Black Donnellys, life’s a scream 7″

Hmmm, this is hardcore/punk that leans more towards punk that has a pretty significant 80’s influence, and aside from a slightly clearer (though still raw) recording it’s actually very authentically dated in style, to the point where it’s uncommon to hear songs written in this direct vein these days. (I’ve since been told that this EP contains re-released tracks from a 1986 cassette of the same name, so I guess that’s why!) The playing is tight but simple, based around basic chord progressions and yelled vocals that have a tinge of melody and some awesome faster vocal patterns. The basslines are pretty prominent and at times drive some of the riffs, and the songs are actually sort of catchy based solely on the arrangements and some of the vocal patterns. “Freddie’s Revenge” even includes a few old school metal riffs (not to mention a lead break) and slightly more aggressive vocals, though it probably has more of a humorous tie-in to the subject matter, of course. I think the recording needs work to give these guys a real shine, though. I like the roughness of it, but the mix is so uneven that it’s crazy. At times vocals and drums overpower, the guitars are a little thin, and the bass doesn’t get a consistent amount of breathing room. Most of the tones are fine, I’d just do a little something with the guitars and work to even out the mix a lot, though the clarity is definitely cool as it stands. Maybe taking some of the extra low-end thump off of the percussion would help? The record comes in a thick black and white sleeve with wacky illustrations and lyrics that cover everything from politics to “A Nightmare on Elm Street”. All in all this is a brief record that gives a good example of what this band can do, but I’d like to hear more for sure. (7/10)