Labels: Gunner Records
Review by: Joe Callaghan
Some guys from this band used to be in Milemarker and Challenger. Instantly good. That’s not even up for debate. I knew this was going to kick my head in before I ever heard it. It’s definitely a little different than I expected, but it’s still quite marvellous. It’s punk fucking rock, but it sounds nothing like all that FEST stuff. No beers or bromance here. It steers closer towards the more prominent SST acts of the 1980’s, with a contemporary studio output of course. Heck, even the hooks on the first track are near identical to the instantly recognisable Rise Above. The guitars aren’t quite as free as Greg Ginn’s signature unstructured chaos nor is the whole article as assaulting as Black Flag, but there is a baring resemblance within the hooks and structures. There’s a lot of Garage Rock characteristics etched into their slick, rigid formulas, but it never strays outside of what can be considered punk rock. In fact, it’s incredibly refreshing to hear a solid punk rock record that isn’t wearing current Floridian influences on every sleeve. It’s hard and raging. The vocals are coarse and flat and the guitar is razor sharp. Everything cuts through the mix and stabs you right in the skull, in a Hot Snakes manner, and whilst there are no memorable sing alongs, the entire record will relentlessly hammer through a dozen songs at a steamrolling pace, and you’ll probably want to catch every second of it. Unless you’re a bastard. You’re not a bastard are you?