Words by Jimmy Glinster
I’d been waiting a little while for this one to land in my emails after contacting the band directly to get my hands on a pre-release for review. Turns out I’m not high on the DIY guys priority list, so I actually had to purchase myself a copy. Hopefully it doesn’t disappoint this long-time fan!
The opening and title track Sandmine starts of on a journey with that reggae vibe that has crept into the second half of (hed) P.E.’s career. It then takes us down memory lane with some flavours of the band’s earlier Blackout album. With no information available to me regarding the current line-up of the band it’s hard to place exactly the formation of the sound, but samples seem to ring through, having me hoping the band again has a DJ in the ranks. Good catchy tune, and probably one of the best I’ve heard from the band for a while.
False Prophet brings things on a bit heavier with a heavy punk rock feeling reminiscent of the band’s self-titled debut album. The heavy grooves continue through the track and display a heavier side of the band, not too commonly displayed in their mixed genre approach.
Following track R.T.R lets loose with some of those classic MCUD rap verses that you heard throughout the Broke album. The verses then take us back down that hardcore punk trail of the self-titled release. A reggae style interlude often heard on the band’s later releases breaks up the track for a moment before returning to the hardcore punk style chorus, and we again here some samples and scratches throughout the outro of the song. Following a recent guest appearance by DJ Product 69, are we being blessed with his hobo looking presence again?
Next up is Death Trip, a rock/punk track which is a surprising and quite unfamiliar sound for the band. It still sounds like (hed) P.E. though with its groovy bass line through the verses. It’s just a fun, lighter and not so serious version of them. Although, the lyrics do talk about saying hello to Jared’s daughter if he doesn’t make it home because he’s on a death wish. I’m also hearing multiple guitars throughout this track, but can’t find any information about even a single guitarist in the band’s current line-up?
Wtf is up (hed)? I need some more info!
Let Me Know starts with a reggae style intro, which honestly is not my favourite element of the band’s recent style, but they do seem to do it quite well, so I’ll let ‘em have it for a minute. And a minute is all it takes before the band kicks into some heavy punk, which again takes us back to the hardcore punk musings of the band’s self-titled release. This builds into a heavy metal style chug section that is a sound again not often heard within the band’s repertoire. The track then takes us back to the heavy punk before ending on the reggae feel where it all began.
Well, what can I say?
This EP is an eclectic mix of the band’s past musical endeavours and a display of their forever changing soundscape. What’s next though? Will we see a return to the pure Hardcore Punk x Nu-Metal musings of their earlier releases, or a continued blend of their many integrated musical genres?
Who knows, but I’ll probably send myself Broke buying everything they ever release just so I can see what they come up with next!
