COMBUST - Belly of the Beast LP
There's something to be said about being an active band for 7 years, consistently putting out music and honing in on your craft all this time; meanwhile touring literally everywhere, taking no shortcuts. The proof is in the pudding: this record is undeniable. COMBUST never strayed from their initial sound and identity, they are the quintessential modern New York Hard Core band in my opinion. These guys are students of the game and deliver a high-quality record packed to the brim with NYHC bonanza, to a level that not a lot of bands would be able to pull off in my eyes. There's nods to all the classics, and they still manage to make the songs sound unique and not something you've heard a million times, it's no small feat in a genre that's been replicated to oblivion. I hear a lot of KILLING TIME in the riffs, SICK OF IT ALL & DYNAMO in the groove, and CROWN OF THORNZ & UNDERDOG in some of the song structures and tempo choices. I really appreciate how they seem to challenge themselves by writing songs that rarely replicate a formula used elsewhere on the record.
The album oozes style and personality, with multiple stand out tracks, like the self-titled opener, single "Our Own Breed", or the super fun & catchy "N.Y.H.C"; and of course the guest features are a plenty (MINDFORCE, DANNY DIABLO, MASTERMIND, DMIZE, TERROR...). After the NYHC trophy spending time away in Toronto, San-Antonio and Leeds, Combust finally brought it home
LP out on Triple B Records. Listen here: https://bbbrecords.bandcamp.com/album/belly-of-the-beast
sylviasoven