Flatspot Records – 08 Jul 2022
Drag your knuckles to this ferocious EP (FFO: Trapped Under Ice, Restraining Order)
Baltimore hardcore finally seems to be having its day in the sun. While the city has always had its share of local bands, it finally seems like many are breaking through on a national level. From the melodic stylings of Be Well to the feminist fury of War on Women to the crossover appeal Turnstile, Charm City is putting itself on the map as more than the midway point between Philly and DC.
End It should be added to that list immediately. After releasing two prior EPs in 2017 and 2020, this five piece came out of the gates with one of the most memorable EPs in recent history. Laden with clever samples of local import and filled to the brim with chunky riffs that can convince even the most cynical scenesters to mosh, there is an urgency to these six tracks.
Even more impressive than the band’s musicianship are their lyrics. The EP’s title and cover reference popular slogans for the city, whether it’s “the land of pleasant living” on cans of National Bohemian beer or “the greatest city in America” on the city’s many benches. With each ardent bark, lead singer and lyricist Akil calls out the dissonance between slogan and the fact that Baltimore City has been failed by policy and politicians for the last fifty years.
The record’s standout track is “New Wage Slavery”, a thrashy track that seethes against the vast disparities of wealth within the Charm City. By asserting that his “lungs are barely breathing”, Akil references the harm that asbestos caused to Baltimore’s working class—but by suggesting “his heart’s still alive”, he speaks to the resilience of the same folks in Rosemont, Gwynn Park and Highlandtown. The song also features an excellent guest appearance by Justice Tripp of Trapped Under Ice and Angel Dust on the bridge.
In the intro to “L’Appel du Vide”, Akil shows off his stellar pipes that he developed singing in gospel choirs. This is a stark juxtaposition to his lyrics, as he details his crisis of faith with “two decades wasted on a harmless lie”. This track is as compelling as it is brief—barely cresting seventy seconds.
Album closer “The Comeback” shows off some of the record’s most impressive riffage, with its angular grooves giving way to verses with palm-muted power chords at a breakneck pace. The track brings the mosh with its outro, with Akil proclaiming that “Baltimore’s coming back with a bang, still knuckledraggin like it ain’t no thang.”
I, for one, can’t wait to see what the city brings next.
Note: For those who enjoy physical media, Flatspot Records pressed all three of End It’s EPs onto a single twelve inch. Keep an eye out, as the label recently announced the third pressing of album, as it promptly sells out rather quick.
Once hailing from the salty tundra of Syracuse, NY, Ben now calls the DC suburbs his home. He fell in love with punk after listening to Punk-O-Rama 3, Less Than Jake and MXPX in middle school. He loves to slam dance but is too large to stage dive.
When he’s not pretending to have exquisite musical taste, he’s raising two children, designing RPG products and practicing law. (Who knows if he’ll ever get the hang of it.)
