Some neat, raging hardcore from Sweden, courtesy of three members of Victims and a guy who played in Outlast. That, obviously, is some pedigree right there, and from the off it’s clear that Alarm! know exactly what they’re doing: surging stuff that’s straight-ahead most the time yet loaded with enough interesting jags and snaggles to keep you guessing. Vocals are strained and desperate, the bass chimes nicely and the guitars switch between meaty power, ominous lurk (including a bona fide doom riff during ‘Ancient Cycles’…) and scratchy dissonance. Oftentimes I’m minded of ‘Fifteen Counts Of Arson’ minus the crust, and at others I get to thinking about that ‘Obscenity In The Milk’ LP by Milhouse. This makes for a winning mix in my book, and good news is that there’s already more music on the way. Get on it!
