What this duo has going for them is a perfect control of hardcore (the whole umbrella here) tropes in terms of rhythmic manipulation and quick shifts in attack and style. Songs surge along with just audible enough vocals atop punk riffs and drums that breakout when needed as well as subside when it's time to get a dirge going a'al "Self Hate."
Where the band does misstep, is a thankfully overlookable issue. The production sounds very digital, as if there was nothing externally played and the guitars, vocals, and bass were all plugged into a computer and given effects in production. Now, am I right? I don't know, but it sounds like that to me and that takes something away from it for me (reminds me a lot Nails in this way). Also, the fact that no credits are given to a drummer makes me assume it's a drum machine (this is something, as a drummer, I am a bit of a fuss about). As I said, I could be wrong; but it sounds like this to me.
But I don't want to dissuade you, this band is great; they've nailed the style of hardcore I love. Great, throaty vocals, punk sections seamlessly jump to quips of blast beats and then back again. The aggression comes through in every facet and that's what punk's about in its simplest form. Mental Waste offer a complete package here as the duo pens honest-to-goodness hardcore reminiscent of the early 90's when the blastbeat wasn't a staple and hardcore was derived from punk, not metal.
You can listen to the entire EP on their Bandcamp as well as check out their previous demo.
2 comments:
They are totally a less metal Nails. I still like them though. I'm pretty sure they use a drum machine though so that might help the digital sound.
When we met behind a 7/11 and exchanged nudy pics for this review they told me it is a drum machine. And, truth be told, I'd rather listen to this than Nails any day of the week. Nails is just an overproduced group of dudes trying to recapture something that's old.
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