SickOnes – The Debut ‘Volition’ EP.
SickOnes – Frome, England, United Kingdom.
‘This ones on us.
Get. At. It.’
SickOnes are about as fresh as it gets with Hardcore. The band formed earlier in 2016 in the sleepy town of Frome just outside the City of Bath. The band’s debut release was met with much local anticipation and controversy in the weeks building up to it’s audio debut into the southwest Punk and Hardcore scene.
Taking influence from both Punk-Rock and modern Hardcore, but also with a penchant for “groove” and Hip-Hop, the band’s sound is nothing but abrasive and firmly set modern Hardcore, with enough of said “groove” and “outside the box” influence to break them away from the “chug-chug-manly-macho-scream-stomp-stomp” that over saturates much of the scene.
Influences: ‘Minor Threat, Black Flag, Trash Talk, Ceremony, Show Me The Body, Nirvana, RATKING, Black Sabbath, Alexander Spit, Mannerism, Ghost Of The Avalanche, Beastie Boys‘.
Shall we…
\\The Volition EP//
‘SickOnes’ is your intro track and nothing more. It sets up the EP well, and gives a small sample of the anger and frustration you’re about to have mercilessly invade your ear canal.
‘Nothing ever changes, changes nothing ever.’
‘WhoMe?’ is the first “real” track from the EP, boasting standard modern NYC styled Hardcore, it’s nothing particularly exciting but is well executed.
However the mediocre doesn’t last, as at 0:48 you are catapulted down the street back to home-soil for a furious slice of British Hardcore Punk-Rock fury, Ben Curd’s vocals erupt from their US Hardcore confines to blast it all out in British Punk tradition, immediately changing your opinion of the song’s beginnings.
‘Doubt’ and ‘Parasite’ make you (I) wonder why any criticism was given against the first half ‘WhoMe’. You find yourself listening in awe in the same way you probably would watching the band live.
Charlie Jones-West and his guitar are alone on the axe-front yet stand three-times as prominent, while Andy Wrintmore’s drums are relentless and defiant whether it’s breakneck speed, a simple thump or a complexity playing. The band’s penchant for “groove” is set forward a lot more on these numbers, prompting the most rhythmic head banging you weren’t aware was possible.
The jagged riffage of ‘The Flock’ and it’s intro don’t need no full-band! Curd’s vocals take a more NYC line with a thick sludgey tone, matching the vulgar power-chords. The highlight of the track comes at 0:56 where SickOnes “groove” dances it’s Hardcore disco in a manner that would turn even Disco Stu to the ‘core.
The band cite Powerviolence and the heavier end of modern Hardcore as influences and neither of these citations are more painfully obvious than in the title track, in its six seconds of rage. It’s one of those pointless Punk tracks that isn’t really needed but in the grand scheme of things – almost certainly is. Hardcore be getting paradoxical.
Like most Punk and Hardcore listeners, I often find myself wishing that Chuck Noland, once found at sea after the loss of Wilson (RIP), started a Hardcore band to vent his anguish and emotional frustration. With the final track you get a glimpse of what that would sound like.
‘Castaway. Lost at sea.
I tried my hardest to forget but these memories they never ever end.
If this is what it means to be alive, then I’d rather be dead.’
As a debut a lot of people in England’s the West Country were waiting for, I’m personally very grateful I found the time to sit down with this release.
The band’s Hardcore blend is typical as much as it isn’t. At times it can lean a little close to the generic modern Hardcore sound, but never for any real substantial length of time, as the EP gets stronger and stronger with each subsequent listen and the band’s own sound more and more noticeable.
Pardoning the impending pun, SickOnes have delivered a sick one with this debut EP, setting down more in the way of Punk and general talent within the UK underground and I eagerly await the next incarnation. What the fuck is a full band anyway?
Find the Punks in need of your medical attention below:
- Facebook and Instagram for updates.
- For the The Volition EP head to bandcamp where the release is up for ‘Free/Name Your Price’ download.
- Wander over to their Youtube Channel for videos.
#StayFresh
