Reality Slap

Portugal isn't the first place you think of when it comes to melodic hardcore, but Reality Slap bring it loud and hard enough to nab some guests for their LP, most notably Winston McCall (Parkway Drive) and Justice Tripp (Trapped Under Ice). There's little time to get attached to any of the tracks ― three of the 14 only just weigh in over two minutes. That said, Reality Slap are best suited as a quick Band-Aid rip: tear it quick, let it bleed and fight through the pain. "Katakiuchi" is the track that brings that experience to the listener best; it's 80 seconds of pumped-out beats and thrash-y riffs. McCall's throaty appearance on "The Storm" breaks up the two-step sections with a sledgehammer. This record is boss and although short, it's sharp, unrelenting and filled with vitriol.