Review: End Begins “Wartime All the Time” CD

Metallic hardcore from Finland that definitely sounds different than most of the other bands I've heard from that area in this general style. Musically it's nothing new, just heavy NYHC styled chord progressions that keep the focus on straightforward hardcore with a few chunkier breakdowns that bring in more of a metal feel, but the vocals? The vocals are way different, opting for a higher-pitched yelling/screaming that works great with the music and really gives the band a nice point of differentiation. The songs are short and to the point with no real frills, and I'm definitely a fan. "No Tomorrow" brings in a slight touch of melody and makes for a catchier tune, "Death Ahead" has a classic old school breakdown that totally kills, and "Wartime" has some faster speeds and blasting beats that stand apart from the other material. The recording is good but needs to be a little heavier to maximize the band's force. The drums are barely taut but sound good, and the bass is somewhere in there adding a little density, but the guitars are too thin. They sound fine, and the mix is perfectly clear for this stuff, but upping the bass and adding more density to the guitars would make this EP totally kill. The vocals sound fine, but thickening up the instrumentation would give them more to fall back on since the screaming's got more of a bite than the music. The layout keeps things simple with some dirty concrete looking textures and images of helicopters (to be associated with war, of course). The lyrics are all blunt as hell and deal with extreme violence, warfare, revenge, pain and frustration, etc. "You won't believe in cruelty until the war is at your door, All that you love will be slaughtered, You wish they had killed you before..." Get the picture? Seriously, almost every metallic hardcore band from Finland is really good. Once more I'm impressed. I wish this thing was longer!