ALBUM REVIEW: Yards - "Excitation Thresholds"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: August 25, 2017

Label: Truthseeker Music

The recording starts with "Future Tyrants," a cut that batters you from the beginning. It is followed by "Capes Of Flesh," an absolutely sweltering song with guitars set to flash fry. Similar to its initial releases, "Excitation Thresholds" is brief, and yet Yards takes major leaps from its initial works. One has to believe the live show has to be a visceral experience.

"Excitation Thresholds" DD//LP Track listing:

1. Future Tyrants

2. Capes Of Flesh

3. Knowable & Whole

4. War Tourist

5. Everything You Love Reduced To Rubble

6. The Attic

7. BL-755

8. Moon Choker

9. Bail Recommendation

10. The Shadow Stealer

The Review:

Watching the term 'nuclear' become a thing in the collective consciousness, decades after the duck-and-cover television interludes so long parodied, may not be the best thing ever. Yet in musical form, nuclear as an adjective can nonetheless be embraced by loyalists of heavy music. For if there is any genre of this branch of rock music, hardcore can aptly be described as nuclear in its power and presence.

After fading from prominence for a short period, hardcore has reemerged as a force to be reckoned with. A mix of talented acts have arisen to the heights. As well, a sizable group of young performers are on the collective radar.

London four-piece Yards return with its first full-length recording following a quick succession of EPs. The band is an amalgamation of other acts, including a few of note, such as Ghost of a Thousand and Nitkowski. Fortunately, it appears Yards has become its member’s primary focus.

Like any good hardcore release, "Excitation Thresholds" has a story. It comes just about a year after the team's first forays together. Those EPs themselves, "EP1" and "EP2," as short (four songs each), driving affairs, give you a glimpse of Yards' dissonant energy. The EPs are loud, awash with rhythm and exquisite overtuning and raw. You will not find a particularly different sound on its new full-length. In many ways, that is just fine.

Similar to its initial releases, "Excitation Thresholds" is brief, showing up at just around 30 minutes start to finish. The uncompromising hardcore punk is front and center, though you may catch some dirge popping in from time to time. The recording starts with "Future Tyrants," a cut that batters you from the beginning. It is followed by "Capes Of Flesh," an absolutely sweltering song with guitars set to flash fry. The vocals are furious, with "Everything You Love Reduced To Rubble" being one of the best examples of that; the feverish lyrics and snarl of the delivery make this part of the performance stand out. Overall, Yardstakes major leaps from its initial works. One has to believe the live show has to be a visceral experience.

"Excitation Thresholds" is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook