This Is Hell – Warbirds

New York metal-edged hardcore punk act This Is Hell returns with a particularly intense a five track EP, Warbirds, featuring three new original tracks and two appreciable covers.

Over the past several years This Is Hell has made quite the reputation as a deeply political, troubled band that, as implied in their name, speaks of the modern world as a hellish experience devoid of human compassion.  Warbirds is no different, and fits naturally in the band’s thematically bound discography.

Right out of the gate, the opening track, “The Search,” shoves the band’s politics at the listener without warning.  Vocalist Travis Reilly belts “we’re searching for oil, we’re searching for gold/ we’re searching for god, or so I’m told,” instantly illuminating the religious guise so many American politicians hide behind, and explicitly making the obvious connection to America’s dollar driven foreign policy.  The track features This Is Hell’s usual energetic breakdowns, and some appreciably pompous metal solos.

The title track is business as usual, keeping up a particularly forceful sensory barrage of guitars and aggressive lyrics.

The final original track, “Worship Syndrome,” neatly demonstrates the band’s knack for connecting musical style with lyrical intent.  The track focuses on the tendency of religious groups to exclude non-members by using doctrine to antagonize outsiders.  After a few quick and short anger-fueled verses and choruses, the band pulls back the pace, enters a mid-tempo breakdown, and mourns how “this false love and worship is the real tragedy,” and questions “if this is how it has to be.”  The result is blunt, to the point, and intentionally confrontational.

The final two covers, Warzone’s “Crazy But Not Insane” and INXS’ “Never Tear Us Apart” (yes, you read that right) are competent but lack the same drive as This Is Hell’s originals.  However, it’s surprising how well their adaptation of INXS fits the album.  Musically it’s unrecognizable, but as a closing track, it lyrically provides a hint of optimism amidst Warbirds’ dark soundscape.

All in all, Warbirds provides for an intense and enjoyable eleven minutes.  While rather short, the album serves as a welcome teaser for fans who have no doubt been quite anxious since This Is Hell departed from Trustkill Records and signed for a new home with Rise Records.  So if Warbirds signifies anything, it’s that fans need not worry, because This Is Hell remains as solid as ever.