Whether it be metal/hardcore/thrash punk or hillybilly rock, The Nothing (made up of ex Send More Paramedics) certainly know how to make a loud, spit in your face piece of music. This mini album comprised of seven tracks is without doubt all of the above as it roars past you at a monumental pace as the crescendo of chugging riffs and skilled drumming take precedence over anything else the UK hardcore scene has to offer. With the ex lead vocalist of Labrat also doing a fine job on snarling duty, it should all add up to an enjoyable experience. But for some reason I have found it incredibly difficult to really be captivated by the package as a whole.
Upon repeat listens it is clear the band know exactly what they’re doing, everything is as you would expect from such a release and obvious talents lie beneath the glossy surface, yet the continued feeling of it missing something is always nagging at you. From the opening slugs of ‘What do you expect us to do, rob a graveyard?’ the pounding doesn’t stop for the next 28 minutes and as such, come the end it can all feel a little bit much. The aforementioned does a fine job introducing us to The Nothing, but it is left to the heavyweights on show such as the standout ‘Ill be the one in the cupboard’ and the superbly paced and arranged ‘Coffin Sex’ to really put the release above the average.
While tracks such as ‘Today the rope didn’t break’ drag a little and a meaningless instrumental (Purity) drag it down a little, this is a fairly solid release from the Leeds based quartet. There are few thrash punk bands in the country that could produce a better, more crunching seven tracks than this. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but to those wanting a more metallic edge to their punk rock, this could be right up your street.
Jay
www.thenothingonline.co.uk
In At the Deep End Records