Formed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina from jam sessions between Phil Anselmo and EYEHATEGOD’s Mike Williams, ARSON ANTHEM’s debut EP unleashes eight blistering tracks of muddy, DISCHARGE meets NEGATIVE APPROACH hardcore punk. Fans lamenting the demise of SUPER JOINT RITUAL will find much to like in ARSON ANTHEM as the band delivers quick, no-nonsense punk with urgent, spastic delivery. Although far more stripped down than SJR (and less-metal influenced), the band could almost be looked at as a reimagined version of SJR with some role reversal. Anselmo concentrates solely on guitar this time around, passing on the vocal duties to Mike Williams. Hank Williams III switches from bass to drums as he and newcomer Colin Yeo display a stripped down, bare bones approach to the proceedings. But if there’s any star to this show, it’s Mike Williams whose abrasive, anguished vocals fuel the rage of the band with fury and disgust. At barely longer than ten minutes, ARSON ANTHEM’s debut is short and to the point, wearing their influences proudly on their sleeves with no apologies. If there’s any complaint to be had, it’s that the songs tend to blend in to one another with little distinction, and since the EP flies by at such a rapid pace, the lack of hooks makes it difficult for the listener to grasp on to anything substantial. Nonetheless, the band’s conviction and delivery make up for these shortcomings. And since this Louisiana crew doesn’t over stay their welcome, eleven minutes is plenty of time to get their pissed-off point across. (Housecore Records)