SilentScream213 This album is a stepping stone of sorts from the old style of pure punky Metalcore into the newer wave of late 90’s-2000’s Alt/Groove Metally Metalcore. Despite its dissonant pessimism and anger, it’s got a bouncy energy to it, and a few catchy guitar leads. Riffs are pretty standard chugs most of the time, but the rhythm section is great – the drumming is the best part of this release.

All of those things said, I must confess I don’t see how this is one of the greatest Metalcore albums of all time. It’s a big improvement over their debut for sure, but this sounds very similar to most of the Metalcore of the time. It’s not very catchy or memorable, just played competently with above-average musicianship. Production is good too. It’s a strong album, but there’s nothing here that could grip me enough to want to return in the future.

And ending your album with a Pee-Wee Herman sample is a pretty goofy thing to do...

Unitron Typically, demos are rarely seen as including some of a band's best material. This isn't always because of the band finding their sound and just starting out though, many times it is the terrible production on many demos that keep them from being very enjoyable. Snapcase's self-titled demo from 1991 is an exception, as this houses some of the band's best stuff.

Before switching to their own unique take on hardcore in the late 90's and early 2000's, the band was a lot more thrash-based. Perhaps nothing displays that better than this demo, as this is an onslaught of punishing beat-you-to-the-floor crossover thrash. "Die Laughing" is the best song on here, with a machine gun barrage of double bass that drum into your skull. The guitar riffs shred and proceed to punch you in the gut, and Chris Galas's vocal spitfire has all the attitude and strained screams of classic hardcore/crossover fashion.

The bass work gets its glory in "Undertow", which is given a menacing tone with the production that blends perfectly with the rusty distortion of some of the riffs. The production is raw and crushing, but you can hear every instrument and vocal line incredibly well. It sounds like a well produced studio album, and that's impressive, especially for a first demo.

If you're looking for some crushing underground crossover thrash to get you through the daily grind, give a listen to this fantastic demo. A great start to one of the most underrated bands in hardcore. Hope you found this review helpful, feel free to comment!