En La Muerte: Silencio 7"

Eight songs of early DCHC meets LA PUNK not unlike Wasted Youth and Deadline. EN LA MUERTE take it back to bare bones hardcore punk for L.A.

Our take: The label’s description of this 7” from LA’s En La Muerte caught my eye with its Deadline and Wasted Youth (LA) references, and I’m glad I checked out Silencio, because it’s killer. Those references are spot-on, particularly for the ripping fast parts that characterize 80% or so of Silencio. It’s slightly sinister-sounding US-style hardcore that also reminds me of G.U.N.; En La Muerte’s vocalist even sounds like Nico from G.U.N. While hardcore rippers comprise most of En La Muerte’s music, things get a little weirder on their mid-paced parts, like the Big Black-ish intro to “Bleed” or the Ginn-esque guitar lead over the early NYHC-ish breakdown in “Killdozer.” I also love the freakout part at the end of the last song, “Damned,” which reminds me of the way Hüsker Dü would end their records by unspooling into chaos. While Silencio will appeal to fans of retro USHC (a key Sorry State demographic), I love that they’re not following the rulebook so closely they suck the life out of the music.