STR8OUTTANORTHCOTE

Not an album for those with more highbrow tastes, Str8 Outta Northcote is best described as groove-heavy Southern rock played by a death metal/grindcore band, grunting, low-in vocals and all. In between the longer songs — and that is relatively speaking, since only four of them are longer than two minutes — are a number of short, blasting grindcore tracks (often reminiscent of a more sarcastic Napalm Death) as well as samples of people being insulted, threatened, and attacked with chainsaws. The overall vibe is trashy, low-class, and sometimes just plain moronic, but while the band clearly knows this, it doesn’t stop them from lowering their heads and hammering out some really bottom-heavy, barreling metal. They also come up with a whole slew of catchy guitar riffs (see “Givin’StifftotheStiff” and “RollCall”), even if the songwriting does have a few predictable moments. It’s not meant to change the face of music or make a grand artistic statement, but Str8 Outta Northcote is a fun album that will appeal to metal fans who have a soft spot for Southern rock and, maybe more importantly, who know how to laugh at themselves. [Relapse's 2008 edition included nine bonus tracks.] – William York