Condumb Disassociation EP

Crasher-crust noise punk from Philadelphia. It’s a well-crafted 7” where both the songwriting and the smart usage of the classic pedal arsenal are strong—there is a good balance between fast- and mid-tempos, and the screaming vocals let the songs breathe but sound forceful when they’re happening. The songs are so well-written that they would work without the screaming/swirling jet sounds of the guitar, which in could go against the noise-not-music ethos within the record, as the added effects are not masking rather traditional songs but upgrading primitive, non-existent ideas to something truly otherworldly. Here, the noise is masking knowledge and talent if you let yourself lead into mindless headbanging (which the record offers), but if you arrive via the main bands of the members, you probably will not feel cheated, either. Or if you listen beyond aesthetics and pay attention to what is actually happening. Nowadays, the look and slogans of this style seem more popular than ever, yet most bands do not come close to getting the essence of this sound. CONDUMB does; they get it and do it just right.