Misery Index

You could link the urgency that drenches Heirs to Thievery to the political climate of the state in which Baltimore, MD's Misery Index reside, thanks to the bank bailout mess or the ugly health care debate. On their fourth full-length, that urgency is deliciously channelled through a heavy dose of thrash and punk overtop of their signature grind/deathcore sound, providing a sense of urgency that matches the rage of what they're known for: biting social commentary about the hypocrisy that surrounds them. Adam Jarvis has always stood out as an exceptional drummer, but on Heirs he kicks it up a notch, as his windmill fills, especially on "Fed to the Wolves," are mind-numbingly swift and precise. "The Carrion Call" is the only track that harkens back to the riff- and groove-laden Traitors, while "The Seventh Calvary" is, like Traitors' "Thrown into the Sun," the prerequisite slower, groovier headbanger that still complements full-out thrashers like "The Illumanaught," featuring guest vocalist Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal). The quartet that wear their politics on their sleeves are more pissed off than ever, and we are benefiting from it.