Waste Of Life – “Nothing To Gain”
The name of this band is Waste Of Life and everyone knows that the mind is a terrible thing to waste no matter how pleasurable it is to waste it.
A waste of life, and so many people are a waste of space. But I think anyone reading this is not the case.
Waste Of Life is another fine hardcore band out of Providence carrying the depressed, bleak, city landscape of their town in their music. One of the last bands I reviewed from their was Black Celebration and I recommend they play together- but only nicely, boys.
This band is heavy hardcore and I guess you could lump them in with the New York heavy hardcore style, but for me this is another example of a band that is metal in sound, hardcore at heart and punk in attitude.
Very heavily metal (Ha!) influenced, I’d say, but none of the self-indulgent trappings- another band with brutal, short hard songs.
You can call it what you like as long as you call it great- let’s lend an ear shall we?
After one drum beat the band is all in on “Nothing To Gain.” The beat is more straight ahead than hardcore but is slow enough to hit a rockin’ groove. The vocals are growling, the guitars have slashing metal chords and some shout-a-long background vocals aid during the verse until some high pitched black metal vocals come in for the chorus. “Life’s a ditch/ Toughen up/ Brush it off/ Pick it up.” The guitars are blarin’, the bass is trebly clanging, the drums are solidly pounding and the vocal shouts lead us on. “We don’t fit in and we can’t be consumed…We dress like bums and we break the music taste rules.” Then one of the guitarist adds a simple dissonant line that sounds like a spy movie (lots of terrific little guitar lines on this ep). This is a grinding, glorious, industrial metal tune with tremendous hardcore vocals. The lyrics give a shout out for, “my brothers Bangor to R.I./ from Portland to Boston,” is a nice touch. My favorite song on the EP.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/04 Nothing To Gain.mp3|titles=Nothing To Gain]
“Short Straw” leads off with a bolt of power, like lightening hitting the sky. A few ringing chords and some drum hits leads us into some intense, hoarse, exhorting vocals along with some metallic, chugging guitar that grinds along with the head banging beat. “And now I’ve drawn the short straw/ Born to lose, I can’t win/ ‘cuz I’ve drawn the short straw/ I’ve been dealt my hand, I’m all in.” The song chugs along in ominous intensity until the rhythm section kicks the energy up a gear and a short guitar solo blends in. This is a song of disheartened, dissolution that succeeds as much as life disappoints by creating a song full of power, passion and feeling, a song that wins out in the end.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/01 Short Straw.mp3|titles=Short Straw]
Some galloping drums and the feedback of a guitar jump starts “Scum” which is a drum bash four to the floor hardcore rush backing up a venomous, vitriolic vocal. A small pause to slow it down for the chorus while a insinuating guitar line in the background, strolls in like a buzzing, metal mosquito. “You’re up, we’re down/ You’re right, we’re wrong/ We’re left, you’re right/ We’ll kick your asses.” A metalish, grinding guitar groove topped off with a killer drum beat to put an end, once and for all, to this great tune.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/03 Scum.mp3|titles=Scum]
“Stray Rats” starts with some short, staccato blasts of guitar while another one’s feedback plays faintly in the distance. The vocals come in with the expected pissed off parade. As the rhythm section moves along like a powerful, stalking animal; the vocals continue its unrelenting stream of bile and disgust. The background vocals add a looping “Stray Rats” to the picture. At one point we’re brought to a double time part only to be brought back to the intense beginning. Then the background vocals return to lend an end to this effective tune about the ineffectiveness of working for a living.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/02 Stray Rats.mp3|titles=Stray Rats]
I may have made a waste of my life but my time spent listening to this EP was well worth it, time well spent.
This is potent hardcore…Hey, I’m not gonna be stupid enough to call it “Nu Metal” or “Metalcore.” These bands have nothing to do with those horrible genres. I’m gonna go with “Garage Metal.”
I won’t waste another moment of your precious time. But I will recommend you check this hard hitting, hardcore band, or great garage metal band, for your listening pleasure.
I feel, you’ll feel, it’s well worth your time.
I bet my life on it.
(Slimedog)
