Deathskin Razors
Who Can Belong (2010)
Brian Shultz
Deathskin Razors plow through 11 tracks of thrashy hardcore/punk in 15 minutes. It's quick, and…somewhat effective.
I have no direct comparisons to draw here, and though that doesn't automatically mean Deathskin Razors is wholly original, not having a go-to RIYL does seem to make them remotely unique. A bit oddly, the "Intro" is the fourth longest song here, and could stand to be cut down a bit. Its repetitive, mean pound gets old after a little while (the prolonged feedback of "Interlude" also seems unnecessary), and the transition to "Gutless Hardcore" is flimsy, the rest flows better.
Some would say vocals in hardcore are immune to criticism. I am not one of the some. The vocals are pretty one-dimensional, and while sure, Who Can Belong is only 15 minutes long, a little variety in that department would go a long way. But there feels like some good variety in the musical department for this style of hardcore, from the practically powerviolence curl of "Compost Heap" to the mean beat of "Talons of an Osprey" to the snarling rock riffs of "Your Mind Divides" and "Hotels and Hospitals".
Who Can Belong is above average, but barely. There are far better takes on this kind (music is occasionally bland, vocals are sometimes stagnant), but far worse, too (a couple moments here just plain impress).
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Who Can Belong