July 13, 2012 | , | 4

Strong Intention, Razorblade Express

Strong Intention: Razorblade Express

Strong Intention certainly deliver their brand of grinding hardcore with the strongest of intentions — like flat-out malevolent intentions. Razorblade Express is a six track EP spanning all of nine and a half minutes packed full of sludgy tones and hardcore aesthetics.

The title track gets things off to a swampy start with a guest appearance from Eyehategod’s Mike IX Williams on vocals as the guys wade through murky riffs and grinding blasts. It’s a track that is bruising as hell. “Messiah Whore” dives head first into the most violent mosh pit with a decidedly more hardcore-like presentation to the grinding noise these dudes are dealing. It’s unrelenting right from the start and never lets up for it’s short minute and change eruption of manic drums and layered vocals. It’s one of those tracks that has a very messy vibe, but is oh so appropriate for the style. It’s quickly followed by the equally haphazard, thickly dense and raucous “Holes in the Wall.”

Mike IX Williams reappears on guest vocals for “3rd Space Gorilla Generator,” another track that is mired deep in swampy sludge and doomy atmosphere. It’s a blast of a track that is in your face like a mother fucker. “Rat Factory” kicks you in the gut with a booted foot and driving, violent hardcore that does more than its fair share of grinding in under a minute. The final track, “Slaughter Intelligence,” is no less violent than the previous five songs, belting out frantic drum blasts and grinding guitars like the band’s lives depend on it. It’s a song full of agitation and aggression — one that wraps up a pretty damned exciting blast of mayhem nicely.

The thing that makes Razorblade Express so enjoyable is its immediacy. There’s nothing left for the imagination here. Strong Intention pack as much rhythmic variety as they can considering they are forcibly mashing hardcore, sludge and grind together in a as little space as possible. In the mood for a rabid eruption of aggression? Then this EP is exactly what you need.