The Netherlands’ RAZOR CRUSADE make a fine entrance with their debut release, Are You Wired? The band kick out a more “modern” hardcore style in the vein of SNAPCASE, QUICKSAND, and dash of CAVE IN. RAZOR CRUSADE inflict a lot of damage in five songs’ worth of time that they’re around for. Driving riffs, a hard-hitting rock steady beat, and just the right amount of groove meld into a fireball of energy. Each song is a bit frantically bipolar in the way that they continuously go from quiet to raging and back again. When the louder parts kick in, live audiences will surely be dancing. Frontman Sebastian Altena’s socially conscious lyrics of self-empowerment are truly one of the strong points here. The production is killer. The crystal clear and up-front sound perfectly capture the power of the material. This EP should be the start of a beautiful career. (Reflection Records)
