Labels: Deathwish
Review by: Alex Deller
Prior to this, I’d had a fairly ambivalent attitude towards Punch. Never seen ’em live despite their numerous trips over, and only half-arsedly checked out their records after the first one or two. I can’t really tell you why things panned out this way beyond a slightly churlish attitude towards what I (rightly or wrongly) perceive to be more ‘professional’ hardcore bands, but there we go. What led me to check this one out is also unclear, but I did and it turned out to be preyty bloody ace. It is, pure and simple, a Very Good Hardcore Record. There’s nothing experimental, nothing untoward and no ridiculous, genre-defining leaps, but its strength lies in the expert, airtight way it’s all been put together and the vein-straining conviction that every song exudes. Each song is a mad, thrashing blast of sweat and venom. The breakdowns punch you in the gut, the riffs are massive and Meghan’s insanely pissed vocals are capable of shearing through skulls from a thousand miles away. As it runs its ragged course I’m reminded of I Shot Cyrus, Los Crudos, Chain Of Strength and Left For Dead all being atom-smashed together, and to my mind that’s a pretty strong suite of acts to be compared to. Like I said, really bloody good and more fool me for my years of inattention.