New ripping tape from this band out of Los Angeles.Our take: Jeff wrote about SOH’s cassette for his staff pick a few weeks ago and he did a great job, so I’m just reiterating here. While the (totally awesome) artwork might lead you to expect ripping thrash, SOH is a straight up punk band with little metallic influence in their sound. Their songs barrel forward with a UK82-inspired stomp that reminds me of the Exploited or the Partisans. As with the Thatcher’s Snatch record I also wrote about this week, the bass is forward in the mix and has a catchy, bubbly sound that strikes the perfect balance between rhythm and melody. And, as Jeff also emphasized, the vocals here are great, a banshee howl that’s similar in approach to the singer from Axe Rash, harsh and aggressive but with memorable rhythmic and melodic lines.
