ALBUM REVIEW: Consume Me – Big Laugh
Anybody with so much as a passing interest in hardcore punk will be familiar with Revelation Records and their roster that has included the likes of SICK OF IT ALL, YOUTH OF TODAY and GORILLA BISCUITS. By extension, those interested will recognise what a big deal it is for a young band to sign to them, which just so happens to be the case for Milwaukee’s BIG LAUGH. With only an EP to their name, they’ve been invited into the fold by the legendary label and on debut album Consume Me, the quartet show the world why that was the right decision.
Artificial Peace is an instant shotgun blast of frenetic energy and barbed, angular punk that packs as much impact into its compact existence as some other genres do in a whole album. The restless, breathless assault doesn’t let up for a second and rolls straight into Abomination, which dials the violence of the opening track up another inconceivable notch. Vocalist Drew Czarnik sounds just as pissed off as the music requires, while the changes of pace from the guitars keep listeners on their toes, and the rhythm section keeps the engine driving relentlessly onward.
Animosity marks the midway point with a slightly slower and more measured output, though no less venomous in its delivery. Along with Shadow Figure, it signals a far more melodic double header that punctuates the hostility, and illustrates BIG LAUGH‘s ability to dole out the fury in more than one way. As a result, these are the tracks that hit the hardest. From the sledgehammer drumming and ominous basslines, to squealing guitars and increasingly frantic vocals, this is as urgent and cathartic as Consume Me gets.
As the album goes on, the attacks become more and more sustained, ending with the relative gargantuan of The Fall. Standing at a shade over three and a half minutes, this is by far BIG LAUGH’s longest offering on the record, but they still opt for maximum velocity throughout. It becomes a show of stamina and a stark reminder that when you’re young enough and pissed off enough, you can really eke out the rabid tendencies and still have more to give.
What’s impressive as well is that even with label backing and the recording services of Altered State Studios, Consume Me still feels DIY. The vocals aren’t always clear and instrumentation sometimes collides in a rough way, but for a band that books their own tours and makes sure to put the hard work in to be seen, it makes perfect sense and rounds BIG LAUGH out as an even fuller entity. There are no airs or graces here.
In the span of just 20 minutes, BIG LAUGH have laid down a gauntlet for hard nosed and grimy hardcore punk. Here for a good time and not a long time, the white-hot intensity and lightning pace means that even if it doesn’t click for you, it was no drain on your resources. Consume Me is well worth checking out, because there’s a good chance you’ll find something you love here.
Rating: 7/10
Consume Me is set for release on February 10th via Revelation Records.
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