Album Review: Incisions – Self Titled

TNS Records make a bold claim in their press statement with “Manchester is the home of UK DIY punk. If someone tells you otherwise, they’re wrong”, to back up this claim they are set to unleash the debut full length by the latest band borne of Manchester’s burgeoning DIY punk scene, Incisions. The Mancunian quartet have been around since 2015 and there’s been a steady drip feed of EP’s, 2016’s Deep Cuts and SCABS and 2017’s Quit Now, that have been leading up to their self titled debut full length.

Deny builds up with war drums and a squall of feedback that acts as a prelude to a full on twelve track hardcore assault, only two tracks break the two minute barrier and this is hardcore exactly as it oughta be delivered, short, fast, brutal and political. Incisions have delivered an album that captures the essence of worldwide hardcore scene and delivers it with a Mancunian twist, tracks like Sound Carlos and 60 Hours are perfect moments of punk rage, they sit amongst a hardcore assault that never gives an inch and never backs down from confronting issues that need to be addressed. The twelve tracks blast by in a blur of focused rage and fury, Incisions self titled debut album may be over in less than twenty minutes, but it’s the finest twenty minutes of hardcore I’ve heard this year.

Incisions reflect the experiences of being a young working class punk in the North of England, there’s rage against the establishment, the far right and the self serving nature of politics that is coupled with personal issues that have affected them. Whilst I’m never a fan of geographically lumping bands together, every now and then a scene becomes so closely allied with a town or city that the associations are inevitable. Incisions are the latest band to emerge from Manchester’s DIY punk scene and its hard to argue with TNS Records claim, right now Manchester is the home of UK DIY punk and if you think otherwise, you’re wrong.

Incisions self titled debut album can be pre-ordered via TNS Records here

Incisions Facebook page can be found here and their Bandcamp is here