The underground hardcore scene in the UK is thriving. Attendance numbers at shows are on the rise across the country, and the bands that are emerging onto the scene are constantly raising the bar. One of those bands that currently have their hands wrapped tightly around that bar are Oxford trio MSRY, and they aren’t letting go. Quickly garnering a reputation for an unrelenting and ferocious live show, they’ve landed support slots with some notable names in the genre such as Employed To Serve, Press to MECO and underground metal legends Carcer City. Their ferocity extends beyond the stage, though; it can also be found on record. Their latest demonstration of it can be found on their new EP Safety First. Five tracks of fast, angry and heavy hardcore.
The whole EP has elements of a few different areas of hardcore running through it, married together to create a powerful cocktail of punishment. Picture Beartooth, Hatebreed and Every Time I Die having a baby, but that baby grows up to put riffs and aggression where their fathers would have put big catchy choruses. S.I.C.K is a perfect starter for the EP, setting the tone for everything that’s about to follow. Big dirty riffs, changes of pace, massive palm muted verses and rage filled choruses are what you find here. And that’s exactly what you’ll continue to find. Broken Teeth is a runaway train of riffs, only slowing down to add extra dirt to the breakdowns. There’s also a guest vocal from LIFETIGHT vocalist Thomas Smith, which fits so perfectly it almost sounds like it was written with his guest vocal in mind. Title track Safety First has got a really catchy opening guitar section, immediately presenting you with a wall of chords littered with a tasteful spot of widdly decoration. The vocals here are spot on too, marrying catchy word placement with pure venom to throw punch after punch down your ears. The stand out tracks here though are Freedom and Trump Card; two tracks that are very poignant and relevant to current events. Both tracks are politically fuelled, taking aim at our own government as well as the USA, and are delivered with a level of anger that a step above the rest of the tracks on this record. That anger is something that resonates with a lot of people in this scene, and they’ve communicated their point perfectly. MSRY have got a lot to say, and they aren’t going to go unheard. Not by a long shot.
If you’re a fan of hardcore in all its forms, there is something here for you. There is such a crossover of different elements of the genre here that it’s almost impossible to dislike. It’s also delivered in such a way that you can almost picture how it’d translate to a live performance. I mean think about it. If they sound this pissed off on record, how is it going to sound live when they’re releasing all of their tension? Going from their reputation alone, you can bet that it would be absolute chaos. This EP is great, and paves a very clear path forwards for them. They’ve just done a UK tour with fellow undergrounders MTXS, but you can bet they won’t stay away from the stage for too long. Keep your eyes peeled and get to a show near you. Do not sleep on this band.
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