“One blow stained cement.“
Hardcore unit JIVEBOMB, signed to Baltimore’s iconic Flatspot Records, came to my attention with debut EP Primitive Desires. Impressed with the band’s full-throttle scuzzy riffing, I made the effort to catch them at 2024’s Outbreak fest, where their sheer energy left me desperate for more of whatever JIVEBOMB had to offer. Recorded in the summer of 2024, in the wake of their first international tour, ETHEREAL delivers another dose of hardcore punk fury, pushing the band’s heavy sound to new extremes,
Beginning with a blitz of feedback and distorted samples before diving into thunderous riffs, opening track “The Impact” is as good an introduction as any to JIVEBOMB’S uncompromising sound – the track is fast, features crushingly heavy guitar tones, and wraps up in about a minute and a half. Spanning just thirteen minutes across ten songs, not a single second is wasted on ETHEREAL. Despite their brevity, each track has a tight structure, with the next few numbers “Estrella” and “Survival Ain’t Taught” (both released as singles) showcasing a diverse number of riffs and a frankly ridiculous piccolo snare.
ETHEREAL features cleaner production then the band’s previous releases, however this is not at the cost of heaviness – JIVEBOMB still sound raw, dirty and larger than ever, with each drum hit popping out from the walls of guitar and rumbling bass. The more refined style, courtesy of Ben Greenberg (Uniform), also highlights Kat Madeira’s vocal talents. Her uniquely antagonistic growls are about as distorted as the guitars, and complimented by lyrics that drip with spite, such as the snarl of “I fucking hate you” that closes “Wise Choice.”
“Rhythm Zero” is a standout track for the virtuosic Guitar Hero-esque solo it opens with, moving quickly into a heavy groove designed for two-stepping, before a breakdown that re-introduces the lead guitar for high-pitch wails laden with vibrato. The final few tracks on the record lean towards slower mosh riffs that make it clear the best way to experience JIVEBOMB is at some small-room venue accompanied by a crowd with a thirst for violence.
The lyricism of ETHEREAL draws from standard beatdown conventions of struggle and violence, however the songwriting is at it’s best when it dives into the abstract – “Sepharim (Marina’s Song)” describes a self-destructive yearning that draws from angelic imagery, alluding back to the albums title. This track once again picks up the pace, moving back into the high-speed territory JIVEBOMB are known for, just in time for album’s closer “Disfigured Identity,” which sees a return of the distorted samples, this time made up of audio recordings Madeira took during the band’s time in Europe.
ETHEREAL maintains its brutal assault throughout its relatively short runtime, assisted by the tighter production. While some may be disappointed by the length, especially considering the long wait between releases, JIVEBOMB’s debut album is a fierce release and feels like a natural progression of the band’s sonic identity.
7/10
ETHEREAL is out March 28th via Flatspot Records and can be pre-ordered here.