Labels: Reaper
Review by: I.P.
Trapped Under Ice’s LP picks up where their last EP left off; a brutal slice of Baltimore’s no-frills, metallic twist on hardcore. Arising from a city known for heavyweights including Gut Instinct and Stout, TUI have worked hard to establish themselves in a scene prone to copycat-ism and shameless riff-grabbery. Whereas the Stay Cold EP highlights the harsh realities of urban drudgery, the LP denounces the fruitless and futile world outside this microcosm. Despite the slightly repetitive lyrical tirade, the tracks do not seem to tire. One of the strongest on the album, ‘Gemini’, sounds fiercer and more confrontational than the version that appeared on an earlier 7″. However, unlike the split personalities detailed within the song, it’s clear to see that TUI have achieved stability and settled on their sound. It’s heavy, it’s punishing, it’s one-dimensional and it’s a superb way for the band to mark their eagerly awaited debut.