Torch Runner are playing a style of bitter, nihilistic hardcore that I seem to be hearing a fair bit of lately. It’s murky, dense and relentlessly nasty, perhaps influenced by the likes of Gehenna and Integrity but ultimately fitting neatly alongside recent Southern Lord affiliates like Trap Them and Enabler. Torch Runner, though, while clearly no stranger to the metallic side of things are far more punked-up than those two, the majority of the tracks here sounding like Unruh might have if they ditched the devilish death metal-infused riffing and tried to play straight-up hardcore songs. The occasional sample or queasy plod breaks things up, ensuring the LP doesn’t blur past in a nightmare of sub-minute eruptions but sticks around long enough to leave a real dent in the back of your head. Fucking excellent stuff, and one for those who enjoyed those last Nails and Cowards LPs rather too much.