Album by Citizens Arrest

A Light in the Darkness is six songs of classic New York hardcore packed into one quick blast.

It’s fast, loud, and aggressive, with almost no room to breathe. The guitars, drums, and vocals all seem to be pushing forward at once, giving the EP a relentless momentum from beginning to end.

Underneath all that noise, there’s plenty of frustration and alienation, with an anti-authoritarian streak running through the songs. The music matches that anger. Nothing here sounds particularly interested in being subtle.

Most of the EP stays in that same full-speed lane, although “Without Peace” stood out to me. It shifts gears a little more than the other songs, breaking up the attack without really sacrificing any of its intensity.

Hardcore like this isn’t really my lane, but six songs feels like just about the perfect way for me to experience it. A Light in the Darkness gets in, makes a hell of a lot of noise, says what it wants to say, and gets out.

Verdict: Worth A Spin

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