“The theory goes that if punk is the escapism, then hardcore is confrontation. Both strains are firmly rooted in the same rejection, but where punk lampoons or parodies, hardcore kicks and screams and claws. Tashme embodies this latter camp, with each song its own ugly, snarling, guttural howl, packaged in and complemented by the ever-haunting artwork of Mexico’s Yecatl Peña. This genius debut outing is a must have hardcore record for any collection that channels the fury of latter-day Spanish heavyweights like Destino Final and Glam and mixes it with the skin-crawling genius of citymates Kremlin.” - Ralph (Not Normal Records) Our take: Two releases in a row with artwork by Yecatl Peña! This time, though, it’s the debut vinyl from Toronto’s Tashme. This is the first time I’ve heard the band, and after my first listen I thought of Torso, the only other band I can think of that combines raw, Totalitär-inspired hardcore with the huge breakdowns of straight edge hardcore so effectively. Just like Torso, when Tashme plays fast they sound sprightly and light on their feet, which just makes the breakdowns so much heavier when they come crashing down. I think Tashme has also absorbed the meaty, mid-paced riffs perfected by their fellow Torontonians S.H.I.T., which fits well with the overall style and vibe. This is heavy, mean, and packed with riffs… what more can you ask of a hardcore record?
