Metal Underground.com

On "See You In Hell," Hunter City Madness seems to be trying to beat the listener's eardrums into submission. Between Justin Gow's hardcore screaming and guitarists Nat Plamondon and Anthony Jordan Gow's heavy-as-hell riffing, there's little room to escape, with mere moments of clean vocals to cleanse the palate and a few mildly quieter instrumental interludes.

The disc gets off to a good start with the slightly creepy "See You In Hell," which has an almost western-movie feel to it, with some excellent clean vocal harmonies from Justin and Jordan Gow. That transcends into the hardcore "Pleatherface," which has Justin Gow sounding like he's just gargled glass over a stuttering guitar riff.

"Snake 'Em" is another highlight, with an excellent, though brief, guitar solo and some excellent clean vocals. The disc also ends on a good note, with the excellent blend of vocal styles on "The Old Habits Of Young Lovers."

The production is generally good, with Michael Jelkovic's drums having a particularly appealing tone. One wishes for perhaps a bit more of Sean Strasbourg's bass in the mix on occasion ("Booze Hounds" especially feels a tad light on the bottom end).

One might also wish for a little more sonic variety. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of different riffs and speed changes, but they're almost all built around the idea of a guy screaming at the top of his lungs. Eventually (for me it was around the midpoint of "Spreading Panic (Like Legs)" that approach wears thin, especially given the excellence of the clean vocals.

Fans of hardcore metal sounds are going to delight in the speed and savagery of Hunter City Madness' "See You In Hell." Others, with less of a tolerance for screaming, may find themselves searching for the aspirin after a mere 24 minutes.