Album Review: Mind Pollution by LIES! (Coretex Records, Diorama Records)

Dutch metallic hardcore heavyweights LIES! will release their second album, Mind Pollution, on 08 December 2023.

Mind Pollution will be available on CD and digital formats independently (powered by their agency DarkerHalf), with Coretex Records exclusively handling the CD version in Germany and Diorama Records distributing the album in Asia.

Established in 2011, LIES! emerged from the vibrant Groningen scene. In their short but impactful existence, LIES! wasted no time leaving their mark with their aggressive blend of hardcore punk, thrash, and metallic hardcore. With various gigs across Europe and support shows for Hatebreed and Sick Of It All, along with three releases, the band had to take a break around 2014 as vocalist Rene went abroad for a few years. After a hiatus of 7 years (due to work commitments), they returned in 2022 with their DIY comeback EP, Rebirth, followed by a series of exciting live shows, including a performance at the 3-day HC/metal festival Pitfest.

Their upcoming album, Mind Pollution, prominently reflects the influences of hardcore and crossover metal bands such as Hatebreed, All Out War, Terror, and Merauder across its nine intense and concise songs.

The internal storm portrayed in the album cover — an enormous vortex in a lightning storm crushing a city with brains emerging — parallels the chaos depicted in the lyrics, exploring the impact of pressure, desire, fear, and neediness on human cognition and the potential destruction of humanity. Adding to the collaborative effort, Hugo Zerrad, vocalist from the French metallic hardcore band Worst Doubt, not only contributes as the cover artwork designer but also lends his guest vocals on the track “Propaganda.”

All the songs were recorded and produced by Sander, the guitarist of LIES!, at 3181 Studio.

LIES! is Rene Smit on vocals, Sander Oldersma on guitars and backing vocals, Frank van den Beld also on guitars and backing vocals, Jeroen Habets on bass and Marcel Oldersma on drums.

Speaking about the overall theme of the album, vocalist Rene states:

In the midst of our chaotic lives, a form of pollution has emerged – ‘Mind Pollution.’ This pollution warps our thoughts and perceptions, driven by constant urges and misleading influences, all fueled by an unending need for connection. The fear of missing out and the fear of loss perpetuate this cycle. Within our minds, a storm rages — a tornado of anger, opinions, and external influences. This mental turmoil threatens our core beliefs and even our ability to reason. In the midst of this turmoil, we risk losing our true selves, pulled away by external forces. This internal storm can be overwhelming, capable not only of shattering our world but also leading to complete estrangement or even more dire consequences.

Mind Pollution is a short album. It does bring 9 new tracks to our ears but the total runtime of the album is only around 14 minutes with the longest track on the album hitting 2 and a half minutes but the shortest, a mere 40 seconds. In fact the opener and closer of the album account for nearly 5 minutes of the music on here with the other 7 tracks using the remaining 9 minutes. We get under way with that 2 minute opener, the title track, Mind Pollution. Now, LIES! are a hardcore band and the songs are short so you already have an idea of what you are going to be listening to.

Despite the lack of available time, the opener still starts with 5 seconds of silence, making me think the volume is muted, before a sudden deep roar of Mind Pollution shocks me to my senses. That caught me off guard. What follows then is an explosive assault of metallic riffing and drumming. It’s hard and heavy, really throwing some force out. The verses have catchiness though, hammering home the message in a grooving flurry of metal. The drums sound great and the little change up where we drop to a drum solo, then joined by a twanging bass has impact. Vocals are powerful and it’s a really stromng album opener that ends quickly, but leaves a lasting mark.

The worry I have though is, if I felt like the over 2 minute opener ended too quickly, how am I going to feel about the majority of Mind Pollution? In truth, a lot of it is too short and you feel a little short changed. That’s not entirely a negative. You feel short changed because you are going to really enjoy what you are listening to, but then it just all ends too quickly. Tracks like the 60 second long Setsunai bring some really neat melodies in it’s patient build up, setting an ominous atmosphere before ending. In a way it feels like maybe it is a precursor to the track that follows it but they don’t really flow exactly into each other.

That following track though, Resurrect, really hits hard with a mix of intense and crushing riffing and rhythm yet while still maintaining a catchiness and groove, then it’s over.

Wounds Into Wisdom is another fiery beast of a track and Propaganda (which features Hugo Zerrad from Worst Doubt) really is an excellent track. I love the overall flow of the song, the punchy riffs and that drop off into descending guitar slides, a little melody and tapping drums. They then use that as a platform to launch back into a fast and furious section to close it out. World Inferno has the most infectious of intros and is sure to get your head banging before the mosh pit will explode as the verse hits and it all turns a little looser and more chaotic. It brings back the chorus in style, finds time for a fiery guitar solo and is one of the stand out tracks on Mind Pollution for me.

The best comes at the end though with what I think is, and am taking as, a double header of No Blood Left To Bleed and closing track, The Cleansing AD. No Blood Left To Bleed is an atmospheric intermission of sorts with some sampling, spoken/hushed vocals and an increasing line of distortion which almost seamlessly leads into The Cleansing A.D. getting straght off with a huge roar. Starting with what sounds like a newsreader delivering doom and gloom, it transforms into a crunchy number with wicked drum blasts and punchy riffing. Hard and heavy vocals lead the way and a little bit of melodic madness comes half way through courtesy of the lead guitars.

It closes us out in a continuing flurry of blasting beats before a sudden stop to the song, and the album. LIES! certainly know how to grab your attention and deliver a punchy mix of aggressive hardcore but tinged with a little bit of something special. That comes with either some additional melody from guitars, plenty of thick and catchy groove and a few neat ideas with vocal switches, samples and concept, like in the final track. What really amazes me is how they have managed to squeeze so much out of such short tracks.

Mind Pollution is a very strong album and really does showcase a great deal of talent with just enough difference makers to help them stand out in a saturated “core” crowd with my only concern being the song and album length. I’m not convinced 14 minutes justifies an album and I would love to see what they could do if they find a way to double that, at least. But, to end on a positive as LIES! deserve here, if you want some no nonsense, straight to the point metal full of groove and aggression, look no further than Mind Pollution.

You can preorder your copy of Mind Pollution by LIES! by follwing the appropriate link. For Asia, Germany or anywhere else.

Mind Pollution Links

Website – Facebook – Instagram – YouTube – Bandcamp – Merch – Coretex Records – Diorama Records