Reviews

Smiling Is Not A Crime

Coffin Party Coffin Party cassette

Dense, metal-tinged hardcore that has more texture than one might expect from a two-piece. Lots of feedback all over this sucker. I’m not typically one to shy away from noise. There’s so much going on in these songs that the tortured squeals and screeches blanket some of the otherwise nuanced instrumentation. There are some true flashes of brilliance and there’s no denying the competency at hand. The more is more approach ends up padding the impact, while the underlying songs have real bite. When the songs aren’t fighting against themselves, COFFIN PARTY packs a serious punch.

Nightstick Justice Complete Discography cassette

Well, here’s a rip-roaring blast from the past. If you weren’t lucky enough to catch them within the brief window of their existence from 2006–2008, treat yourself to this absolutely blistering collection of raging USHC from NIGHTSTICK JUSTICE. Goddamn, this one really holds up. Twenty-four tracks compiled from three EPs and one long-player; the frantic hardcore on this cassette is up there with some of the era’s best like DIRECT CONTROL, STREET TRASH, and TEAR IT UP. Straight-ahead, no-frills, angry fucking punk. Stellar drumming, rabid shouted vocals, fuzzed-out bass, and riffs on top of riffs, on top of riffs! Listen to songs like “Control” or “Desensitized” and try not to smash anything. My only gripe is that they didn’t make more than 50 of these tapes. Grip one if you can!