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SSS

Short Sharp Shock

Written by: PP on 25/07/2007 15:11:53

Short Sharp Shock - finally a band that lives up to their name fully. Their self-titled Earache debut is propelled at you in breakneck speed, with songs barely surpassing the minute and a half mark through the 17 songs on the album. This is a band whose values include DIY, skateboarding and a thought that "Kill 'Em All" was the best record Metallica ever wrote. By now I'm sure you've caught the drift, but I'll just re-iterate anyway: "Short Sharp Shock" is all about light speed punk-thrash riffs supported by monotonous yelling over rapid-fire drumming.

While this approach works on a shorter record, at 17 tracks "SSS" is just far too long. Put on the second track "Warhorse" and you'll notice hardly any difference between it and track fifteen "Son Of A Beast". I don't know about you but at least personally I have a problem if a band plays the same song for 17 tracks on the same album. You can say goodbye to any variation in rhythm, sound or pretty much anything else on the record, because every track pays tribute to 80s old school thrash metal at full throttle, inspired by the 80s hardcore punk scene.

There are only a couple of exceptions on record. The final track "Black Night White Light" clocks in at almost 7 minutes, making it a see-through attempt at an epic thrash metal song. Unfortunately it remains just that - an attempt only. While I can understand that "Short Sharp Shock" might be a great live experience given that each song is constructed with maximum bodily harm in the mind (hence aligning to the term 'moshcore'), the likely intensity of their live show just doesn't capture on record.

Download: New Dogs
For the fans of: "Kill 'Em All"-era Metallica, Deadfall, Betrayed
Listen: Myspace

Release date 11.06.2007
Earache
Provided by Target ApS