INCH SCRAPER: HARDCORE 7″ REVIEWS OF BORN LOW, CEREMONY, AND CODE ORANGE KIDS

On the momentous occasion of Code Orange Kids‘ recent signing to Deathwish, I became aware of their recently released Cycles (Mayfly). For a bunch of Pittsburgh teenagers, this is some weird shit, man. Running counter to their youth crew contemporaries, these Kids have more of a Botch/Converge thing going on, as evidenced by despair-laden cuts like “Walls (We Lose Each Other).” It’s swell to see the young people turn their palpable vexation into something far from formulaic.

The Hunger Within (Bad Ground), Born Low‘s latest, could have been ghostwritten for Madball. Note I used “for” as opposed to “by,” indicating that while reminiscent of the NYHC heroes, the material is hardly derivative, but instead heavier and more openly metallic than recent output from Cricien’s crew. Still, as much as I dug their 2010 debut Reincarnage, not much has changed here, though the consistency of the material here gives me hope that their best is on the horizon.

When Ceremony debuted the titular A-Side to Hysteria (Matador), old punk was made new again. With anthemic qualities the result of neither nature nor nurture (but rather mania), it is an opening salvo worthy of the forthcoming Zoo LP’s purported American society shaming. However, the far-less frantic “I’m A Bug” limps, an urbane and restrained take on a Urinals tune. While heralding punk rock’s history warrants respect, last year’s covers EP served that noble aim better.

-GS