Not bad. Fast, heavy, melodic hardcore from this defunct Slovenian band, who I believe broke up in 2001. It's definitely in an old school sort of vein as far as the chord progressions and tempos go, but the vocals are a little harsher on the screaming, and the guitar parts definitely throw in some little melodic/dissonant textures that toss a more modern influence into the mix. But expect fairly basic rhythms, plunky basslines that take the lead at times, moderately heavy breakdowns but definitely no chugga chugga metal stuff, a few melodic octave chords or sets of gang backup shouts, all that kind of stuff. "Love" gets a little bit chunkier at the start with some slightly more frantic arrangements later on, "..." is an instrumental that has some nice picking patterns and a very light sort of metallic edge, "Addicted" keeps that sort of edge intact with some faster and more energetic runs, and "Blank Society" messes with a few more rhythmic elements and is actually a little catchier. The last 11 tracks are from the band's demos, but sadly no song titles are included for any of that material, so there's little to go on outside of the music there. For the most part they're pretty similar, maybe slightly faster and definitely a little more stripped down, but that's the general gist of it. The production definitely leaves a little something to be desired, though it could be worse. It sounds a little more dated than it is, with a sort of thin and at times choppy guitar tone, somewhat flimsy drums that don't pack enough punch, and a mix that leans a little towards benefiting the vocals. I don't mind the mix so much, I just wish the guitars and drums had a bit more oomph. I think the bass does a pretty good job as it is, and I don't mind the vocals. Overall it just comes off as a little raw and has a weird sheen to it that takes away from some of the power. Of course the bonus demo tracks sound quieter and the mix is a little off because the vocals are pretty up front and the guitars lack presence, but it's listenable. Not great, but listenable. The layout looks okay, could be better, could be worse, with minimal artwork, lyrics, a few small black and white band photos, etc. The lyrics deal with your usual topics of personal issues and hint at socio-political content, but it's all fairly basic. A separate booklet is included, printed on matte brown paper, with song explanations in both English and the band's native language, which adds a lot more sincerity and insight to the tracks. I think it was a nice decision because it really shows that they have a lot to say and really seem to place a lot of importance on the message, which is definitely respectable. Overall this is a good disc, but not one that I'd listen to regularly. I don't mind the fact that it's not particularly something new, but I think a stronger sound would definitely have benefited the songs. Some of these guys are now in the much heavier Elodea, and I think their newer manifestation is a bit more promising than this work. Not bad, though.
[Choose Life]
Running time - 39:33, Tracks: 24
[Notable tracks: ..., Addicted, Blank Society, Our Epitaph]
Low Punch - [email protected]
