 Slipping under the album review radar on account of boasting six tracks, this release is actually a split single, and signifies the label's change of monicker from Ignition to Engineer Records. This is a label that's a flag-bearer for the underground UK hardcore scene; a scene that may be on a far smaller scale than its US counterpart, but is no less vibrant.
Vibrant they may be, but Kent five-piece Winter In June are also victims of the economies of that aforementioned scale. Their three tracks - Looking Back Doesn't Equal Living Now, When No-One Else Gave A Fuck and A Heart Has Reasons - were recorded in a house in Watford, and they sound like it. Fortunately the band's undoubted enthusiasm and tight musicianship shines through, and their mix of an aggresive sound with emo-centric lyrics is an engaging combination.
While it may be unfair to pitch these two bands against each other, the format of this disc invites comparison. As such, it would be difficult not to come out in favour of Steel Rules Die. Big riffs, memorable songs and a sound not a million miles from Hot Water Music tip the balance for me. And don't kid yourself that just because they're British that they're not worth your time. A Mile A Minute and Lives Like Movies in particular compare favourably with anything the genre has to offer, from any part of the globe. :: Rowan Shaeffer |
