3 out of 5

Label: Computer Students

Produced by: Steve Albini

This is a pretty cool get for label Computer Students: syncing with the label’s history of representing math-rock / post-hardcore classics, and new releases from bands of those genre’s prime era, New Brutalism’s Steve Albini-recorded 2021 outing finally found a home. The choice to do this as a 12″ EP, repeating the same three tracks on each side, is a little odd, but I’m sure there’s some pressing or historical reason to do that – more important is that the packaging is up to the label’s usual high standards, and that the record sounds good.

That said, the heavy hitting of the sound is probably the most impressive bit. New Brutalism was definitely a noteworthy addition to the Kentucky hardcore scene, bringing a bit of minimalism to the sound at a time when others were going heavier and louder, but this latter-day version of the band – Requiescat was made after a 10+ year pause – suffers from sounds-like syndrome, the pause not amounting to any real evolution in their approach. That doesn’t mean the material is dated by any means, and vocalist Shane Elliott’s old-school punk shout has just as much vitality in 2021 as it did in the early 00s, more just that they’re uniqueness at their start was in comparison to others, and not necessarily inherent, and so with some distance from the scene and many bands having iterated on that style since… you’ve heard much of this before. (That sounds like way more of a snipe than I mean it to be. Reminder: number of records I’ve made remains at zero.)

Still, bands have been refiguring the same few elements to make awesome records since forever, and there’s definitely evidence here that New Brutalism could followup on this EP with something more thoroughly grabbing. Opener 088 is such evidence, applying the group’s drone-like structures to a build-and-release that absolutely wrings the most out of Albini’s recording, Bob Weston’s mastering, and the group’s juxtaposition of harsh vocals and the low-down thump of the instruments. Followers 087 and 089 come across more as demos in comparison, nailing some good riffs, but not adding much beyond that.

Requiescat Record ideally has a sister album following it shortly, or had the band been able to toss some more tracks on here to give the lesser songs some padding could’ve allowed its opening highlight to shine even brighter. It’s super cool to have this released either way, and a good reminder to circle back on their old material.