Country: Atlanta, Georgia
Style: Grindcore/Crust Punk
Label: Relapse
Featuring members from Brutal Truth, The Despised, and more recently, Mastodon, all the pieces are in place for a rip-roaring punk album. No, I don't really get that once Bill Kelliher became involved, but that is what this is. Besides him coming on board, I do believe that these guys are doing a throwback crust punk record.
Since this is essentially just a reissue of the EP that was released last year by the band, I wasn't originally going to cover it, but because it has three new songs I just said what the shit and am doing it anyway. Musically, to say that there's anything groundbreaking on here would be a total lie, this is retro crust punk. The sort of stuff I'd imagine all five of the guys in the band listened to when they were growing up, only it's done in their own way, which means their mixing in some extra hints of things here and there as well, if only to spice it up. That extra flavor comes in the form of heavy metal, or NWOBHM sounding guitar lines that pop up in a track like Global Division and end up making that track so good. The songs are driving, quick, and aggressive, but that little dose of harmony does wonders for memorability here. I have a hard time faulting any group that pulls off a Black Flag cover without making it sound contrived or distancing it from its original intentions and energy (I'm looking at you Hatebreed) and I feel like these old crusties did Drinking and Driving justice. It's just as fun and snarky as the original, but has that additional grit that only experience can give you when delivering those lyrics, thanks to Kevin Sharp. While I was certainly skeptical of how Kelliher would adjust his sound to playing with these guys, I think he does mask it pretty well, blending in with what the other guys are doing, but there's no hiding his influence on a track like March of The Curmudgeon, which has Mastodon written all over it in its main riff.
While I severely doubt this is going to blow anyone away, it is certainly enjoyable and fun. I don't take this sort of stuff as seriously as a lot of people (I'm assuming here), but if this is meant to be fun for the members, why can't it just be a fun listen for me as well? Fans of crust punk, old-school hardcore, and early grind will definitely enjoy this.
Overall Score: 7.5
Highlights: Global Division, March of The Curmudgeon, Get The Fuck Off My Lawn
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