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OPEN KASKET
Trapped In The Pit EP

Self-released (2022)
Rating: 5/10

Bridging death metal and hardcore aesthetics, Trapped In The Pit is the debut EP from Little Rock, Arkansas-based combo Open Kasket.

First off, I don’t really like the vocals from frontman Fox Stillman – it’s all very much what one would expect from a contemporary “hardcore” act, y’know, shouty stuff that does however drift into more of a death metal growl.

Riff-wise there’s a chugging menace from the off with ‘Snake Eater’, and if you slapped a Swedish death metal vocalist on it then you might appreciate the guitar tone more, so hats off then to axe man Jacob Stillman for his slithering chainsaw grooves.

‘Planetary Devastation (Pluto’s Not Dead’) comes with extra aggression and pace where Ryan Thibault’s drums are effective in their pounding, as is the bass of James Rasch. However, at times the vocals are too choppy, too angst-ridden and, for me, unconvincing and generic. It’s a shame because the remaining tracks, ‘Pain’ and ‘Death By Grathnacht’, are musically spot on, with the former oozing like some sort of fusion of nu-metal aesthetics (initially) with sludgier realms of deepness.

Open Kasket boast numerous styles within their caveman grunts and chest-pounding masculinity, but for all its anger and grinding drudgery this release just melts into one big ball of sweat before retiring back to its bedroom like a teenager desperate for rebellion but knowing they’ve gotta get up for college in the morning. Convince me otherwise.

Neil Arnold

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