New Mexican Disaster Squad

Peace with Nothing (2007)

Keenan

New Mexican Disaster Squad has been greatly successful in their past offerings and now they are back. The Peace With Nothing EP is their followup to 2006's Don't Believe, with three originals and two covers ("Understand" by Government Issue and "Here's Your Warning" by 7 Seconds).

Now, the three originals are more akin to their 2003 self-titled release, which happens to be one of my favorite albums. These songs are shorter and they have plenty of melody, grizzly vocals, biting lyrics and blaring riffs to please any fan of their previous efforts. "No Protection," the first track, is one minute long but is the best track on the EP. It's straight to the point and full of energy. Not to say the other two originals, the title track and "Abandoned" aren't. All three are brimming with enough energy and passion to warrant several listens.

The covers are also great. The 7 Seconds cover basically quotes the original, with the band seeming to absorb the band's style here. The Government Issue song, however, is different, with the band seeming to make the song their own. Their rendition of "Understand" is definitely the better of the two covers.

Overall, this digital-only* EP is amazing. It's fat and melodic in the right places. It will be stuck in your head for a while, I assure you that. It would be perfect if the band had personalized the 7 Seconds cover a little more. Also, the EP is rather short clocking in at around nine minutes with five songs, but it is still a great effort that all of you should pick up as soon as possible.

* - the EP is being released on 7" vinyl on Rat Patrol Records in the UK and Kiss of Death Records in the US.