Nails “Unsilent Death” CD/12”

"Unsilent Death" is the latest 10-song EP of blistering, in your face hardcore/punk from Nails (once more via Six Feet Under Records). The label refers to the sound as "not unlike the late 80's Earache Records catalog mixed with early power violence", and I can definitely agree with that. They're still utilizing a raw, gritty recording with loads of distortion that occasionally caves in to straight up feedback/noise, but the guitars have that killer Swedish-tinged "Sunlight sound" this time out, which is awesome. The songwriting has improved as well, though, as the sparse D-beat blasts and completely hammering speeds are laced with vicious midpaced breakdowns and some really memorable arrangements throughout. I really don't know why, but judging from the explosion of comments the last time I posted about Nails, this is a band that a number of people "love to hate", apparently. I'd like to believe the improvements made on this outing will change a few minds, but it's probably unlikely. That being said, the entire record runs just 14 minutes, and the more I listen to it, the more I like it. Those of us who care more about the music than who's in the band or who else thinks it's "cool" can find plenty to appreciate...

Nails "Suffering Soul"

Unless you get it from eMusic, this is one of those rare cases where buying the album as mp3's is actually more expensive than buying the CD (which is just $6 from the label), so... keep that in mind if you're looking to pick this one up!

Get It

Six Feet Under Records (CD)
Six Feet Under Records (12")
eMusic (mp3)