We all know how much I love the Bay Area music scene, so it's really no surprise I'm loving this split 7" from Grace Alley and Skin Like Iron.
Grace Alley leads things off with "Sunday Morning, "Fifth and Harrison." The music has that definitive East Bay Punk sound of the 90's to it mixed with a bit of the Brit Punk sound
then again weren't most of those Bay Area bands borrowing from the Brits? The vocals are a bit more hardcore oriented with Sammy Winston of All Bets Off/Ramparts fame on the mic. For their second song they take on Cheap Trick's "Auf Wiedersehen." It's an odd choice, but they pull it off.
Side two has Skin Like Iron offer up two originals on their side of the split. Following up their self-titled 10", these two songs demonstrate their fusion of gritty and raw hardcore with dissonant metal. It's like equal parts Black Flag and The Melvins with a dash of Discharge. They are quickly becoming one of the best bands in hardcore, not to mention one of the most unique.
Two great bands on one piece of wax. What's not to love? Pick this up!