Bitter End

Hardcore was in a pretty serious rut for a while. However, Texas's Bitter End have survived the crossover backlash that ushered in the Hatebreed sound and its eventual resurgence, whereby everyone and their uncle dusted off The New Order and Dirty Rotten, claiming they never abandoned the scene to begin with. The results of that staying power are showcased on amazingly corrosive sophomore full-length Guilty As Charged. Channelling the spirit of NYHC's incredibly brief period of innovation and influence (Agnostic Front's One Voice and Sick of It All's Just Look Around are all but pilfered here) via stocky riffs that grind into double-time while vocals melt with acidic bile, the album is impenetrably furious. However, when the band open up the carbs and really blaze, one can hear some obvious adoration for the likes of Nuclear Assault, Sepultura's formative brutality and Suicidal Tendencies' union of the two. Mixing those influences with their own nitrous oxide ensures Guilty As Charged creates an opportune, yet sincere, half-hour of heart murmurs, fist-pumps and requisite change requiring re-obtaining.