbluth’s relentlessness is truly staggering on this album, particularly with the vocals where heavy barks occasionally pop in to take over the reins from acidic screams to add a little dynamic to vocal commotion.

Karl Jungbluth was just one man in a group of young Germans that were determined to resist the spread of Nazism. His determinism and politics is a clear inspiration on the music of Jungbluth and the seeps from every pore of this record. It’s unruly and forceful. The politically charged emotion is totally palpable and the aggression unforgiving; a definite triumph for Jungbluth.