Guilt

Bardstown Ugly Box (Victory)
by Tim Creter

Maybe this band practices the black arts, or maybe they made a deal with Satan himself. Either way, Guilt taps into your emotions like no other. I have to say that this is one the first free CDs I’ve received in a while that I’ve really, really liked and was thankful to receive. On their Victory debut, Bardstown Ugly Box, you feel the angst and frustration inside you from the power of their songs. They have so much feeling that I would, (and not to insult them) compare them to the band Live. Calm down, I just mean the mood and emotion. But add to that the musical prowess of Snapcase, and you have yourself one mean hardcore album. I also love the recorded sound – very live. It almost sounds as if they’re playing in a cave, or some dark place to dampen the senses. Its packaging has images of weirdness all about, with a frightening image on the CD itself. Guilt are low, mean, noisy, and yet musical, and heavy. You might even say “spooky.” Their songs range from blasts of hardcore rage to scores of sadness. They also have a fondness for Greek letters, as all six songs are titled as letters like “pheta” or “omega.” If you think you’ve vented through your Sick Of It All or Integrity records, pick up Guilt and move to a higher level of anger. Call them insane post-hardcore, or whatever label you think fits, but pick this up or cry alone.