Irish hardcore act Only Fumes & Corpses have a decent-if not overly long-full-length effort with Who Really Cares, What Really Lasts. There's some marginal crust influence here, and everything from the name to the aesthetic to the sound reminds me a bit of From Ashes Rise's more melodic stuff. It's a nearly worthy substitute overall.

One thing is how noticeably samey the record is, though, and at 40 minutes, that's kind of a problem. That Tragedy-esque tempo goes along that softly driven plug, with both a grainy, skewered shout and more gravelly vocals joining it at points, and it's all fit into a more accessible frame. Honestly, it blends together enough that standouts are few and far between, but the guitar tone of "The Colour Purple" and its drawn-out, tense section giving way to the band's signature pace is cool; more distant, dynamic guitar interplay and an actual dub moment gives "Wreck" some liveliness; and the opening throttle of "Futile Promises of a Listless Mind" momentarily compels.

Who Really Cares, What Really Lasts isn't the greatest hardcore album to come out of Ireland, but it's probably one of the better records to emerge from the Irish hardcore scene. The band have a solid intensity and momentum about this LP, and there are a few creative flashes that keep it relatively interesting.

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Futile Promises of a Listless Mind
The Weight of Your World on My Shoulders
Apathy Resumes
X Marks the Spot