Labels: Toxic State
Review by: Alex Deller
Honestly not sure when, why or where I picked this one up, but randomly pulling it from the stack and giving it a first-time spin was a real treat. Given the label I was thinking it’d be some grubby, gnarled, mutant hardcore, but it’s altogether different and rather wonderfully so. The first thing to assail you are the vocals, which jut rudely forth all rapid-fire, high-pitched and unapologetically in your face. The guitar sounds all busted up “” like broken springs and torn beer cans “” but energetic, hyper melodic and as unavoidably catchy as a shitty dose of the flu in an open-plan office. Rhythmically things tumble in and out of focus, adding to the overall sense of ebullient mania that drives things to the point of nervous, gibbering collapse. There’s a comparison lingering just beyond my mental reach, but if you think a garage rock Kirsch merged with Burning Kitchen and that C-3’s 7″ I reviewed a lil while back you might almost be there. Lyrics are in Portuguese and translated for monolingual dullards like me. Packaging is ace, as per all Toxic State releases. Overall: a bit of a bloody standout.