108 – Threefold Misery (Reissue)

108‘s Threefold Misery album was originally released in 1996, it was their final full length prior to their original break up, to mark the 20th anniversary of the original release of the album, and to celebrate their reformation and return to touring, the album has been reissued with new art and two bonus tracks, both of which are culled from the Curse Of Instinct EP.

108 is an American hardcore punk band that began life back in 1991, they blend their spiritual beliefs, they are all devotees of the Hare Krishna faith, with a brutal blend of hardcore and metal, this may sound like an unlikely combination but punk, and especially hardcore, has always  spawned bands that have a message, whether that’s political, personal or spiritual, and this marriage may sound like it would make unlikely bedfellows, but it’s certainly one that works.

The ominous bass rumble that appears at the beginning of opening track, Invocation, gives you fair warning of what’s about to be unleashed, they then then launch into a dark and intense hardcore assault. Threefold Misery is an energetic and relentless album on which 108 manage to balance their spiritual beliefs with a dedication to playing an intense and heavy blend of hardcore and metal. You can hear the musical influences on here, from the hardcore of pioneering bands like Black Flag, through to the political rage of Rage Against The Machine and the intensity of Slayer.

Whilst musically this is an influential hardcore album, the lyrical content of the songs captures 108’s beliefs and carries the message of their dedication to the Krishna Consciousness. It would appear that the old cliché that the devil has all the best tunes isn’t one that rings true, this album is evidence that the Krishna Consciousness has it’s own noisy standard bearers

Threefold Misery can be ordered from Six Feet Under Records on a variety of coloured vinyl variants here