Somewhere between New Jersey and Los Angeles on any of multiple tours around the United States, the Mongoloids became the hottest thing since Trapped Under Ice among suburban hardcore kids. How or why that happened is anyone's guess, but on New Beginnings they return with better production, fiercer licks and a few surprises that might catch the kids off guard.

The Mongoloids' brand of straight-edge hardcore-meets-Motörhead biker rock is vicious and vehement and growling with gusto on New Beginnings. Despite the lineup changes, the Mongoloids have maintained a fairly similar approach here as their breakout 2008 offering, Time Trials.

The minute-long instrumental "March of the Gloidiaks" stomps forward with a searing lead that almost makes up for the lack of Lemmy-like vocals that appear throughout the rest of the release. Traces of Slapshot and Righteous Jams also emit from lead singer Greg Falchetto, which are joined by the unexpected addition of female vocals on "In the Name of Midnight," which splits from its root three-quarters of the way through and dives into a spaghetti western saunter that leads out the track.

The best song of the seven-inch is "New Beginnings," a grooving hardcore jam with enough hooking guitar riffs to reel in Shamu. The closer "Snoozy Blues" is another highlight, with Falchetto belting out "Paralyzed by this continuum, but never ashamed of the things I've done!." It's a strong track vocally, though it hits its pinnacle about midway through and kind of dies out, but that's one of few complaints.

While the Mongoloids are on their way to being the next big thing in straight-edge hardcore, they've done it so far without playing to conventions or the genre's expectations. The New Beginnings seven-inch is another nice albeit brief chapter for the Mongoloids, but it will be just as interesting to see where they take their sound next.