Nah, I definitely prefer the 10″ to this. Not to say this sucks, far from it, I just think that the slightly longer songs on the EP give ROM a chance to exhibit their incredible style to far fuller effect, and that on this 16 track album things get a little samey. That style, for those still lurking on the sidelines, is to play blistering fast hardcore with an underlying current of gritty heaviness rumbling a long, and hyper vocals that are just impossible to describe. Play this kind of thing to a lot of people and they’ll probably just look at you aghast. Tll them it’s an emo violence thing…
Chaotic, unpredictable song structures mingle with full on spazz outs to induce fits of rolling around on the floor, and into this they introduce the occasional slower and more grooving part to keep a lid on things. Once you get used to the style, you’ll certainly be able to follow things and detect where the songs are heading, getting a grip upon the various strands that combine to makeup this riot.
As far as I am concerned, the majority of hardcore sucks. I am thankful that the likes of Reversal of Man and co (I’d pitch them in the same bracket as End of the Century Party, Orchid, Combatwoundedveteran, etc.) attempt to redefine the style as anyone knows it, as other bands have done in the past. They move the goalposts on, keep you guessing, and aren’t rehashing hardcore cliches over and over.
This comes with an awesome lyric booklet which includes song explanations and scary drawings reminiscent of the CWV insert. Oh, and play this just before you put on that CWV album and welcome in the new millenium. A portent of things to come.