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Obstruct

obstructObstruct
Loss of Blood
Carry The Weight Records

The Northern hardcore scene has a strong DIY history and background of producing killer music. Perhaps it’s something to do with the lack of a heavy music industry/major label presence, perhaps it’s just something in the water, but the crop of bands coming out of Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool etc. recently has been uniformly fucking brilliant.

Obstruct are continuing this tradition from the small town confines of Huddersfield, with their new album Loss of Blood harnessing their furious straight edge hardcore punk to create the gnarliest record of 2015 so far. With influences apparent from early Voorhees, Walk the Plank and Creem, the band don’t let up as they storm through 11 tracks which rarely break the 1 and a half minute mark.

Listening to track after track of blistering hardcore, you get the sensation of being punched repeatedly in the head by a fist of sound as the pace and energy refuse to let up, though this isn’t to say there is no delineation between songs. While the formula never strays far from full speed ahead, with distorted basslines and pounding drums to the fore, a sense of melody emerges from somewhere within the chaos and helps to make songs like ‘Infection’ and ‘Instigate’ stand out through the Blitz-style guitar.

This is music that goes straight from ear canals to adrenalin gland, a shot of aural caffeine which will probably fuel skateboarding missions for some time to come for yours truly. Add a hint of darkness to your summer and get hold of a copy from Carry The Weight Records.

Jono Coote