Clusterfux / Conflict Resolution split EP
An excellent pairing, which is always a good first step for a split, with two bands on the ever-growing spectrum of thrashcore. CLUSTERFUX has been around for almost three decades at this point, and has spent time drawing from crust, thrash, hardcore, and crossover to varying degrees (and varying degrees of success). Here, they lean into the thrashcore idea somewhere between D.R.I. and TEAR IT UP. Punker but with the flourishes of thrash metal, they hit great and politically on the right side here (“Chinga la migra, fuck ICE” chants always win). They have a few six-to-seven-song releases, and the four tracks on here are a very sweet spot in length for this kind of stuff. I was not familiar with CONFLICT RESOLUTION, but it was a pleasant surprise to find them here. It’s still thrashcore, but you hear more LEEWAY/SUICIDAL TENDENCIES touches, paired with a production/riffing style in line with ’00s hardcore like CARRY ON. Some people will be put off by them dipping harder into bouncy, almost rap crossover moments that can call to NYHC, but to me, they use those moments insanely effectively. Big fan of both sides of this split; kind of a bummer we don’t get lyrics for the CONFLICT RESOLUTION side, but oh well. A great record for thrashcore fans, fans of old school crossover, and USHC that dips its toes in the pools of thrash metal.