Closetalkers State of Nature LP
For some reason, Calgary’s CLOSETALKERS completely flew under my (admittedly rusty) hardcore punk radar. I understand they released an EP on Neon Taste in 2024 and enjoyed some kind of success among hardcore nerds, making it even more surprising that I had not heard of them. The internet tells me that CLOSETALKERS sound like UK crust and Scandicore, but the internet must be drunk because I don’t hear it at all on this first LP. To me, the band sounds like yet another act influenced by US hardcore, with intricate riffs, a stomping, aggressive vibe, rawer by way of good production, and low-pitched gruff vocals. Undeniably, the band knows what they are doing, they do what they set out to do well, and it sounds and looks good. Some parts of it bring WORLD BURNS TO DEATH or TRAGEDY to mind, but to my ears, it is mostly a soundtrack to mosh hard. Not bad, but certainly not for me.