Hurtlocker

Fear in a Handful of Dust (Napalm)
by Scott Hefflon

Austria’s Napalm Records is mostly known for unearthing great black and Goth metal bands U.S. audiences haven’t heard of yet (like that’s hard), and impressing almost every time. Hurtlocker is from Chicago, kind of a switch-up for Napalm, but a smart pick nonetheless. Produced in MA by the dude who did Hatebreed, you get a chugging monster permeated with hardcore roar. Some breakdowns, plenty of thrashing riffs (a few nice Possessed-style fills), but no spiraling solos, pussy singing, or fuckin’ keyboards. If you dig American metalcore, huge, mean, and with more moshing and blastbeats than knuckledrag breakdown, Hurtlocker is yer band.
(www.napalmrecords.com)