Labels: Bent Edge – Busted Heads – Envelope – I Am The War – Promenade – Thrashin
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Ah, this is nice and easy to review. FAST HARDCORE, GO!
First up, Assel squeezes some ridiculous number of tracks on their side and almost sounds too fast even on 33rpm speed. Raw, screamed vocals over the top of thrashed out guitar and manic drumming really does the trick. Lots of opportunity to run around your room going crazy. Comparable to a less ballistic Stack, with some more punk rock leanings particularly on “Hyckleri!”, but for the most part this is just frenetic. Definitely, these Swedes are rippin’. Also, they throw in cool lyric explanations in English for us who can’t read Swedish.
Second Thought are positively selfish, fitting a paltry 5 songs on their side, tsk! And they are sticking to the straight forward hardcore, fitting right in with fellow country-fellows, DS13. Lots of angry vocals, and that flood of pure punk rock energy that you’ll hear in all the good thrashy stuff. They also give us cool, cynical lyric explanations and they certainly do their side of the split justice. The sample of a European country & western band at the end is pretty fucking funny too. Well, it sounds it. Maybe the stuff that is being sung is decidedly not funny. Ah, the barrier of language.
Also – this is a split between 6 different labels. Neat eh! Way solid release for those who like their hardcore fast and good.