STRONG INTENTION "Razorblade Express" Review

Baltimore’s Strong Intention are a ruthless blend of grinding, murderous and elongated outbursts punctuated by classic Hardcore breakdowns. The juxtaposition of what sounds like the darker, more depressive side of Black Flag being thrown into a fucking blender with the clarity and simplicity of the “Another Voice” era Agnostic Front is wonderfully enthralling.

From the off, I’m not a fan of the more grind friendly elements of this album, but even I, a sceptic of all things crusty, find it hard to view this album in a negative sense for the simple reason that the intrusion of rhythmic breakdowns is utterly irresistible and sure to hold the interest of any Hardcore fan. By the second track, I’ve even warmed to the sounds that are far outside my comfort zone. There’s something incredibly charming about this outfit.

The vocals are comparable to those of the Cro- Mags, as is their general doomy-yet-high-energy and pessimistic sound. There seems to be something for everyone on this album which in parts resembles DRI, in others Napalm Death and in others still, Hatebreed.

If this album is anything to go by (and I believe it is), Strong Intention have an unprecedented skill for flirted with genres and teasing the listener before pulling the rug from under our feet with glee. They’re far too erratic to place, and that’s all part of the fun, but generally I’d assert that for any Punk Rock, Hardcore, Crust, Grindcore or Crossover fans this album will take care of business.

To speak of stand- out tracks would be fairly meaningless here, as each and every song is a strong one and each and every song knits itself to the following and previous to present a cacophonous album that has no lulls and no lapses in energy. I would advise that you grab this album as soon as possible- it’s refreshing to hear something that refuses to toe the line and convulses violently out of step with the rest of the Punk Rock scene. Fan-fucking-tastic work, lads.