SLAVEHOUSE - Taste In Pain

Released August 5/18 (Knife Vision)

The first few seconds of the debut from Ohio's Slavehouse finds the band racing out of the gate like a drunk and disheveled early Entombed. Things turn decidedly more ramshackle and furious though from thereon out, especially when vocalist John Neumaier begins to spew out his throaty, unintelligible gurglings. Hardcore punk played with violent black metal and grind intentions, Slavehouse crack skulls with a ferociously heavy sound that will no doubt send most running for the off switch.

Guitars downtuned and the rhythm section pounding away at your chest if played at appropriately inappropriate volumes, this could surely be the soundtrack to a prolonged and vicious beating. Providing nine tracks of sustained audio punishment over twenty-two minutes, this EP is definitely suitable for only the most hardened of extremists. Blackened hardcore punk never sounded so threatening.

Fave tracks: 'Self Punishment', 'Scorpion Whip', 'Hands of Death' and 'Sacred Flesh'.

[7.5]