Labels: Here And Now! – Knochen Tapes – Middle Man Records – Triple Eye Industries
Review by: Alex Deller
Maybe I’m projecting, but weariness and desperation are what I am picking up on here. Lifes are a two-piece from Milwaukee, half of which is Dave Rudnik of the excellent and criminally overlooked Seven Days Of Samsara. Here they batter their way through 18 tracks of varied, end-of-its-tether hardcore that punches its ticket with grind and powerviolence. The tangled basslines and electronic chitterings make Man Is The Bastard the most cogent point of reference, though the uncomfortable dissonance and frequent off-kilter lunges bring to mind bands like Iron Lung, Chest Pain and Triac as well. The results are savage, thoughtful and far from easy to listen to … a physically and emotionally exhausting experience, but one that’s definitely worth putting yourself through the wringer for.