(Album Review) KOVAA RASVAA - Tasaluvulla Tulevaisuuteen

Release date: June 18, 2021 (Svart Records)

Written by Jeff Tighe

This release by Finland's Kovaa Rasvaa is listed on the record label's website as being their third full length release in their 11 year existence, among numerous EPs. However, with seven songs clocking in a little over 9 minutes, this release is somewhere between an EP and a mini-album.

What is on tap here is some speedy and chaotic hardcore punk. The band is notably made up of three females (in what is a male dominated musical genre), with drummer Otto Itkonen being the loan male member. But these ladies (and gentleman) are no wallflowers. They are out to prove they can create noise and aggression with the best of the boys and they succeed completely.

The Finnish language vocals of Kerttu are pretty jarring at first, since most punk fans are used to male voices. For married readers, the vocals will conjure up memories of your wife's worst bitch session when you came home stinking drunk. But I guess that is the point....the anger in the vocals is palpable. Meanwhile Johanna Pirinen's buzzsaw guitar and Anne's bass tear things up at speeds too fast to be safe.

As with most true hardcore punk, this isn't exactly memorable, toe tapping stuff. But while it is on it will melt your face, as intended. Pointing to highlights would be meaningless since all seven songs are similarly fast and scathing (often with a slow intro for a few seconds). For the mohawk crowd only. (Ed: I don't have one and I bought a copy!) (7)