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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These Arms are Snakes - This is Meant to Hurt You

Ah, this album brings back memories. It was 2003 and it seemed like ex-members of every band I loved as a kid were forming new "rock" influenced bands. These Arms are Snakes were no exception, featuring ex-members of Seattle's seminal Botch and Kill Sadie, and boasting a thick sound that instantly reminded one of a better version of Ink and Dagger's self titled album.

Sonically, These Arms are Snakes are closer to Kill Sadie than Botch, with thick nervous riffs and shouted vocals buried low in the mix. "Riding the Grape Dragon" is an excellent opener, but "The Blue Rose" is the real standout track on this E.P. The song is as subtle as a boot to the teeth, a frenzied post punk rager of throbbing bass and howling guitars that's unrelenting from start to finish.

There's a lot promise in "This is Meant to Hurt You," promise that eventually gets squandered by the band's first L.P. "Oxneers or The Lion Sleeps When Its Antelope Go Home," a jittery synth-heavy foray into dance music. These Arms are Snakes later return to form on their sophomore album "Easter," but can't recapture the same urgency that drives "This is Meant to Hurt You."

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