In Cold Blood - Hell on Earth

One of my favorite albums to come out on Victory in the 90s (back when Victory Records actually signed good bands) was In Cold Blood's "Hell on Earth." Featuring members of Cleveland legends Integrity, In Cold Blood plays mid-tempo metallic hardcore that falls somewhere between the bleak nihilism of "Humanity is the Devil"-era Integrity and the mosh-heavy stomp of the Cro-Mags.

With apocalyptic lyrics that often take an environmental stance, In Cold Blood aren't unlike many other 90s hardcore bands, but they are leaps and bounds above any of the Earth Crisis ridiculousness that was all too popular among their peers. "Bleak Existance/Dead to This World" is the standout track, with downright punishing riffs and a face-ripping solo midway through.

If you grew up in the late 90s, when chugga chugga hardcore was all the rage, listening to this is just straight Xed-up work gloves, messenger bags and windbreakers nostalgia. For everyone else "Hell on Earth" is still a brutal record that does a pretty good job of capturing the sounds and ideas of a particular time in hardcore's history.

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