Manipulation- 2nd 7inch

the building as Manipulation starts to thrash.

The cream of dark thrashy hardcore out of Chicago; if you don't know Manipulation by now from their demo or debut on Fashionable Idiots, this 2nd piece of vinyl from them is worth giving a spin.   Featuring members of Pedestrians, Cardiac Arrest, and Chronic Seizure, this band is almost what you'd expect from a group of Midwest ragers who played in the above-mentioned bands.   Only difference are the dark semi-crustish(?) influences that peer through on this baby.  Given the basic formulas that have been rehashed with some success in the Heartland of U.S. hardcore, that is definitely as refreshing as pepper spray in the eyes- but in a good way.

The building after they finished playing.

Give it three "N's": Noisy, no-nonsense, not-cliche.  The soundtrack for the Decline of the American Empire. Get it on Sorry State Records