Sometimes the day presents challenges to us all and we just need to swing haymakers in a pit. For days worse than that, there’s Missing Link. One of the most “unga bunga” ignorant Hardcore bands I’ve ever seen play (American Hardcore Festival 2023). Getting the chance to review their full-length debut, Watch Me Bleed (Triple B Records), is an absolute privilege. Eleven tracks (twelve if you count the hidden track) of unadulterated violence and aggression are going to stampede into your ears and not apologize for the disturbance.
“Scraps For The Dog” is a two-sided track that represents the obvious Hardcore side of Missing Link but also some riffs that certainly originate from Slam. The speed changes between the different sections of the song will have you running around in a circle pit one second and then throwing spin kicks the next.
“Another Cross” might be the best track off Watch Me Bleed and not just because the album title seeped its way into the lyrics. The syncopation of the opening riff has such a Nu-Metal feel to it that my inner child lit up thinking it was an early Deftones cover. Instead, there is a catchy guitar lead that plays during the chorus which I can’t stop whistling.
“I Want To Kill You (Pt. 2)” is the most Death Metal track on the record with an opening riff that could have been on an Internal Bleeding record. The breakdown at the end is so short but probably for good reason as anything longer than a few seconds and there’d be a murder in the pit.
Having only been around since the pandemic era, Missing Link are proving they are the bridge between Hardcore and Slam with their debut full-length. There is not much variation from track to track outside of guest spots, but musically they certainly follow a concept that works. If you like Hardcore that can be blistering fast and then hit the brakes on a devastating breakdown with some tremolo-picked guitar riffs.
Do not sleep on this band.
It is a fair point to say the Northeast of the U.S. has some of the best Hardcore around and Missing Link has added themselves into that argument.
Buy the album here:
https://bbbrecords.bandcamp.com/album/watch-me-bleed
8 / 10
TIM LEDIN