Epic Problem’s follow up to last years All Broken 10” is quite the barnstormer. Where the six tracks on that release packed a wallop, the four here take things up a level in terms of the clout the band manages to deliver, albeit it’s a pounding that doesn’t lose any of the tunefulness that the songs contain. After only half a dozen listens, the three new tracks and a beefy cover of “Weak” by The Beltones have managed to equal those from one of my favorite releases of 2013 and, in doing so, it’s clear that Epic Problem is a band on the rise. Another point to note is that the band sounds less like Off With Their Heads here than on previous releases showing that it is leaning towards a more distinct identity of its own. For now it’s probably still worth pointing out that the band features the ex-Blitz bassist Mackie, who has progressed to six string duties these days but that shouldn’t be a factor in checking this out.
–Rich Cocksedge (Longshot, Longshotmusic.com / Rebellion, rebellionrecords.nl, info@rebellionrecords.nl / Rebel Sound, rebelsoundmusic.com)
