Coke Bust
Confined

There's nothing to be done, the health of a band can only truly be seen on stage.

Discovered purely by chance during the three-day summer closing event of Foa Boccaccio, a very active social center in Monza, Coke Bust offer hard-hitting, no-frills hardcore, in the best tradition of the genre. During that hot July evening, they delivered a high-level performance, and the four from Washington DC, here on their second full-length outing, prove to be a valid group both live and in the studio. If in Monza, during those forty minutes available, hell really broke loose with a constant, engaged mosh and a singer constantly involved in stirring up an already excited audience, the vinyl performance leaves you truly amazed.

Even though this "Confined" is an album in every sense, its duration is minimal, as each song barely lasts a minute. What might initially seem like a limitation turns out to be a strength, with the band managing to consistently combine lyrics of substantial weight, naturally straightforward and without too many words, with a raw yet precisely surgical hardcore, featuring tracks that, despite their short duration, still manage to be distinguishable from each other, pieces of a credible and noteworthy puzzle even after multiple listens. Songs played at supersonic speed, a rhythm section like a jackhammer, sharp guitars, and an abrasive voice—this is the formula, no longer the most original but one that, at least in this case, hits the mark.

"Iron Spiral," "Nothing to Offer," and "Sent in Circles" are the calling cards of a solid and determined band to follow closely. Don’t miss them next time they pass through Italy.