EP Review: G.L.O.S.S. Unleash New EP ‘TRANS DAY OF REVENGE’

American punks G.L.O.S.S. are no strangers when it comes to fighting the power. Their blend of politically charged lyrics and hardcore aggression have won them fans all over the world. G.L.O.S.S.’s debut EP ‘TRANS DAY OF REVENGE’ builds upon the template provided by their demo, making for an overall heavier and polished experience than their earlier recordings.

Give Violence A Chance explodes out of the gate with a flurry of d-beats and grinding riffs, enveloping your eardrums in a cacophony of white noise. While their demo from last year was pretty much your stock-standard DIY hardcore release, ‘TRANS DAY OF REVENGE’ is a whole different kettle of fish entirely on the instrumentation front.

The production quality on ‘TRANS DAY OF REVENGE’ enjoys a significant upgrade from the band’s previous recordings. The guitars are much crisper and G.L.O.S.S.’ blasts of hardcore fury sound more potent than ever. This is seen on Out From The Desk and Fight, where the band have improved upon their instrumentation greatly and sound much cleaner than before.

“It’s a refreshing, quick blast of sheer hardcore fury that’s enough to delight your senses and quench your thirst for politically charged punk.”

We Live features some absolutely shredding guitars and thundering drums which feels like a bolt of lightning straight to your system. G.L.O.S.S. keep it tight and in control on this track, emphasising their strength on lyrics and controlled aggression.

With lyrics such as “Childhood shame/internal blame/incest bore a complex pain”, G.L.O.S.S.’ focus on LGBTQIA+ issues and rights makes them distinct from the hordes of tough-guy Terror wannabes that seem to populate hardcore nowadays.

The title track is probably the best cut from the EP. The mixture of chugging riffs and ominous drum fills make for a rather exhilarating final track. When lead singer Sadie Switchblade screams “HRC/selfish fucks/yuppie gays threw us under the bus” it sounds as if she’s coming from a genuine position, as opposed to simply putting on an act in order to boost record sales.

Clocking in at just under seven minutes, ‘TRANS DAY OF REVENGE’ certainly doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s a refreshing, quick blast of sheer hardcore fury that’s enough to delight your senses and quench your thirst for politically charged punk. This is well worth your time!