Severed Head of State “Power Hazard” CD

I honestly haven't kept up with Severed Head of State much in the last few years, because with such a powerhouse lineup (members serving/having served in Defiance, His Hero is Gone, Masskontroll, Signal Lost, Tragedy, Warcry, World Burns to Death, and many more...) I've always sort of expected more from 'em in some way. Don't get me wrong, I've been a fan of their earlier work, but oftentimes I'll revisit those records and just kinda feel like they're not particularly memorable. While the new "Power Hazard" EP on Havoc Records doesn't exactly "break the mold", it does shift direction just enough (check the darker clean riffing at the start of "Sacrament of the Sick", for one) to tend to feel a hint more interesting than some of the band's past efforts. The label refers to the eight new tracks as being "more mid-tempo in the tradition of mid-period Poison Idea and other hardcore/punk bands that took some cues from Motörhead", and that's pretty accurate for the most part—at least in terms of there being little bits and pieces of subtly rocked out and vaguely Motörhead-esque tinges that tend to spice up the songwriting here and there. The recording's also nice and balanced with just the right amount of density and gritty texture, and the vocals sound fuckin' great, so... that certainly doesn't hurt! The "Fucking Butchery" and "Charge Ahead" 7"s are also added onto the CD pressing as a bonus, totaling 14 tracks in 31 minutes, so... it's still not the most memorable hardcore/punk in the world, but it damn sure has its moments, and the total running time definitely keeps everything in check. Good stuff, these cats are definitely improving...

Severed Head of State "A Future Like a Guillotine"
Severed Head of State "Sacrament of the Sick"
Severed Head of State "Born to Be Hanged"

Make the grab if you like what you hear:

Havoc Records