Kentucky’s own Knocked Loose are perhaps the most hyped new band in hardcore, it’s easy to see why after the quality of their first EP and subsequent split release with Damaged Goods. Finally, the debut album ‘Laugh Tracks’ is here and its sole purpose is to take your head off.
Opening the record with a track about vengeance and social discontent, ‘Oblivions Peak’ is as aggressive an opener this genre can offer. Total animosity is established as the overriding theme within the first sixty seconds, from this moment on there is hardly a moment to catch your breath. The more metallic end of hardcore can at times, despite the swells of power delivered, often feel a little pedestrian. Thankfully Knocked Loose suffer no such problems.
Bryan Garris’s incredibly raw vocal performance is key in achieving such a high level of distress across the record, there’s no more obvious an example than ‘Deadringer’. “Wish I could be like them. Wish I could get away with murder. Wish I could get, away with it all,” paired with Garris’s howls are the same words only softly spoken, they make for a really interesting juxtaposition.
Alive for barely a minute, ‘Counting Worms’ is a vulgar demonstration of how heavy hardcore can be. The band’s punishing guitars are ever present but on this short burst of absolute hate, they exist with all the grace of a monster hangover. A couple of rabid dog style barks are bellowed before the beatdown absolutely crushes.
Enlisting the services of brother and former Street Rat vocalist, Dallas Garris, turns ‘The Rain’ into a bloodcurdling recital of pure fury. Roars of “I can’t pretend that we’re born with a destination!” and “Abandoned!” give the impression ‘The Rain’ is a far more personal tale than any other on the album. When it’s time for Dallas to take over the mic he unleashes a tirade in a similar style to Desolated’s Paul Williams, gritty and unforgiving they fit perfectly.
Ending with the sludgiest riff the band have ever written and an actual laughter track show Knocked Loose to be band of many sides.
LEW TROTT