As a lot as I don’t thoughts the occasional tussle with hair steel and classic-in-their-own-mind albums from the ‘80s Sundown Strip, I admittedly don’t put plenty of inventory within the hairspray-doused philosophies and opinions rising from behind all that lipstick. To at the present time I nonetheless can’t chorus from shaking my head in horrified disgrace when re-watching The Decline of Western Civilization II: The Metallic Years. So, when one of many guitarists within the present-day lineup of L.A. Weapons gushed positively within the press pack accompanying Stress Take a look at’s forthcoming, self-titled debut album, I dismissed it with latent and inherent quantities of prejudice. Hey, we’re all entitled to our infantile grudges, aren’t we?
Nevertheless, when a gentleman often called Ace Von Johnson commented about Stress Take a look at by saying, “It’s like early Napalm Dying and Dystopia had a thrash child,” I took discover and needed to admit his estimation was fairly spot-on. Along with his previous and current positions in Sooner Pussycat and L.A. Weapons, Von Johnson’s background consists of time spent in U.S. Bombs, the Turbines, Unwritten Legislation and Murphy’s Legislation so he is aware of tips on how to “make some noise” in addition to “rock with the boys,” so to talk. All this to say that if the manic, hardcore punk goodness of this Portland-based outfit — which options present and former members of Unto Others, Drouth, Iron Scepter and Spellcaster — can have this type of across-the-board attraction, it’s positively value a whirl whether or not you’re sporting a Skid Row shirt and a wrist filled with jangly bracelets or sporting a threadbare Aus-Rotten hoodie and shitty stick-and-poke tattoos.
Right this moment’s stream of “One thing Somewhat Than Nothing” from Stress Take a look at is your probability to search out out what the hubbub is all about! The album is about for official launch subsequent week (February twenty eighth) through Transylvanian Recordings and the album’s nearer is a dynamic slab of tempo massaging, crossover thrash that, at 2:52, is epic-length compared to the previous ten tracks. Says guitarist/vocalist Brandon Hill in regards to the tune: “Why is there one thing reasonably than nothing? It’s a typical philosophical query, and more often than not it’s answered by both explaining that there may be no reply, or unsurprisingly, ascribing it to God’s will. I believe a query I’m extra curious about than ‘why will we exist,’ although, is ‘why ought to we?’ Is it higher to have by no means existed in any respect? That could be a query which you can solely reply by residing, and doubtless the sort that drives folks to concepts like God and Heaven within the first place – or will get them stoned to demise, relying on when and the place that they had the dangerous fortune of being born. Why will we spend our quick lives craving that means and objective after we’re additionally cursed with a mind developed sufficient to acknowledge that these items exist solely in our imaginations?”
Stress Take a look at was recorded and blended by Gabe Johnston at Falcon Studios (Unto Others, Hoaxed) and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege (Integrity, Obituary). It is going to be launched by Oakland-based Transylvanian Recordings on February twenty eighth, 2025. Pre-order it, right here.
