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Cobra Noir's second full length, Barricades, follows the band's previous record, Abode of the Dead, with a similar onslaught of crust-influenced, stripped-down hardcore/punk. And, once again, there's nothing pretty about it. It might even be uglier.
Barricades didn't get the benefits of expensive, fancy recording technology, and the record isn't exactly an exercise in instrumental know-how. But Cobra Noir knows how to write sturdy, weathered hardcore that takes influence from Tragedy, Cursed and His Hero Is Gone. Meshing thick, covered-in-grainy-distortion guitar strumming with simple, driving rhythms and nasty, gravelly shouts, the group keeps things simple and elemental, not to mention ominous and dark. While the record is often fast-paced, the dark cloud it projects relents a bit when Cobra Noir opts for mid-paced, head-nod-able drumming and sludgy, rocked-out riffs. There're even some subtle melodies in the scattered guitar leads, but even they forgo flashiness in favor of dramatic texture.
The dark simplicity will likely push some listeners away from Barricades, and the fuzzy, warm recording quality won't do much to pull them back. Although the record's got a decidedly lo-fi style, it actually highlights the record's already raw aesthetic and sounds more forceful with more volume.
With all of that in mind, Cobra Noir, on Barricades, reminds me of an aged, rust-covered car that still produces a spark and fires up like it's new. There's a mighty engine beneath the rugged exterior and, even though some would call it ugly, others would say it's got personality.
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