Sonic Poison
s/t
LifeLine Records
Release June 22nd 2015
Review by hutch
Ron Grimaldi – vocals, Rick Lopez - guitar, Anthony Corallo -
drums, Tom Clavin - bass.
The first time I heard the name Ron Grimaldi was on Kill
Your Idols’ release, Fur is For Fucks.
He showed up again on “Miserable and Satisfied”, sealing my attention to
this screaming bitter dude. When KYI disbanded, Paul Delaney and Gary Bennet
formed Deathcycle appropriately with Grimaldi screaming. Deathcycle released
two sinister full lengths and few splits. They broke up, and musically,
Grimaldi had stayed quiet. Until Now.
Enter current Sheer Terror drummer,
Anthony Corallo and Rick Lopez of The Casualties to sling six strings and Tom
Clavin on bass, the New York punk Rock/hardcore resume is stacked. Their first
release here is four tracks of chaotic destruction.
Steeped in punk and DIY ethos, these four tracks hammer out
rage and rebellion in the usual short fast loud fashion. It’s glorious. The
synergy, from Tom and Anthony playing in Concrete Cross and Disnihil together,
and everyone’s experience is a tight machine of anger. Production is on point,
raw but focused. Each instrument is discernible, with low rumbles balanced with
the galloping bass and clanging cymbals. Corallo produced this himself in the
band’s space.
Grimaldi’s honed spewing is aimed at social and political
imbalance in a suffocating society in “Mass Surveillance”. Then with the
opener, “Will It Ever End?” and the sequential “Another Day of Misery”,
Grimaldi spits vocals of depression and jaded memories. KYI fans will rejoice
in the malaise. The latter boasts a dope breakdown that will arms swinging and
feet two-stepping to a hardcore beat meant to incite.
Round out this release with artwork from Chad Lawson (Rude
Awakening, Expire, Backtrack, etc) and this EP is a must have. Influences are
there, but Sonic Poison emulates no one directly. Similarities to Kill Your
Idols are there, and will be noted. But that’s a huge bonus in my book. This EP
is crushing. It rips out of the gate and is unrelenting to your speakers, ears,
and guts. Inciting your emotions and sense of justice, this music will trigger
all of punk’s attractive qualities.
RIYL: KYI, Discharge, Conflict, ENT, Negative Approach,
Violent Arrest, Direct Control, Strung Up, Government Warning, Dead Stop, Tear
It Up.
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