With a gritty hardcore sound that encapsulates much of the traditional tough guy NYHC scene, it may be a bit surprising to find out that Barcode hail from the 'burrough' of Denmark. Sounding like a combination of beer, brass knuckles and brutality, the group gnaw their way through 15 original tracks, plus a cover of Accept's "I'm A Rebel", and none except the latter break the 3 minute mark.

Fast paced, hungry and riddled with conviction, the music isn't so much emotional as it is bluntly aggressive. A welcome change in a world where emoting has begun to take over, but that's not to say Barcode don't have a bite to back up their bark. Punchy metal tinged hardcore is abound as the band express themselves with the grace of a bare knuckled pugilist and while the bloodshed is expected, an occasional message also seeps through.

Being in the vein of groups like Madball and Sick Of It All you can of course expect gang shouts and plenty of crisp breakdowns. But where Barcode make this digestible is the brisk pacing and lack of convoluted structuring. Their material is short, to the point and thusly effective. Toss in a few clips sampled from the cult classic movie "The Warriors" and you have one of the most relevant hardcore albums released this year.