For such a relatively young band Trap Them's ascension through the ranks has almost been as frenzied as their output. Already the recipients of high critical praise throughout their surprisingly prolific short existence, this latest album is perhaps the final curb stomp to finish off the bloodied sea of listeners left in the wake of this groups past rabid assaults.
Harsh discordant vitriol is spewed about here like an unmanned fire hose at full pressure. Stark, raw and unnervingly cathartic, the band recklessly throw themselves into their craft and have truly begun to come into their own - or at least their own corner of the long shadows cast by scene leaders like Converge and Cursed. Such a full bore approach is taken here that each frenetic riff and wrenched yelp sounds like not only a call to arms, but also a primal order to demolish everything and everyone in sight with extreme prejudice.
Given the relatively short timeframe between releases it's hard to say whether or not maturity is what makes this effort so destructive. But focus is certainly now a key factor. Rather than the spastic genre explosions the band practiced in the past, a wiry and far more ferocious nature has been adopted. Given a multitude of tracks which span the one to two minute running length, this allows the purest of the bands aural malice to be distilled into lethal doses, avoiding the genre shifting dilution of their past.
As purgative as this release is though, it can't be ignored that the band are traversing a path that has already been carved out by a few elite acts. To their credit, few to come since have been this inspired and that is perhaps the bands most endearing quality. However, what will be viewed as a winning combination of fire, heart and creativity to some; will merely be seen as a solid retreading of the wheel to others and this may be the one trap the band will never escape from.
(4 / 5)
wookubus