Pressure Cracks – Pressure Cracks (EP Review)

Posted on May 26, 2018 by Paul 'Browny' Brown

Pressure Cracks – Pressure Cracks EP
Released: May 25th, 2018

Pressure Cracks are:

Jason Aalon Butler // Vocals
Dan Bieranowski // Guitar
Kevin Fifield // Guitar
Ryan Doria // Bass
Bill Galvin // Drums

Online

I’ve barely got enough time to wipe my arse nowadays, so how Jason Aalon Butler manages to front not one, but two bands is completely astounding, but luckily he’s got the help of some heavy sounding individuals in Pressure Cracks to keep him afloat when he’s doing sticking it to the man with his main bread and butter, The Fever 333.

His new band just released their debut, four track EP and if you weren’t really into Made An America (our review here), then there’s a good chance you’ll fucking froth over this heavy work. Kicking off with the riff-heavy and dirty sounding ‘Collages & Collagen‘, we’re instantly greeted by Jason’s signature screams made famous in the now defunct letlive. But, there’s something different, it’s heavier, faster and more brutal than that effort. There’s breakdowns, guttural screams, group vox and throwdown inducing madness all the way through which will certainly send hardcore punk fans into a frenzy. Think Deez Nuts with a heavier backing sound and you wouldn’t be too far off what this one sounds like.

Debut single ‘Be A Wolf‘ is next and to be completely honest with you, I didn’t even notice the song change, that’s how tight the transition was. Bill Galvin shines at the start as we slowly make our way to the ferocious opening lyrics. Guitarists Dan Bieranowski and Kevin Fifield (both formerly from Scars of Tomorrow) have this ability to bounce off each other musically and not miss a beat. Their back and forth playing style is as impressive as it is rough on the ears and they’ve finally found a band to prove their worth. ‘Stay Inside, Stay Alive‘ gives us our first taste of clean vocals but they’re completely surrounded by the everchanging yells and screams of Butler. The tempo of the track doesn’t let up and only offers momentary sections to catch your breath if you were running around a room filled with fellow heavy music lovers. There’s a sense and feel of the late 90’s early 2000’s hardcore scene before computers took over. The rawness of this EP adds to the character and feel of the band.

‘No Yourself‘ ups the ante and turns the volume up to 11 as not only the closing track but the longest song on the release so far. Remember back when Every Time I Die‘s Hot Damn! came out and it was one of the heaviest bands you came across in your youth? This song, without a doubt, reflects back on bands and music from that time in what serves as a homage and reinvention all in one. He may have only needed a day in the studio to record (as he told us during his podcast co-host on Wall of Sound: Up Against The Wall this week) but Jason Aalon Butler has definitely left his mark with the band and proved his heaviest vocals are only sitting dormant, waiting to be unleashed when he’s not changing the world in The Fever.

For a first release, Pressure Cracks have done an incredible job of reflecting on hardcore bands of the past and giving the genre a swift reinventing kick to the sack. While still sounding raw (and kinda rushed) at times, with a bit more time in studio, they could make this sound bigger than what it really is. I only hope we won’t have to wait long to hear more from this band, I’m fired up and ready to get my mosh on.