Labels: self released
Review by: Unknown
I will readily admit I was highly sceptical when I went to review this… especially when the attached flyer used the word crust, I don’t like crust… Then they were happy to use the label crust violence… Oh shit! Then I was thinking where I had seen that term before and it was Kent Brockman who used it on their first 7″!! So the outlook might not be so bleak…
In this day in age where bands live and die by their mp3 demos this debut cd from Scotland’s youngest and angriest is so damn refreshing. A female spoken word introduction track that is quoted from my main fucking man, Chris Bickel (YEAH!) talking about the scene and being independent with some quiet drums in the background and just as the spoken word ends the guitars start fuzzing and it all kicks off at 100 mph! It doesn’t stay that speed long before a heftily growled slow passage before going back the blast… And it’s at this point where I’m like…. HELL YEAH!!! So after the intro and first track being about the scene and keeping it independent, they then go on to annihilate fashioncore, sell-outs, mankind’s intent on destroying the earth and then finally baiting the christians with “No Jesus”!!! Are these kids reading my mind?!
Musically it’s tight and loose in equal measure, its not over the top with technicality but there is enough to it to keep it interesting song after song, repeat after repeat… And that’s a hard thing to do for any band especially fast hardcore bands! Vocally they make occasionally use of the “cookie monster” but it’s slight and not too over the top, not sure how many kids sing but it seems like all of them must take turns given the mix of vocals. The negative aspect of the lyrics is not over the top and there is shedloads of sincerity and room for debate here, they are well thought out and concise so no explanation is needed… Though personally I would love to see some thoughts added to expand on the topics broached, that’s just me being picky. Sure its nothing new musically or lyrically, but these kids are putting it just as well, if not better, than the likes of Dropdead, Totalitar or the previously mentioned Kent Brockman!
The DIY scene in Xcotland is a desolate place, those that claim to be DIY are pretty much bad nu-metal by numbers even down to the whole Lost Prophets fashion… It’s a joke, but these dudes are proving there is some hope. They are taking over the mantle from Shank in pissed hardcore genre while Santo Caserio deal out some emo justice to the fakers and the Process crush the fake beatdown thugs… Scotland isn’t looking so shitty after all!
Don’t let the crust thing put you off, this is a perfect amount of short, fast and angry hardcore punk straight from the heart of kids, if there was more bands like this around the diy scene would not be the mess it is. These guys have just usurped Out of Vogue (review coming soon!) as my favourite new hardcore band, roll on seeing them live soon and getting the 7″ that is appearing in October!
9/10
PLEASE NOTE! This is actually a cdr, but with based on the following criteria I am TELLING you this deserves to be treated on a par with any ‘proper’ release. 1) it is well presented with full artwork 2) lyrics sheet included 3) looks just as good as many ‘proper’ cd releases 4) sound quality is above demo standards 5) It is only £3 postpaid in the uk (?5/£5 for anywhere else in the world) You really can not fault this at all.