“Incubi your kin ain’t my fucking kind.“
Emerging in 2022 with a demo EP, GASKET have kept up a steady tempo of releases, following up their debut last year with seven track EP Dull The Needle. Displaying their metallic hardcore sound that leans into the abrasive side of punk, they still keep their hardcore and thrash-y elements. The Baltimore quartet are now keeping up that tempo with latest EP in the form of BABYLON, continuing from where its predecessor did while drilling further into the cocktail of nails sound that GASKET have concocted.
Opener “GUILLOITINE” is a brief introduction to GASKET’s sound as it moves through its menacing riffs work, paces itself carefully before moving into some old school hardcore style guitar work and grooves. It’s all commanded by the raspy vocals of Zimmer that have a shimmer of reverb to them. BABYLON‘s purpose, which is further cemented on “REBORN“, is to keep an interminable nature aside their almost hellish sound.
Its force begins to burst out on its title track “BABYLON“, moving between smaller chord progressions into something much more beefier with an ease. The sheer fury that comes from Zimmer vocals during its breakdown gives a moment for BABYLON to have of breadth and give time to simply throw some hands or head bang to the track before a quick end, something which the EP struggles to allow with all but two tracks being under two minutes long.
Moving into its latter half, BABYLON further keeps the ear trapped within its soundscape of suffering. “ACOLYTE” throws in an equally heavy breakdown for good measure, with “SYNDICATE” sneaking in some neat tempo shifts on the drums, continuing to play things within an inch of its life. On closer “PENANCE“, GASKET opt for energetic groove work with Zimmer‘s vocals having an extra lashing element to them, with a sense that every last ounce of energy that GASKET have is being let out here before slowly fading out.
It’s not hard to guess that GASKET are here to release music that that is grimy and gnarly while keeping it absolutely unrelenting. From a surface level inspection it’s a sound that seems pretty unbearable, yet it has a beckoning snarl that will keep the ear wanting to return to indulge in its dark and delightful riffs, and vocals that should pique the interest of many.
7/10
BABYLON will release June 21st via Blue Grape Music and can be pre-ordered here.