Reviewed by Chris Sharp

After only listening to the first few seconds of 'Our Merciful Father' it had already delivered exactly what I was expecting - ear pounding, sense drowning, mind melting, crushing guitars, pounding frenetic rhythms and roaring aggressive vocals. This is one amazing debut of an album from the Vancouver, Washington-based band - and "brutal" it truly is! The tempo changes and timing of this band are really impeccable and they manage to maintain the pace throughout the entire album. If you're a fan of bands such as Meshuggah, Coalesce and Buried Alive then this is the album for you. Now, my in-laws love going on holiday. Everywhere they go they seek out somewhere English to eat and aren't happy until they get their Sunday roast, and they'll go back time and time again. Well if you like your hardcore as consistent and as regular as your Sunday roast then this album is for you. I think the only downside to this album is in fact its formulaic nature. By the fourth track I felt like I'd heard the whole album and the whole thing started merging together with its hardcore gravy.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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