All Out War

In their 20 years together ― give or take the temporary mid-'90s break-up ― NYHC veterans All Out War have always been more of a Slayer-esque metal band with leanings towards the half-time breakdowns and overall thickness of their respective genre than vice versa. Maintaining that tendency, latest full-length Into The Killing Fields is yet another blast of brutally oppressive riffs and slamming drums contrasted by vocalist Mike Score's borderline black metal screech. While it yields nothing new, the album's nine tracks and 35 minutes of searing distortion, crisp snare shots and wailing are quite comfortable, precise and inventive given the strict parameters. Songs such as "Apathetic Goodbye," "From Manipulation To Martyr" and "Still Crucified" have their moments of hot barbs and pit-inciting bridges inherent in any hardcore band worth their salt. At that, Into The Killing Fields is a refreshingly familiar dose of hardcore-influenced metal we haven't truly experienced since 2007's Assassins In The House Of God, and a much better one at that.