Review / 200 Words Or Less
Steel Trap
Cold.Dead.Broke.

This Blessing, This Curse (2006) — Michael

Steel Trap – Cold.Dead.Broke. cover artwork
Steel Trap – Cold.Dead.Broke. — This Blessing, This Curse, 2006

Steel Trap is the latest export from the highly talented Bay Area scene. This five-piece group serves up volatile hardcore that no doubt gets the dance floor moving. The 7" kicks off with your typical intro track of building guitars and a sing-along, this one is "T-S-M!" - not to sure on the meaning of that though, must be an inside joke. "Crowbar Massacre" is a beast of a tune, the riffs are hard and the lyrics are seriously twisted - they even get a little help from Ross Farrar of Ceremony for some guest vocals. "Corroded" and "South E.." continue to churn out a heavy mix of brutal hardcore and metal. Steel Trap save the best for last with the track "Note of Confession." Musically the song hits just as hard as the others, but the lyrics are what make the song, touching on the personal topic of dealing with the unjust loss of a loved one. This 7" is worth it for this track alone, so go buy it.

8.0 / 10 — Michael • August 29, 2006

Steel Trap – Cold.Dead.Broke. cover artwork
Steel Trap – Cold.Dead.Broke. — This Blessing, This Curse, 2006

Related news

Steel Trap Call It Quits

Posted in Splits on July 14, 2008

Steel Trap Prep Debut Full-Length

Posted in Records on April 10, 2008

Trash Talk / Steel Trap Tourdates

Posted in Tours on January 14, 2007

Recently-posted album reviews

Nick Soulsby

Born of Struggle, Living in Hope: The Anarcho-Punk Lives of the Centro Ibérico (1971-1983)
PM Press (2026)

Living in Hope , as the subtitle suggests, is a punk-centric history of the Centro Ibérico, an anarcho-punk squat at 421 Harrow Road. It is also the first book-length treatment of the space, which was at the crossroads of far-right fascist violence, police surveillance, housing disputes, and the punk scene. Founded in 1970 by Spanish Civil War veteran Miguel García … Read more

Roky Erickson And The Aliens

The Evil One (deluxe edition)
Fire Records (2026)

I feel very fortunate to have seen Roky Erickson perform live at SXSW backed by Okkervil River in 2010 or 2011. Erickson passed away in 2019 at the age of 71. For those of you who aren’t already disciples, Roky Erickson was the lead vocalist of legendary Texas psych rockers 13th Floor Elevators. Recorded after the breakup of the Elevators … Read more

Mike D

Thank You
Capitol (2026)

Beastie Boys were a huge part of my transition from teenager into adulthood. An album for every stage of their growth musically matched the many chapters of my own personal development. Ad-Rock, MCA, and Mike D were like cherished friends for my earholes. The world mourned together when we lost Adam Yauch to cancer in 2012 and were heartbroken knowing … Read more