Rash Decision – ‘Seaside Resort To Violence/Headstrung’ – Double Album Release.

Rash Decision – Falmouth, England, United Kingdom.

Rash Decision were formed in Falmouth in 2006, they did the band thing for two years, had a hiatus and then came back many times the stronger in 2009. Since then, 230-odd gigs, an EP, two Splits and a full length have surfaced.

Combining Hardcore Punk with Thrash Metal tendencies, the breakneck speed you expect after reading those few words is exactly what you are left with. That and nods towards bands such as This Is Hell, Poison Idea, Municipal Waste and Black Flag, as well sections sometimes so fast, even comparisons to Powerviolence can be made.

The band released Seaside Resort To Violence back in 2014. Fourteen tracks of hard-edged, up-tempo, shredded Thrashcore/Crossover Thrash that any fans of Hardcore, Thrash or Metal even individually so, should own.

Back to the point however, the band have just released a double album, and not does it only include the aforementioned release on one side, but the brand new, Headstrung, on the other.

Faster, harder, heavier, darker and shredded to fuck, the band have gone all out on this one. We have absolutely nothing to do but get Headstrung.

Until 0:35 seconds in, ‘Rumble Strip’ is very misleading with it’s intro but that doesn’t last long. Ironically, slightly melodic Hardcore Punk is the foundation, with strong thrashy guitars acting as the icing on a very spikey cake.

‘Frenulum’ clocks in at 0:53, employing cleaner vocals but keeping the intensity. Next in-line, ‘Dogsbody’, employs multi-vocal alternation between harder screams and the cleaner grit of the previous number, while classic Thrashcore riffage acts as refrain between chorus’s and the fierce Hardcore Punk chord progression. It’s one of the better on the album.

‘Lagos Labourers’ touches on Powerviolence in it’s pace, while ‘Empty The Pits’ has a D-Beat/Crust Punk intro taking most of the track with it’s build up, before for a split second where you honesty think you’re listening to Sick Of It All.

Speaking of Powerviolence, ‘Learning 4’ is almost there in it’s 0:15 entirety. ‘Sunburn’ keeps most of the pace, with more of ode to old-school Hardcore but without losing the Rash Decision classic Thrash riffage.

‘Inanimate’ gives you the guitar solo you’ve been after, a bit late to the party but worth the wait. It’s a slower number and breaks pace for the better. That said, it’s still an old-school Crossover Thrash number with some very satisfying guitar work.

‘Blinded By Leaves’ is somewhat chaotic. Attempts at Noise-Rock and precise interjections of wild high-noted guitars fall short if I’m honest. A commendable attempt, but a low point on the release. ‘C**T’ however, kicks back into gear at about 0:23 and is as angry as the band get on the album. Is this because I didn’t the previous track boys?

‘Glory Hole’ has a nice Poison Idea-esque intro before a metallic, almost beat-down styled riff-set, which then leads on to more furious Powerviolence-isms. The whole track has a very Trash Talk appeal to it.

Hardcore Punk takes the forefront in the final track, ‘Chin Chin, Pussies’. However, the Thrash-isms are laced through enough to add even more bite and are enough to make the song worthy of the final slot. The only real criticism would the be wailing down the microphone at the end, it’s a tad off putting but that could just be personal taste.

Two albums, twenty-six tracks of ‘Hard Fucking Punk-Rock‘. Find all the info you need and all things everything Rash Decision linked below:

• For updates and some very rash decisions, head to the band’s Facebook page.
• Find the band on BigCartel and maybe make a decision to buy some merch.
• Seaside Resort To Violence and Headstrung are both available on bandcamp for the ‘Free/Name Your Price’ download.
• The rest of the band’s recorded works can also be found on bandcamp.
• Hard copies of the double release are also available, on a 12″ vinyl. So if that’s your thing, you know what to do. *cough* BigCartel *cough*
• The release is also out via a number of small independent labels including local labels to Rash Decision, Autonomonster Records and Awol Records, both of which showcase a variety of Punk and Alternative music from the deep dark reaches of the UK and more. Digital downloads? CDs? Vinyl? Cassettes? They have the lot.

#StayFresh