The Pitch: Long Island hardcore crew Hangman deliver a destructive new EP "with upbeat circle-pit energy interjected with slamming grooves and vicious breakdowns" via Flatspot Records. FFO: Terror, Power Trip, Left Behind
What I Like: This is what hardcore was always meant to be: short, direct, and aggressively to the point. Hangman take 12 minutes of tape and turn it into a highly abrasive and enjoyable experience. The band reports inspiration from groups like Terror, Neglect, Vision Of Disorder, Backtrack, Biohazard, and Madball; and believe me, they wear these influences on their sleeves. I also get a faint vibe of darker crossover acts like Power Trip, and Brian Zoid of Neglect fame also appears on "Abandoned" to shake things up with even more corrosive vocals. Riffs and song structures are purposefully kept simple and the vocal deliveries can be quite infectious.
Critiques: For the level of focus, every second of this release should result in reflexive headbanging. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Both "Abandoned" and the title track feel pretty vanilla. They fail to make the level of impact required for a release like this, even if they are perfectly respectable stage fodder.
The Verdict: A Vile Decree brings me back to the heyday of hardcore. It's a vicious, concentrated strike on the listener, and for its minor faults is a fine example of why Hangman should be in your hardcore rotation. Grab the EP this Friday.
Flight's Fav's: Pesticide, Coming To
-Review by FlightOfIcarus
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