Verse

Stripping away any misunderstanding with a title such as Aggression, Verse’s latest effort is every bit the angry, impassioned release it purports to be. Taking the majority of its influence from late ’90s post-hardcore though, there is a decidedly melodic twist to their grandiose, rhythmic take on the genre. Pulling more influence from the likes of Hot Water Music, Tragedy and Kid Dynamite than the more confrontational, testosterone-driven acts of the scene, Aggression tends to feel somewhat more relaxed and harmonic than one expects. Still, with bellowing vocals and that unmistakeable hammering pace essential to hardcore, there’s no lack of beastliness. While Verse would do well to incorporate a few more full-on, raging pieces that would inspire some solid pit activity, at least tracks such as "Signals,” "Old guards, New Methods” and "Blind Salvation” have enough gusto to pique the curiosity of the unknowing and incite a few of the aforementioned old guard at the same time.