Deathkiller CD Review

With four hi-hat whacks, Deathkiller screams “we are here motherfucker, so listen up.” Sporting a chipped-shoulder aggression and a short fuse burning on both ends, “Take Me to Your Bleeder” opens the debut full-length New England is Sinking with full force. Over the course of 13 songs, the trio of Matt McIntosh, Anthony Realbuto and Christina Chiaramonte, lash out at the system and the status quo, recalling a time when hardcore bands stood for something, or at least stood for more than image and idolatry.

The Connecticut outfit boasts plenty of pedigree – McIntosh lists ‘ex-Hatebreed’ on his resume while drummer Realbuto once banged rhythms with Most Precious Blood. But Deathkiller doesn’t rely on the brutal breakdowns of cliché-ridden metalcore or necessarily resemble either of the aforementioned bands in particular. Instead, New England is Sinking takes the fast cars and tight jeans of classic rock ‘n’ roll and drives full force into the raging pit of American hardcore to produce an unadulterated and uncontainable sound that takes no prisoners. No pretenses, no bad dye-jobs, no ever-increasing friend count, no fashion statements of any sort, Deathkiller are raw and intense – classic hardcore I suppose, in the truest sense imaginable. The only statements this band makes are the subtle suggestions to tear down all you see around you that is phony and full of shit.

“Idle Worship” recalls the best of Rise Against; “Carlos D is in My Top 8” a post-Myspace Black Flag. The title track is the most melodic cut of the bunch – and any song which features the line “if you can’t beat ‘em then destroy them” is a winner in my book. “Man Alone” suggests we take our disillusionment and do something with it while “Dead Art” begs us to lash out in a fury of unbridled emotion – take the pit to the pulpit and turn this mother out.

“Let the Good Times Fold” is quintessential early-90s post-hardcore (think Handsome over Quicksand), which unfortunately a decade later sounds dated. Not to mention that the angsty refrain of “C’mon baby, let the good times fold” is, well, just plain silly. Chiaramonte’s fuzz-happy bass tone grows tiresome around the twenty-minute mark, but maybe that’s more of a musicians personal preference on this end rather than a true criticism of what is all in all a solid record.

On “Untitled” McIntosh begs you to answer has he screams “What do you mean, ‘It’s victory?’” New England is Sinking is victorious: a solid debut that takes a tried and true sound and sticks to it. Nothing is new, so let’s go back to the basics, McIntosh and co. contest – but lets to it harder, faster and truer. With this m.o., Deathkiller makes a statement and makes it loud.