EP REVIEW: Bound/Cured – Bleach Everything

Bound/Cured is the latest short, savage offering from a band for whom such releases are something of a speciality. US hardcore quartet BLEACH EVERYTHING have put out a few records now, but even their sole ‘full-length’ clocks in at just 14 minutes. This latest record follows their 2019 ‘RFTCC’ split with INTEGRITY, and 2018’s So We Gnaw LP before that. Bound/Cured picks up elements from both those releases, namely the former’s melodic touches, and the latter’s sheer ferocity. It’s all rolled into a tight little package of two tracks that are over in less than three minutes combined.

BLEACH EVERYTHING get straight to the point with Bound – admittedly it’s not like they have time to spare! Musically, it’s a snarling, crusty, punky track, with a simple structure of verse, chorus, verse, breakdown, chorus. The song’s lyrics deal with what the band describe as “the uncertainty of luck and life and never truly knowing how it can, will, and can still shake out.” Vocalist Brent Eyestone flits between two different styles to deliver these reflections. In the verses, he opts for primal, savage barks – a great match to the band’s visceral music. In the choruses, he’s more melodic, as is the music behind him, making for a welcome and interesting shift.

The album’s second track Cured follows along nicely and in much the same vein. This one’s even shorter, and just as raucous. The crusty guitars and abrasive vocals are still there, and the piece tears along at the kind of pace where it feels like the whole thing could come apart at any moment. Lyrically, Cured handles the subject of truth, and how one must come to terms with it “before death takes care of the task.” It makes for pretty scathing stuff, with lines like “Trouble with a liar, he won’t remember what he said” and “For whom life doesn’t cure, death sure will.” The track quickly reaches a noisy yet somewhat melodic conclusion, and before listeners know it, both the song and the record are over.

There really isn’t much else to say about Bound/Cured. Realistically, it’s probably taken longer to read this review than it would have to listen to the whole record. Long-time fans won’t have much to complain about though – these are two solid tracks that neither surprise nor disappoint. For others however, this record may be a little too short to get a real sense of the band. Those that do enjoy it would definitely do well to check out BLEACH EVERYTHING’s previous releases. The band have also instructed fans to “stand by” for more new records in 2021, something which Bound/Cured does a good job of creating some excitement for.

Rating: 7/10

Bound/Cured is set for release on January 29th via Dark Operative.

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