Cropsey-Malfeasance Album Review-FFO: Pure, Raging Fight Music!!

April 20, 2023

Cropsey-Malfeasance Album Review-FFO: Pure, Raging Fight Music!!

As we said in 2021, we were super surprised by the quality redux version of their debut EP and it had solid shards of uncompromising tough hardcore. Well, this is even better and more aggressive. If NYHC and hardcore free from bullshit is your banner, you'll worship this release.

This is a solid seven-track banger of an album, all fat arse riffs, brilliant vocal hooks and very well-developed.No doubt, one of the biggest new hardcore bands around; free of the hipster hype. Beloved is a short opener that drips in down-tuned death metal vibes, a nasty opener that is like Obituary meets Earth Crisis. Hell yes, gritty and brutal. Taint catches you in a pit of slowed-down madness, that insanely drifts into speedy hardcore with that crunchy breakdown riffs-I love how these bastards overwhelm you with the song structure and catchy vibes, whilst being as aggro as hell. Very compact songs, yet diverse in the mix over one three min banger-impressive!. Now one of my faves, the super progressive Disappear Pressure with Cody spitting verses; in the vein of Biohazard and Fury of Five(or the killer Illmatic Album) and it's a wild mix of dark and brooding hardcore with mad vocals and a groove that slays.

The Difference Between Accept and Except continues the intelligence and guile of this band. The gift this band has is they can slow it down and really highlight their chops, be it massive riffs, bad-arse basslines or chunky drum lines. And when they slow it down, it has that heavy tone that makes a death metal song so overpowering and devastating. Definitely a rare skill for a hc band. Conduct is a more straight-up hardcore anthem, that is abrasive and is very Sworn Enemy and also like the previous EP reminds me of killer 90's straightedge metallic hardcore bands that focus on targeting you with slaying riffs and gnarly vocals. This one will definitely be a huge live favorite.

Speaking of Sworn Enemy, the legendary Sal pops up as a guest on the huge title track, wow strap yourself in-this is a ruinous gem of the album. Sal balances out the vocal warfare and is as crushing as he has always has been; such a unique and brutal song. This one will surprise, ok maybe not if you are a Sworn Enemy fan like me!.

It's very sad as all these brilliant tracks fly by and you want more, but we are now with the closing gem that is No Time to Explain.But rest assured, the last track is a huge track and has left some of the best skills of Cropsey to produce this hefty track. This is also a highlight of the album, the cool tempo changes, and searing vocal work and is as driving as hell. This also reminded me of peak All Out War and that's a big call, but hey this band is of a super high standard. The gaps in between work well and when the vocals come back in along with the guitar aggression; you will be knocked the fuck to the floor. This was an epic and killer track on a beast of an album. The mix of sounds and styles works well on every level, the production is bombastic and in your face and this band should be playing the huge metal fests in Europe-they would be celebrated and adored with their heavy gold standard hardcore; which has a clever metal element throughout.