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BULLET TRAUMA
Hunting Season EP

Self-released (2023)
Rating: 8/10

The promotional band photo I saw for these Finnish guys screams “crossover thrash” – the shorts, the sleeveless shirts, hi-top boots etc. – and the sound doesn’t disappoint either. Like a lot of bands of this ilk nowadays it would seem that the main inspiration is Power Trip. You get the bruising vocal retorts and the raging thrash riffs with their hardcore slant, and yet the sound in general has that streetwise snap.

If you’ve heard a band like Helsinki’s Foreseen then you might know what expect as Bullet Trauma fire Slayer-ized riffs like machine gun rattles. Couple this with a raw pedal d-beats and even hints of contemporary thrash fused with a vintage Sepultura energy and you are on to a winning formula.

The seven tracks here pack quite a hefty punch, with my favourite being the robust opener ‘Trapped In A Hole (Subterfuge)’ which implements an interesting groove after the initial hostile outbursts. ‘Hunting Grounds’ is another top notch tune featuring an Anthrax-style of bruising chugging yet with a Sepultura vibe. And that’s the intriguing theme here; a moshing brutality fused with a New York hardcore stomping.

The mix of raw pace and slower, punchier aggression means that this debut EP remains catchy, even with its insistence on brawling. This is music for skating and eye-gouging.

Neil Arnold

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