Thursday, December 10, 2020

Citizen Rage - "Black EP" (Wasted Wax Records, 2020)

Band:
Citizen Rage
Title: Black EP
Genre: Hardcore Punk with Thrash Metal influences
Time: 8.52 min
Release date: 25th September 2020
Vote: 74/100

After the extreme metal tinged with crust punk of the split Mácula/Extinction Remains, today there's the turn of a Canadian hardcore punk outfit named Citizen Rage. In particular, I'll talk you about their "Black EP", their 6th EP that belongs to a special series of EPs that, entitled after their colour (for example, the previous one is called "Pink EP"), the band is producing since their foundation in 2014. This one was released under the auspices of Wasted Wax Records, in an all-Canadian production. Now let's see what is this "Black EP"!

Comprised of four tracks and strong of backing vocals by guests such as Rob Lawless (Real Sickies), Brad Graves (The Devil's Son) and Matt Jak (Bogue Brigade), "Black EP" is the powerful declaration of a band playing a hardcore punk contaminated with some (thrash) metal influences and showing a good versatility. I said "versatility" because Citizen Rage are capable to range from short furious passages in which there are even the blast-beats (like in "Twitch") to heavy breakdowns that are perfect to unleash the most demented fights into the pit ("Sustain"). There is also a track as "I Will Fucking Kill You", that has a bit gloomier riffing and, in addition, it is the "tour de force" of this disc since its quite three minutes of lenght. But, as in a classic hardcore punk tradition, don't expect any guitar solos, that are completely absent. 
So, Citizen Rage spewed forth a new EP that is a nice combination between the crossover thrash metal à la DRI and the NYHC à la Terror/Cromags. At the same time, I think that the band, after so many EPs, is now ready to record something more consistent... that, in simple words, is a full-lenght album. But time to time and enjoy this still fresh effort of a band that, strong of a new drummer in the person of Chase Hamilton and the addition of another guitarist named Sean Adam, "hope to carry on spreading our message of positive social change through more tours, more recordings and more high-fives, hugs and hardcore punk". Hugs... the new taboo in the times of this fuckin' Covid!

Tracklist:

1 - Twitch
2 - Sustain
3 - I Will Fucking Kill You
4 - Dreams

Line-up:

Mark Russell - vocals
Ross Furgeson aka The Ferg - guitars
Mikey Bastard - bass
Jdogg - drums

Guests:

Rob Lawless, Brad Graves and Matt Jak - backing vocals

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/CitizenRagecalgary
BandCamp: https://citizenragehardcore.bandcamp.com/
Wasted Wax Records: https://www.wastedwaxrecords.com/

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