Do you like your hardcore punk raw sounding so that it comes across in absolutely vicious manner? If so, then The Love Below should surely be moved to the front of the line of bands to check out and their latest EP, Reproductive Rights, is a great place to start. This whole release is pretty classic from the packaging, to the sound; both the band and label should be proud of such an excellent looking record (the artwork is pretty gnarly at that), which perfectly suits the music.
The cavernous (and I do mean that as the echo is insane) sound of "Nothing to be Done" is crazy sounding and a hell of a way to kick off the record because it is miles away from what the rest of the Reproductive Rights throws at you. The Love Below are certainly dynamic and the mix of tempos all over the record definitely prevents the songs from sounding repetitive, and the use of samples in the songs brings me back quite a bit (in a nostalgic sort of way). The vocal style reminds me a great deal of those heard in Some Girls and American Nightmare without being derivative, partially because the music is miles away from what either of those bands have. The title track of this record is a blistering barely over a minute whirlwind of aggressive music that aims to whack listeners in the heads and sarcastic vocal invective, and I love the chaotic nature of "Some Of Us Have Real Problems."
Reproductive Rights is a "blink and you missed it" type of record since it does not even break ten minutes of total listening, but, paraphrasing Philip Seymour Hoffman as Lester Bangs in Almost Famous, The Love Below accomplishes in less than ten minutes what it takes other bands hours to not accomplish. I love the fact that I can listen to this EP five or six times and not get bored for a second, and the big sound makes the record even better. Get this because it is an excellent record in the purest punk rock sense, exactly what 7"s were made to play, classic, ruthless punk rock.
