CD REVIEW: HARD-ONS – Peel Me Like An Egg

Shane | 14 January 2015 | Reply

CD REVIEW: HARD-ONS – Peel Me Like An Egg
Citadel
24 October 2014
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
7/10

Punchbowl’s finest death punk thrash rockers know they’re unlikely to be winning new fans over with this, their eleventh full-length album, and continue to deliver the intriguing stylistic mixture of music that their fans will be familiar with.

That’s not to say there’s no progression on Peel me Like An Egg: after their recent 30th anniversary tour with original singer/drummer Keish DeSilva as frontman, original guitarist (and singer these past dozen years) Blackie and bassist Ray Anh have invited their former bandmate into the studio to add some backing vocals and the results are more melodic than we’ve seen from the band for quite a while.

Blackie still impresses with his nuclear attack guitar work, but whilst early fans will probably still miss DeSilva’s sweeter singing and the band’s pop-punk-metal approach, Peel Me Like An Egg succeeds in being their most instant and accessible album from the past decade by virtue of marrying their earlier, bouncier approach with their more recent wall-of-riffnoise assault work.

With Blackie’s sense of humour firmly in place, Shadow Self, With Structure-With Stress, Darth Vader Pretends, Those Hard To Get Spots and the harkening-back-to-their-Yummy-era title track lead the catchy charge, while Burning Up On Re-entry, Sweatin’ On The Beat, the furious blast of We Just Ripped Off Paul McCartney and menacing closer Ain’t Got No Guardian Angel prove the band as musically volatile and relevant as ever.

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