Album Review: Surface Report – Stand By…

Californian hardcore quartet Surface Report was formed from an impressive collection of past and present members of Californian acts such as Castoff, Fallen Monuments and Strike The Design, and now Surface Report have self released their debut album, Stand By…. This is the latest release that seems to indicate that there is something of a renaissance occurring in the North American hardcore scene, with new band’s on each corner of the continent, including New York’s Scarboro, Texas’s Despero and Canada’s Our Darkest Days to name but a few, all releasing impressive albums in the last twelve months.

One At A Time hits you between the eyes with a furious hit of melodic hardcore, and before you’ve had chance to recover Quid Pro Quo kicks in with a more of a crossover feel. Whilst there’s no respite on Stand By… this is not an album where the short sharp shocks blur into each other as each track brings a different element into the mix. Songs such as the superb Insufficiency are classic melodic hardcore, but these are balanced against the more straight up hardcore elements and slight metal influences, which all combine to deliver an impressive debut album from a band who are a breath of fresh air in the Californian punk scene.

It’s no surprise that Stand By… is on the short side, it clocks in just over twenty minutes, and it’s over before you know it, but unlike many hardcore albums there’s something about Surface Report that had me queuing it back up for another spin. For me Surface Report have the feel of early Suicidal Tendencies mixed with classic Propaghandi, but that’s not to say this is a recreation of either of those outfits, it jut has the same feel of intensity and controlled aggression that not many manage to pull off, and on the basis of Stand By… you can’t help but feel that Surface Report have a bright future ahead of them.

Stand By… can be streamed and downloaded via Bandcamp here and their Facebook page is here