Burning Chrome Running to Escape EP
When one wants to relax on Sundays, there are as many options as there are personalities. Some people do gardening, others do Sailor Moon cosplay, some even do both, at the same time. The people in BURNING CHROME from Minneapolis play triumphant traditional Burning Spirits Japanese hardcore with gusto and an obvious love for the subgenre. For all I know, they also do gardening and cosplay, but I cannot tell just by this record. What I find particularly enjoyable with this EP is how urgent and unpolished it sounds, hardly surprising seeing that it was recorded on an eight-track. What you get is experienced punks (the resumes are well abundant) having a glorious go (you can tell they love what they do here) at the classic recipe invented by DEATH SIDE or LIP CREAM, but with a trashier vibe not unlike DOG SOLDIER or BURIAL. You’ve got the epic guitar leads, the fast riffs, and a singer that, while relying on the gruff vocal style inherent to Japanese hardcore, sounds like he’s vomiting on you, which, as an ENT fan, is (just) fine by me, but might deter some listeners. A fun record.