Gallows: s/t (Bridge Nine, 9/18/12)
“Last June”
Following its Grey Britain LP in 2009, British hardcore/punk outfit Gallows lost the backing of its major label and dealt with the departure of original singer Frank Carter. The band quickly rebounded, however, and released an EP with new vocalist Wade MacNeil (ex-Alexisonfire) in late 2011, revealing that the quintet from Watford, UK, was no worse for the wear. With Gallows, your eardrums might not be so lucky.
This 11-track offering is more pissed-off hardcore/punk for the apocalypse, but tonality makes a big difference. Metallic half-distortions pair with in-the-red guitar fuzz; MacNeil’s gravelly punk screams are even raspier and more guttural than his predecessor’s. Combine that with riff-borne ferocity, half-time breakdowns, and gang-vocal sing-alongs, and you have a band as potent as ever.