Pissed off metallic hardcore out of Finland, with a vicious dual vocal attack of seething shouts that each have their own unique sound and make this one of the more interesting discs of this nature that I've come across lately. Musically it's obviously rooted in hardcore, but played similarly to metal as far as tone and picking style. There aren't really that many actual metal riffs, though. Just some thrashier rhythms and huge breakdowns and such. I love the writing though, the sounds are really memorable and sort of catchy based solely on the arrangements and the way the vocalists work together. "Don't Look Back" is heavy but has an unexpected sort of street punk undercurrent to it, due a slight melodic lean to the music and gruffly sung vocals during the chorus, which I actually like a lot. "Promised Land" has a similar melodic tinge to it, which is cool, but it's the unrelenting viciousness of tracks like "Graven Image" that really lets the band shine. I wouldn't want them to abandon the occasional melody though, as it really gives them their own take on this style. The recording's not bad, it has its pitfalls, but for the most part it sounds quite good. The drums are a little rigid and thin, and I have a hard time hearing the bass, but the vocals are well placed in the heart of the music, and the guitar tone is alright. I'm not really that bothered by anything. The layout's pretty dark as far as color goes, so it's a little hard to make out all of the imagery, and the lyrics are all crammed onto two panels without a lot of breathing room, so it can be rough on the eyes. Most of the songs have a toughguy sort of edge as far as taking no shit and all that, but they're pissed as hell so I can get into it. I'm not sure what this band is up to these days, but hopefully they're still kickin' around, because this is a solid EP.
[Rooster]
Running time - 17:40, Tracks: 7
[Notable tracks: Graven Image, Promised Land]
Rooster Records - http://www.roosterrecs.com
