NØ MAN : " Between the Sword and the Neck"

D.C has been an iconic birthplace of American hardcore, so it's easy to hear where this band is taking its cues from.  Led by the pain screams of Maha Shami, anger is the primary focus of this brand of crusty hardcore. To some extent, they have their own sound, though it's easy here where this intersects with their varied influences. On a song like "Moan" where they bring things to a more deliberate churn that creates its own creepy atmosphere, they are at the height of their songwriting powers, and this is a direction they need to move things in since anyone can just do angry.  Regular readers should know I do not care about what you are angry about as long as you are convincing and not preaching at me. 

"Pregnant Heart' finds them circling themselve with a more indie rock melody drifting in the background of the screaming. 'They Have Names" is another angry explosion that does not take a breath until two minutes in. There is a more interesting beat to "Murmur," though at this point the vocals are feeling like a one. The guitar line carries darker dissonance that works well. A more metallic riff empowers "Runs Faster and compensates for the limited range of Shami's scowl. 

"In Tongues" finds their drummer once again saving the day by switching it up. The screaming begins to lose its caustic effect at this point, but the band carries on. The spoken word piece after this is non-essential listening when it comes to this album. Their drummer is pretty outstanding at setting the tone and allowing the guitar to just color in the blanks. They remind me of the Body in that they are a bandd with a great deal of potential, but the vocals are not only obligatory in the songwriting, but the most abrasive part of their sound, making them an acquired taste. I thiink Dylan Walker from Full of Hell would murder these songs. But this is what we have; I will give it an 8 if anger is what you look for in hardcore, and you feel the need to liten to it after watching the news, then this album is for you. It drops October 30th on Iodine Records. 

pst366