steering clear of the mainstream
since 2001

june 2010

review
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info opinion

Gasoline Fight

"Useless Piece of Weaponry" CDEP

Thick Records

Genres: hardcore, punk, post-hardcore

Thick Records
POB 220245
Chicago IL 60622

Nov 15 - 21 2004

I'm not really good with sub-genres and all that jazz, but as far as I can discern, Gasoline Fight seem to play a sort of noisy, somewhat experimental hardcore.  I guess it would probably be called "post-hardcore" by the powers that be (since anything remotely different is considered "post-"), but I like to think it's just loud, spastic hardcore punk music.  Useless Piece of Weaponry is a relatively short EP, but it packs a powerful punch - in five songs, Gasoline Fight manage to completely pummel the listener in waves of profuse, aggressive noise.  "Threadbare" is a fairly exemplary song; you've got growly, nasty vocals ("How does it feel to cut yourself?"), charged guitars, and pounding rhythms.  As far as comparisons go, I can hear a bit of Amebix and Envy in here, but I could be completely off the mark.  Gasoline Fight are much more melodic-minded than most hardcore acts, which is why I make the Envy connection - but they aren't quite as grand and dramatic as those Japanese punks.  "Truth of What Doctors Tell You" is perhaps the most unique piece on here, it relies on a strange repeated "chorus," and the rhythm has a bit of a jazzy quality to it.  Overall, Useless Piece of Weaponry is an above average punk EP with some very enjoyable, well-recorded music on it.  Take heed, folks.

83%

Matt Shimmer

[Vitals: 5 tracks, distributed by the label, released 2004]