Check out some of the love we got for the Split we have just put out with Crocus. We are real stoked about the press we have gotten so far from it and if you have some spare cash, order yourself a copy!
Rock Sound Magazine - issue 125
7 out of 10
Should you require confirmation that British hardcore is alive and
kicking, then look no further than this tasty little EP. Northerners
Lavotchkin arrive under a brooding black cloud and proceed to let rip
with a volatile racket reminiscent of cursed and curl up and die,
albeit with a raucous rock and roll edge. And there's no let up as
Crocus follow on with three cuts of old-school screamo. Wild, intricate
and brimming with passion, this Cornish outfit should delight fans of
level planes early releases.
Its all over far to quickly, but consider our appetite well and truly whetted.
Big Cheese Magazine - 1133 out of 5 rating
Music doesnt get more primal than the bludgeoning hardcore played by Lavotchkin and Crocus. Hailing for opposite ends of the country (the north east and falmouth respectively), they play similar styles of relentlessly punishing, ear-splitting assaults that have plenty in common, despite the geographical differences. Lavotchkin are arguably the most savage of the two, tearing through their three songs on this split EP like a big cat through its prey. Crocus are marginally more measured, tempering their ferocity with the occasional math-rock style flourish - although they're still bile-splittingly aggressive. Think UK hardcore begins with Gallows and ends with Shitty Limits? Think again.
RockMidgets.com4 out of 5 rating
You may be forgiven for not being already familiar with either
band on this EP, for despite touring the length and breadth of the
country, neither Crocus nor Lavotchkin have been the subject of any
real hype, sadly remaining under most peoples' musical radar. After
this you won't be forgetting their names in a hurry - the new split EP
contains some of the best music the British scene currently has to
offer.
First into the breach are Lavotchkin, who kick things off in truly
raging fashion. The enduring Converge influence from previous releases
is still apparent but tracks 'You Were Dawn' and 'Clouds' display the
addition of a massive dose of D beat hardcore, bringing to mind the
likes of Cursed and His Hero Is Gone at their crusty best. However,
it's when they slow things down on the monolithic 'Abandon' that finds
them at their best and demonstrates how genuinely deserving they are of
a place at the forefront of UK hardcore.
http://www.rockmidgets.com/releases.php?&id=3590
PunkNews.org
This split EP between English metallic hardcore ragers Lavotchkin and
..90s screamo countrymen Crocus is a pretty ferocious pairing.
Lavotchkin are up first with three pleasantly grating,
no-holds-barred beasts. This material is way better and a little more
original than
their earlier material,
which sounded a little too close to the various assortment of weak
Botch clones for comfort. This stuff stakes out territory closer to the
slower-burning Converge moments, with lots of careful changes and
throbbing processions ("Abandon"). I wouldn't be at all shocked if
Deathwish picked up the band's next effort for some well-warranted
North American exposure. Intense stuff.
Crocus match them pound for pound with three cathartic courses
of their own. "A Spiritual Polemic" makes its mark instantly with an
ominous bass riff and then throat-shredding scream, delving into an
ever-changing, angular screamo jam, the likes of which we hear plenty
from Europe lately but don't mind at all. It's a pretty good mix of
early JR Ewing, Orchid and La Quiete. Flailling, stop-start drums and
frenetic bass riffs litter the crunchily dynamic and totally impressive
"Ignorance We Swallow." Always good to hear this.
Definitely one of the more enjoyable splits as of late.
http://www.punknews.org/review/8535
DieShellSuit.co.uk
8 out of 10 rating
Blasting straight out of the speakers, Newcastle based Lavotchkin spare
no time in marking their territory. Moving away from the Botch-ism’s of
their earlier material. Their 3 tracks display a more grown up, bigger,
dirty, rock approach to their chosen genre. Earthy sounding guitars and
hoarse screaming rule here. “You Were Dawn” tears away from the
starting line, bouncing and smashing its way through before the
slowed-down-Hope-Con-sounding “Abandon” sluggishly bullies its way into
your head. Wrapping it up with “Clouds” they end on a positive and
chaotic note. This bodes well for their
debut album.
Crocus
hail from Falmouth (that Bastion of rock) and have been listening to
Gravity Records roster quite some from this recording, which is no bad
thing and they do build on this influence. Mixing in a more punk
approach with some technicality in the playing department. Think of all
your favourites;
Hot Cross, Saetia, City Of Caterpillar,
Swing Kids etc and then take that sound and mix it with something very home grown. You have Crocus.
It’s
maybe a bit early to be heaping too much on them but the 3 tracks show
a vision and skill that left to breathe and develop could be mighty
impressive.
http://www.dieshellsuit.co.uk/article_detail.asp?rID=3673
AlterThePress.com4 out of 5 rating
"If you like speedy, hard-hitting hardcore then this split EP from Lavotchkin/Crocus will be right up your ally.
Lavotchkin
start off the proceedings with 'You Were Dawn', an energetic,
fast-paced ruckus that definitely wakes you up. Next the
Newcastle-based band show their more structured side with 'Abandon'
with its sluggish guitars weaving through in the background over
screaming vocals and earch shattering drums. They finish their side of
the split with 'Clouds', a track that speeds through at a blistering
pace and at the same time, sounds epic.
Falmouth's
Crocus are more complex in their approach, 'A Spirtual Polemic' starts
off with a simple bass line before easing itself into a complete mess
but at the same time it is structured. 'Ignorance We Swallow' shows the
bands technical side; one second they're speeding through at a furious
pace then suddenly slowing things down momentarily, before once again
turning up the volume. 'Fear of Water' finishes off the EP with 1 and
40 seconds of aggressive, adrenaline filled hardcore.
At just 17
minutes long, you are left with wanting to hear more from both bands.
The combination of the hard hitting Lavotchkin and the complexness of
Crocus, works well and flows with ease together."
http://www.alterthepress.com/2009/06/album-review-lavotchkincrocus-split-ep.html
The Dreaded Press
I like this CD. A lot.
Allow me to elaborate: I stuck this on and initially thought the CDR was duff, and then “You Were Dawn”
kicked in and I nearly fell off my seat. Launching in to a barrage of
huge guitars, this is a crusty, face-grinding son of a bitch; the band
might as well be playing in my front room, and I’ve reason to believe
my neighbours think they are. The band in question are Newcastle’s Lavotchkin
who return with three heavier, more grown-up tracks compared to their
previous releases. This is furious hardcore punk done well.
I’m always cynical about a lot of punk and hardcore bands, mainly
because a lot of them lack the edge to separate themselves from a crowd
of Converge-a-likes and a sea of Botch tributes. Now, this is nothing
new or original… but Christ, it’s angry and it works.
Track two, “Abandon/Introspection” is a sluggish,
monolith of a track, showcasing a bit more structure and – dare I say
it – anthemic quality. It’s by no means a sing-a-long, but it makes me
want to punch something [Being awake makes you want to punch something, Bunkin! - Ed.]. Lavotchkin are pretty pissed off about something, which is good, because it pisses me off – and at the end of the day, feeling something when listening to music is what it’s all about.
Finishing their contribution with “Clouds”, Lavotchkin leave me wanting something a bit more… a black eye, perhaps, or maybe just some new eardrums.
This is a great release from two of the UK’s better hardcore acts – and
in times where I find it hard to be stirred by anything, the ferocity
of these six tracks crammed in to 17 minutes have reignited my love for
the “scene” (sigh). With this being a taster of albums to come from
both these acts, it’s a promising time for the genre… and a punishing
time on this reviewer’s ears.
http://www.rock-metal-music-reviews.com/ep-review-lavotchkin-vs-crocus-split/
Roomthirteen.com
The split EP is a tricky beast. Taking bands of the same genre, it
places them beside each other much like fighters in the ring. Despite
bands often being tour/ label mates, long term acquaintances or
friends, the aim of the game is to deal the knock out blow and usually
there is only one victor. If your average band are merely boxers
sparring for victory, hardcore bands are the UFC of the music world -
dealing crushing attacks with every beat, every chord and every scream.
In the red corner are Lavotchkin: all measured aggression in short,
sharp rat-a-tat-tat attacks. From the rapid fire assault of ‘You Were
The Dawn’ which relentlessly punches its way along bloodied but
assuredly, to the slow, intense burn of ‘Abandon’ which ramps its way
into a calculated fury: this band are weighty contenders. Yet despite
solid efforts, the deliberate, almost metronomic approach seems a
little starchy, too clean, too considered for such a fight.
In the blue corner are Crocus: all frenetic, frenzied energy: they are
the wild young bucks and the antithesis of the measured blows of their
opponents. ‘A Spirtual Polemic’ violently cavorts around with its
complexity, changing structure and speed, as does ‘Ignorance We
Swallow’ which also teases its contenders with its unhinged, adrenalin
infused chaos and urgency.
There are no knockouts here, just two bands on form and at the top of their game.
http://www.roomthirteen.com
AltSounds.com
Three tracks a piece then from Laotchkin and Crocus on this 'Split' EP
coming out on Small Town Records. If you think Gallows are a bit girlie
then this split EP is definitely for you.
Lavotchkin go first starting with a ball-shaking 'You Were Dawn' and
pretty much clobbering the shit out of you for the next ten minutes
through 'Abandon / Introspection' and into 'Clouds'. They break things
down building nicely for the launch in the second song but otherwise
the tempo is kept at deaf-con 1.
I swear, I've got no clue how these guys stay so
ANGRY
the whole time but it makes for killer mosh music and Crocus aren't
about to let the(ir) side down. It's hard to listen to such intense
music outside of a live environment, sitting alone in your bedroom on a
sunny Saturday afternoon. This stuff was made for the night; for sweat
stained clubs with broken toilets and cheap cider on tap.
On balance I'd say Crocus have a little more to offer the casual
hardcore fan with some interesting start / stops to the back line
making for a more varied, less relentless listen. 'Ignorance We
Swallow' is the EP high point and worth coming back to but to truly get
the most out of these two unhinged bands I'd suggest getting out there
and seeing them live. Both bands are currently touring so get to it.
Altsounds.com accept no liability for circle pit kicks to the head.
http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/111283-lavotchkin-crocus-split-ep.html
Kerrang also gave us 3 K's, though pretty much said they hated us. We'll live though ;-) hahahaha
Buy the Split!
The Lavotchkin's!