Since reviewing Endbringer's 7" Bruises back in October of last year, I have come across the West German fivesome's new effort, Empoison the Harvest. Back in that October of 2009 I concluded that the band packed a punch fearsome enough for me to keep my eye on 'em.

I must have listened to the seven tracks on offer here at least 15 times over the nights I decided to stay in and actually write some essays. "Strange...I can't actually recall much of the EP," I said to myself. I left it a few days and sat down again. Pretty instantly I found myself bedroom moshing (it's kinda like real moshing, only more defined, conservative) to opener "Omega." It's a nice, dirty hardcore blast that melodically builds to some good ol' fashioned distorted rage. Vocalist Simon sure sounds pissed off.

In fact, I find that all the tracks on here are plenty fast and heavy--"Thousand Steps," in particular, containing some real breakdown quality. However, at 26 minutes long, Empoison the Harvest is a little long for a record of its kind, which would be fine if the tracks didn't sound quite so samey.

In short, then, Endbringer's latest release is a decent listen, and does them no harm at all. It still doesn't do enough to propel the guys into the "essential listening" arena in hardcore, though.