Black on Black, Firebrand (review)

Black on Black, Firebrand
(Self-released)

Name a five-song EP that would benefit from a breather. Got one? Probably not. But the first two songs on Black on Black’s latest, Firebrand, burst out of the speakers like explosions, and when that battery is done, you could use a moment to gather yourself and make sure no one has declared war.

This is the Lawrence punk-rock trio’s fourth EP in two years, and at this point, the band wields its brass-knuckled sound with absolute pounding authority. After the rock of “I Dreamt I Died” and the frantic garage of “Nothing Complete,” Firebrand‘s third song, “Butcher’s Block,” comes as a welcome respite.

It’s brief, though. Frontman and guitarist Wade Kelly isn’t one to give his fierce vocals much rest — or let you feel even a little bit safe. So “Cover It Up” ratchets up the tension, with the rhythm section — bassist Aaron Riffel and drummer Jason Jones — keeping the music dark and gritty. It’s something that might have bubbled up from some underground cavern.

Closing track “Unbelievers” returns to the straight-ahead energy that opened the EP, recalling as well the first cut’s lyrical themes. On “I Dreamt I Died,” Kelly sings of returning to the caves that spawned him. “Unbelievers” talks of fires burning bright, then fading out. The words speak of a dim surrender, but Wade’s beastly delivery leaves no room for doubt — or prisoners.