Cutdown
S/T

March 2009
Released: 2009, Full House Records
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Luxi Lahtinen

Again, another very energetic, nicely thrash-tinged hardcore band hailing from Finland, named Cutdown. The band was formed in 2001, and since then they have released one mini-CD (2002), one EP (2004) and finally their debut full-length album in 2007. Cutdown have not only toured in Finland, but also across Europe in countries like Poland, England, Sweden and so on. So it would be fair to say that they are no rookies any more, but a more or less professional group who seriously aim to get their footprint firmly marked on on the ground of this world - and especially on the world of more hardcore sounds.



Cutdown's self-titled 2nd album is most likely one of the heaviest and most powerful hardcore albums that I have heard in my entire life, full of nicely channeled sheer aggression and anger that strike its listener like a lightning bolt out of a clear sky. For the most part, the riffs are really thrash-based: crisp, heavy and catchy as fuck, that undoubtedly melt the heart of a longtime thrash fan like myself. Esa´s vocal attacks are strong, thoroughly supported by gang-like vocal parts by the rest of the band mates. All the songs are ´to-the-point´ as they should be in this very genre in question, without introducing any fancy, over the top solos or anything like that that simply don´t belong to the type of stuff they do. But one thing is certain. They really have a good thing going on in this band - just like their 2nd album proves it so clearly.



As for a couple of guests they have invited to participate on this record, Sami Halme from St. Hood - one more metal-tinged hardcore act from Finland, makes a guest appearance in a song called "Tear Down", proving to be the right man for the job. Then there´s a song called "Rise and Fall", in which a rap artist Raipat (Kaucas) makes some guest vocals for it. I honestly have to say that I could also have well lived without his guest vocals performance though. Oh well...



Nonetheless, please seriously consider Cutdown´s 2nd album worth picking up if strongly performed and heavy metal-tinged hardcore can also work something else for you other than as just a plain frisbee. Frisbees are cool, but I definitely won´t use my copy of Cutdown´s 2nd album for that purpose, that´s for certain already.