Review / 200 Words Or Less
Glue
Glue EP

Katorga Works/Video Disease (2014) Andy Armageddon

Glue – Glue EP cover artwork
Glue – Glue EP — Katorga Works/Video Disease, 2014

With an extremely downbeat and aggressive sound, Austin, Texas four-piece band Glue follows up their noisy and vulgar 2012 demo with a 2014 self-titled 7” that picks up right where the demo left off. The first of four tracks featured here is the brief “Enemy,” which operates at a moderate pace and includes a sort of diabolical, horror movie chord progression as well as thunderous drumming. Following an sparse intro section, “Backwards Society” heads right back into more furious sonic territory with screeching guitar runs and abrasive, punctuated and raspy vocals. The gurgling opening declaration of “DIE!!!!” heard over a stomping rhythm and menacing instrumentation really says all one needs to know about “Opportunist,” and the openly hostile closing track “Disgrace” would likely send a live crowd into a frenzy with its blurted profanity, violent tempo change-ups, and all-out guitar assault. Throughout these tracks, the barked-out, death rattle vocals compliment the gnarly instrumentation perfectly, and as nine minutes of unsophisticated, downright mean and nasty hardcore punk, the Glue 7" comes recommended.

Glue – Glue EP cover artwork
Glue – Glue EP — Katorga Works/Video Disease, 2014

Recently-posted album reviews

Circuit des Yeux

Halo On The Inside
Matador (2025)

Haley Fohr's artistic vehicle, Circuit des Yeux, defies categorisation. Stamping the indie folk label on her was superficial, something dispelled easily once you have experienced the lo-fi distortion of "The Girl With No Name." It might be that under the layers of sonic disfigurement, a folk ethos is present in Fohr's narrative sensibility, but it is no longer the same. … Read more

ZEPHR

Past Lives
Dumb Ghost, Snappy Little Numbers (2025)

Sometimes you can just hear the passion in a voice. ZEPHR is one of those bands. They defy convention a little bit, in that I associate gravelly voices with harsher, heavier sounds, but ZEPHR use sore-throat vocals to great effect with midtempo, emotional and melodic 3-chord chugging punk rock and some DC sound. In few words, it's raw, both musically … Read more

Kreiviskai

Motinai
Infinite Fog Productions (2025)

Kreiviskai's origins are deeply rooted in the neofolk sound and ethos. Their debut record, Zemmis : supnãi, focuses on the musical lineage of Tver, embracing the traditional instrumentation to produce a somber and moving piece. Their follow-up record, Nonregnum expands outward, focusing on various historical events and introducing further influences. The pull of neo-classical is palpable, while the abrasive industrial … Read more