Darker Handcraft

Darker Handcraft
External slipcase cover
Studio album by Trap Them
Released	March 1, 2011 (2011-03-01)
Recorded	September 2010 at God City Studio in Salem, Massachusetts
Genre	Crust punk, grindcore
Length	31:05
Label	Prosthetic (#10091)
Producer	Kurt Ballou
Trap Them chronology
Filth Rations (2010) Darker Handcraft (2011)

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	(75/100)[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AbsolutePunk.net	91%[2]
Allmusic	[3]
Decibel	(9/10)[4]
Exclaim!	(favorable)[5]
Revolver	[6]
Rock Sound	(8/10)[7]

Darker Handcraft is the third studio album by the American rock band Trap Them. The album was first released in a vinyl LP format on March 1, 2011 and on CD and digital formats two weeks later on March 15, 2011 through Prosthetic Records.^[8] It's also the group's first release through Prosthetic after announcing their departure from Deathwish Inc. in 2009.^[9] Darker Handcraft was produced by Kurt Ballou of Converge.^[10]

Darker Handcraft is the first Trap Them album recorded with drummer Chris Maggio formerly of the hardcore band Coliseum. Vocalist Ryan McKenny observed a stronger bond among band members with the addition of Maggio. McKenny noted that, during the writing process, Trap Them was focused and never got mad at one another.^[11]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Ryan McKenny^[3], all music composed by Trap Them.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Day 42: Damage Prose"	2:37
2.	"Day 44: Slumcult and Gather"	3:23
3.	"Day 41: Every Walk a Quarantine"	2:55
4.	"Day 43: Evictionaries"	2:53
5.	"Day 32: All by the Constant Vulse"	3:30
6.	"Day 34: Sordid Earnings"	1:32
7.	"Day 33: The Facts"	3:23
8.	"Day 35: Saintpeelers"	1:15
9.	"Day 46: Manic in the Grips"	0:58
10.	"Day 37: Sovereign Through the Pines"	1:36
11.	"Day 47: Drag the Wounds Eternal"	2:35
12.	"Day 36: Scars Align"	4:28

Reception

Darker Handcraft has received mainly positive reviews, from many critics. AllMusic stated "Trap Them and their ilk are bound to leave many happily damaged eardrums before they runs their course". Dre Okorley of AbsolutePunk remarked "Darker Handcraft deciphers what Leatherface turned into his special forte: it stretches skin and curdles blood like it's a walk in the park". Though minor flaws were noted in the album,^[12] it appeared in the upper percentile of the majority of heavy music sites.

Personnel

Trap Them^[13]

• Brian Izzi – guitar
• Stephen Lacour – bass
• Chris Maggio – drums
• Ryan McKenney – vocals

Additional personnel^[13]

• Kevin Baker (The Hope Conspiracy) – guest vocals on "Evictionaries"
• Kurt Ballou – engineering, production
• Scott Hull – mastering at Visceral Sound
• Vberkvlt – artwork

References

1. ^ "Darker Handcraft – Summary". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. http://www.metacritic.com/music/darker-handcraft. Retrieved March 23, 2011. 
2. ^ Okorley, Dre (August 2011). "Trap Them - Darker Handcraft". AbsolutePunk. http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=2419092. Retrieved August 30, 2011. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Darker Handcraft – Overview". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/darker-handcraft-r2134366. Retrieved March 15, 2011. 
4. ^ Mehling, Shane (March 2011). "Blunt Force Truama". Decibel (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Red Flag Media Inc.) (77): 77–78. ISSN 1557-2137. 
5. ^ Carman, Keith (2011). "Review: Darker Handcraft". Exclaim!. http://exclaim.ca/Reviews/Metal/trap_them-darker_handcraft. Retrieved March 15, 2011. 
6. ^ Read, Clarke (March 16, 2011). "Review: Darker Handcraft". Revolver. Future US. http://www.revolvermag.com/beta/reviews/review-trap-them-darker-handcraft.html. Retrieved March 18, 2011. 
7. ^ Stewart-Panko, Kevin (March 14, 2011). "Review: Darker Handcraft". Rock Sound. http://www.rocksound.tv/reviews/article/trap-them-darker-handcraft. Retrieved March 15, 2011. 
8. ^ Debenedictis, Matt (March 1, 2011). "Trap Them Go 'Huge and Intense' for 'Damage Prose' -- Song Premiere". Noisecreep. AOL Music. http://www.noisecreep.com/2011/03/01/trap-them-damage-prose-song-premiere/. Retrieved March 7, 2011. 
9. ^ Adams, Gregory (January 6, 2011). "Trap Them Return with Darker Handcraft". Exclaim!. http://exclaim.ca/News/trap_them_return_with_darker_handcraft. Retrieved March 7, 2011. 
10. ^ Gotrich, Lars (March 7, 2011). "First Listen: Trap Them, 'Darker Handcraft'". NPR. http://www.npr.org/2011/03/07/134088291/first-listen-trap-them-darker-handcraft. Retrieved March 7, 2011. 
11. ^ Lee, Cosmo (April 2011). "Blood Work". Decibel (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Red Flag Media Inc.) (78): 35. ISSN 1557-2137. http://www.decibelmagazine.com/magazine/amon-amarth-78-%E2%80%93-april-2011/trap-them/. Retrieved March 7, 2011. 
12. ^ "Review: Trap Them - Darker Handcraft". http://www.revolvermag.com/reviews/review-trap-them-darker-handcraft.html. 
13. ^ ^{a b} (2011) Album notes for Darker Handcraft by Trap Them [CD tray]. Los Angeles: Prosthetic Records (10091-2).