New York Hardcore is one of the most stand-out hardcore scenes, and it has a who’s who list of hardcore bands. Combust is a fast-rising group in that scene that eats, sleeps, and breathes New York Hardcore, and their latest album, Belly of the Beast (Triple B Records), is another big step forward. Between the guest appearances and the memorable riffs, each track has its own story to tell and energy to expel.

The opener is also the album title track, “Belly of the Beast”, and blows the doors wide open on this record. The opening riff hits like bricks and it doesn’t get any lighter. The tempo picks up through verse and chorus trade-offs until it hits a slimy bass break that leads into a refrain of the opening riff.

“Swallowing Swords” is a great track with a fantastic guest spot. The verse riffs having a stop-and-go feel is pretty tough with Andrew Vacante spitting some hatred. The breakdown hits and Jay Petagine of Mindforce takes the mic to back up Vacante and closes the track with a bang. Getting the crossover of these two bands in the scene is something that should happen again based on this banger.

“Our Own Breed” kicks off like an anthem and maintains that tempo up until the best breakdown on the album. Complete with a very Ministry-esque guitar riff but with the lower-mid tempo, it is just a literal chef’s kiss. The icing on the cake would be Rory O’Neill from Imposter jumping in during the breakdown for a few lines.

Belly of the Beast from top to bottom has something to offer for every kind of hardcore fan. There’s no lull in the intensity of the energy across each track and is even more effective by being just the right portion size. That is a recipe for an early End of Year candidate consideration for sure.

Buy the album here:
https://bbbrecords.bandcamp.com/album/belly-of-the-beast

8 / 10
TIM LEDIN