Desert City Soundtrack/Settlefish/Sounds Like Violence

While the other acts on this three-way split do their best and offer up some interesting material, it is impossible for the phenomenal energy and originality of Desert City Soundtrack to not upstage the more standard post-hardcore of Sounds Like Violence and Settlefish. Both of these bands play with passion and energy, but the incredible piano-based hardcore of Desert City Soundtrack blows them away entirely. Equal parts anger and beauty, this Portland-based outfit plays in a genre all their own, taking from poppy piano balladeers as much as hardcore heroes of the past. Worth picking up for their two tracks alone, this EP is proof that bands on a split have to be careful not to step on each other’s toes. Or slice the toes off completely.