I wrote about Nails’ second album in the very first edition of the Black Market way back in February, and I’m still spinning this thing on the regular. Even if you hate the band it’s impossible to talk about them without sounding hyperbolic, so I won’t try: Abandon All Life is the “heaviest” record of the year, without question. Nails serve up a master class in extremes: airless grind butts up against surly death and doom, and in the space between they sound something like Dismember playing hardcore. Paired with Kurt Ballou’s angriest production to date, we get a record that feels painfully loud at any volume. When Rick Rubin cranked the mix on Death Magnetic to unlistenable levels, this is what he was aiming for. But despite all the disgusting noise, Nails are a quietly brilliant band, especially in the way they sequence their albums. Both sides of the LP close with a gut-busting slow song, granting release right before you tap out from all the blasting. At only 18 minutes, Abandon All Life does exactly what it needs to and gets the fuck out. –Aaron
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