Safe Inside "s/t" 7"
[Black Matter]
Jesus, this is frantic and acerbic hardcore/punk with scathing over the top vocal screams and some totally fucked up song structures that are really tight and occasionally lock into fast hardcore/punk rhythms, but definitely twist the time signatures up a lot with some quick shifts and a lot of dissonance that makes things harder to follow. "M.E." lets a little rock 'n' roll peak through, with a couple of the other songs following suit with a quirkier indie slant, but fast and chaotic hardcore is the name of the game for the most part. Apparently the band features ex-members of As I Lay Dying and Built to Last, so go figure, because this is quite different. The production is loud as fuck and lets the drums do a lot of the work, while the guitars are only lightly distorted and can get lost behind the density added by the bass and the sheer grit of the vocals (not to mention the percussion). I'm not too bothered by that, but it is a little noisy and hard to follow as a result. Not that the songwriting is all that linear or easy on the ears anyway, but a slightly more efficient recording could allow more detail to shine through. The record's on clear vinyl in a nice looking black and white sleeve that's actually got printing inside as well, despite being one of those sleeves that's sealed shut on the sides, which is a nice touch. The artwork looks great and the insert has tons of chaotic text arrangements, making things as hard to read as the songs are to follow. Admittedly the lyrics are bluntly enjoyable, though. "Cross my heart, hope you die, I'll enjoy the silence fuck goodbyes, I've had enough I'm fucking through, Can't even stand to look at you..." Hell, song titles like "Shit on Your Lips" and "Man, You Fucking Suck!" speak for themselves. 14 songs in just nine minutes, so do the math. They blaze through in a flash and it's hard as shit to keep track of where one song ends and another begins because you can't decipher a friggin' word of the lyrics. I'm not totally into it because I'm a finicky listener when it comes to such approaches, but there's potential here, and if their live shows are as wild as this EP they should certainly appeal to fans of 9 Shocks Terror and the like. (6/10)
Running time - 9:00 (approximately), Tracks: 14
[Notable tracks: it's a consistent listen, I can't really tell which song is which]
Black Matter - http://www.blackmatterrecords.com

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