Band
Nuse
Title
Hungwell
Type
LP/EP
Company
No Joke Records
YOR
2005
Style
Thrash
Popular Reviews
Nuse - Hungwell - 2005 - No Joke Records
Track Listing1. Blue Fish 2. Death Of Flesh 3. Only On T.V. 4. Smoke 5. Wrong 6. Junkie 7. Story Of Jed 8. Ig 9. Sustain Me 10. Alive I'm Not 11. Uncontrolled 12. Story Of Bob |
Hailing from New Jersey, oddly named Nuse find themselves in a strange situation. After recording demos and playing live since 1993, the group are now officially the "new kids on the block". They have picked 2005 to launch their debut record, a par effort with "Hungwell". How is this different from the hordes of hardcore acts popping up globally? Well it really isn't and I look at this much like new Century Media band Manntis. Basically this has been done to death, but it is still entertaining in some fashion.
Nuse have been around the block or two, touring with the likes of M.O.D, Nuclear Assault, Clutch, Biohazard, and the mighty Overkill. The band use more of a thrash backdrop for their hardcore sound, with most of the material found here not really going completely into the hardcore arena. Vocalist/guitarist Mike LaMastro uses some shouting as his main vocal delivery but at the same time he adds in a rugged thrash sound ala Wardog, Marauder, or even Life Of Agony.
On cuts like "Only On T.V" the guys are in full thrash mode, with a big Sabbath riff thrown through the thick of it. Bassist Eric Mangual has a bass chop sort of like Overkill henchman D.D. Verni. Cuts like "Smoke" and "Blue Fish" burn at a hardcore frenzy, almost bordering on the mindless punk romps of the early 80s. The band even craft some Gwar type songwriting with "Story Of Bob", "Story Of Jed", and "Junkie".
Bottom Line - Fun for what it is. Nothing to take too seriously, I'm sure the band never looks in the mirror.
--EC 08.11.05