The Pitch: Chicago-based hardcore crew Racetraitor burn s#!t down with a no-frills, to-the-point new release via Good Fight Music. FFO: Godmother, Elder Devil, Implore
What I Like: Goddam, that opener is like a scorching backdraft. In this ADHD world, the first 5 seconds of your album can mean the difference between a purchase and a pass; and this is how you work that reality to your benfit. "Three Minutes of Hate" is exactly what the title implies, serving as the perfect mission statement of 2042 as a whole. Racetraitor deliver a pummeling set of grindy, metallic hardcore ragers that'll crush bones into diamonds. Furthermore, the perfectly bite-sized doses of post-metal add a welcome increase in dynamic range. These melancholic interludes really give the spewing hellfire a harsh contrast to work with. And even when the flamethrower is turned up to full Elon Musk, tracks like "The Cult Of Eschatology" have a deep sense of grief and regret in addition to the usual bile and rage.
Critiques: Given how much competetition there is in the genre this year, I'm not sure if this is going to stand out enough to assure that people remember it. I sure hope so, but only time will tell.
The Verdict: It's nice when a hardcore album delivers on both true grit as well as enveloping atmosphere. Racetraitor are more than your average band, and I appreciate how much ground they are able to cover with a just a handful of the usual tricks and a few minutes time. Brevity is apparently also the soul of destruction.
Flight's Fav's: Three Minutes Of Hate, Black Xmas, The Cult Of Eschatology, The Universal Corrective Map
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
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