Trap Them

Seizures In Barren Praise

[3.5/5]

Concept albums are a rarity in hardcore music, perhaps because all of the anger, frustration and feelings of futility channeled by the participants are necessarily scattershot and thus inherently less conducive to conceptual cohesion. Clearly, bi-coastal blasting caps Trap Them aren’t burdened with such organizational discomfit: Seizures In Barren Praise isn’t just a stand-alone concept record; its concept ties in with the band’s back catalog. While previous Trap Them releases featured lyrics detailing the stories of those who moved away, Seizures speaks for those who stayed behind. Vocalist Ryan McKenney’s tales are set to the band’s furious d-beat barrage, a roaring confluence of Tragedy, Fucked Up (dude sounds a lot like FU mouthpiece Pink Eyes), and early Entombed that serves each song like a stun grenade. Or a factory closing. Or a contagion. Take your pick. (DEATHWISH INC.; deathwishinc.com) J. Bennett