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In need of a strong palate cleanser after checking out the new “punk” video from The 1975? Avert your eyes from that particular car crash and turn them in the direction of Cardiff’s very own Eva Bartok. When it comes to slotting the trio into a particular genre you have a smorgasboard to choose from; hardcore punk, noise rock, post-punk, post-hardcore. Take your pick. Whichever one you decide to land on, you are guaranteed one thing; a short sharp shock to the system.
Eva Bartok are loud and aggressive. They also don’t waste any time in getting to the point. No faffing about, it’s a case of get in, slap the listener around a bit, then get out. The combined running time of this, their self-titled debut EP, is just under ten minutes. Ten minutes. I could have listened to the EP twice over in the time that I stood waiting on my takeaway last night. But for all the noise and the aggression, they also have something relevant to say. Subject matters such as mental health issues and equal rights are tackled head-on with a sense of urgency, as well as a sense of anger. Anger; the keyword that makes all the posts about The 1975 going “punk” fall on their collective arses. You can turn your guitars up if you want, make an “edgy” video with copious amounts of the F-bomb, but when you forget about adding some genuine anger to your music, then please don’t use the word “punk”.
The intro to opening track ‘Lies and Trickery’ throws the listener off for a split second or two. With its doom-filled thrash-y riffs, you could be forgiven for expecting the song to go down more of a modern metal route, but then vocalist/guitarist Chris Hampson starts to spit out his vocals and the punk influence starts to shine through. There are enough twists and turns throughout the 2:53 minutes to make your head spin, but the wall of noise towards the end of the song particularly stands out.
‘Chess Club’ is an intoxicating mix of screams, slamming riffs and pounding rhythms. It comes as quite a surprise when the trio take a left turn down the path marked “sick grooves”, especially the last few seconds of the track. ‘Mexico’ could be the soundtrack to a Robert Rodriguez/Tarantino grindhouse movie. Another track full of multiple twists and turns, and another spikey few minutes. Finishing on the full-pelt ‘Houses’, this is an exhilarating debut that certainly leaves its mark.
Review – Dave
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