Tiny Knives : "Black Haze"

This band creates an ominous brand of angular fuzzed out crust punk. The female three piece from Portland is pretty burly. Singer Jai is often versatile able to go from a punk melody to a nastier growl. They are more Anarchro punk on past tense, but don't try to rush through the songs in a one-two-three go fashion. "Magic Xians" finds both sides of their dynamic in play , though is a rushed and rugged, but this is punk. Her voice and their song writing show more potential on the more melodic post-punk of "Silk in the Water".  "Cowschwitz" finds their singer in more of a spoken word rant over a staccato riffs that bobs back and forth, before she goes into her more gruff growling voice.

They return to the darker post-punk sound where she carries more of a croon, which if you know my tastes here, I am going to prefer over spastic. When they do speed up into punk it has more of a late 70s feel. There is more of a chaotic punk feel to  the  two minute "The Fuck I" . The closing song "Winter" finds many of their differing elements colliding in something that is both dark and melodic , but doesn't fit neatly into even post-punk.

Punk might be the most fitting label for this band as it would encompass every one from Crass to the Plasmatics to even Siouxsie in the Banshees, they are at times heavier than your average punk band, and for me to like them darker too. I'll give this album an 8.5. If you are looking for something rowdy yet thoughtful with varied moods and a lot of drive then this is well worth your time.