EP Reviews: "Scrape" & "Carve" by Internal (MA Glory) by Devin Joseph Meaney

Band: Internal

Location: New Bedford, Massachusetts

Country: USA

Genre: Powerviolence

EP: Scrape

Format: Digital

Label: MA Glory

Release date: June 7, 2020

EP: Carve

Format: Digital

Label: MA Glory

Release date: July 17, 2020

On my journey through the wasteland, I decided that it has been a very long time since I did any writing on powerviolence. I know less about the history of powerviolence than I do grindcore and goregrind (and maybe even black metal) but I DO enjoy it at times. I mean, the shit is heavy. And honestly anything that you can blare through a P.A. system and blow windows out is kind of my leaning. Here we go!

Normally I review one release as a time, but right now I am going to do two; due to the insanely short length of each one. The two EPs in question are ''Scrape'' and ''Carve'' by Internal. This is the first time I am hearing of this band; but after my first (and second) listen to these EPs; I can state that they have gained a new fan.

The first EP I listened to was Carve, which clocked in at under 3 minutes in length. The second was Scrape, which almost reaches full-length level at just over 4. (I joke). Still... even at like 7 minutes between two EPs; it was enough to grab my attention... and I will be sure to listen to more from this band as it comes to me. (If it does?)

As stated earlier, I don't really know too much about powerviolence. It sounds ''kind of like grind,'' if you ask me, anyway. Still, the guitar presented by Internal is heavy, the vocals are tight and aggressive, the drums are played with obvious skill; and the production is also deserving of a shout out... this stuff is put together pretty well!

Some people may pass over the short EPs like this, but honestly... this is how I find A LOT of really good stuff. And a huge portion of my own demos and EPs clock in at under 10 minutes. So I try to not expect a full length offering with every session. And sometimes you don't feel like forty minutes to an hour and a half of heavy. Sometimes all you want is a short bursting session; enough to exorcise the demons and get the blood pumping... and maybe your fists, too!

All in all these two short EPs were worthy of each listen I gave them. They may not be anything really pioneering; but they do the sub-genre well (from my point of view) and I can promise Internal another view in the future if they present another offering. Great stuff! –Devin Joseph Meaney

Note: After writing this review; I realized there was yet another self titled EP (supposedly their debut) from these guys in 2020... and maybe more? I'm not sure. Either way, the self titled EP was also a banger; and I encourage all of you fine folks to listen to it. Do it! –DJM

Track list:

[Scrape]
1. Braindead
2. Dark
3. Power
4. Corporate
5. Scrape
6. Snapped
7. Your Lane
8. Vile
9. Enemy
10. Spew

[Carve]
1. Happy Place
2. Empty
3. Carve
4. Screwdriver
5. You Lose