Following an excellent demo and 7-inch EP way back in 2014, Athens’ Lifewreck are back with their debut LP, chock full of quality, straight-to-the-point power violence. This is the sort of music that was designed for disenfranchised kids to work out their teenage angst in dirty basements oozing with sweat and frustration. You are encouraged to dust off your crusty denim or studded (faux) leather jacket for this one.
The 13 songs contained on this outing rage relentlessly about 17 minutes, giving you a good indicator as to what sort of beast you will be dealing with; short, loud and fast music, just like smashed skateboards and Chris Dodge’s inspired fever dreams intended. Lifewreck don't fuck about with long-winded intros or samples and most of the songs are about a minute long, with the exception of album closer “Sleep”, which clocks in at just under three minutes.
All songs are played at a typical breakneck speed, covering the usual themes of capitalism, religion and politics being absolute shit shows. I could probably try naming a ton of Japanese and American bands going for a similar sound, but I would rather not embarrass myself. Basically if you have an Infest shirt or Siege patch in your wardrobe, chances are you will enjoy this (and add ten punk points for delving into a politically-charged hardcore scene off the beaten path).
As with a lot of bands that deal in this brand of fast hardcore, the live show is where it’s all at. Sure, studio recordings might allow the bands to explore more intricate arrangements, but in a live setting all of that sort of gets lost, with the relentless aggression shining through and through. This is one of those cases where the LP acts like a calling card for the live show, a collection of powerful songs that are meant to be experienced in public, rather than enjoyed in private.
As such, there is an endearing rawness that compensates for what may come off sameness. Lifewreck arguably may not be treading any new ground on their debut release, but then again maybe that is not really the point; they are angry and pissed off at society and want to let you know about it.