BURN

Resurrected NYHC crew refuse to rely on the template

The ‘influential yet ignored band that split up long ago and has now reconvened’ story usually ends somewhere between turd-polishing and glorious reinvention; in the centre is early 90s hardcore mob Burn. Following on from last year’s From The Ashes EP the quartet – founders Chaka Malik (vocals) and Gavin Van Vlack (guitar) with Manuel Carrero (bass) and Durijah Lang (drums) – are back with their first full-length since their debut, and this is no pastiche of their past. Produced by Kurt Ballou, Do Or Die is a battle between low-end grunt and nerve-jangling, top-end riffabuse. The likes of Last Great Sea and Unfuck Yourself are formed around the sort of spasming jolts that Glassjaw used to be known for while more direct numbers envelop this attack in more classic NYhC battery.

FOR FANS OF: Integrity, Glassjaw, Converge

TOBY COOK