Review
Mouthbreather / Enviornmental Youth Crunch
Split

Rorschach (2009) Loren

Mouthbreather / Enviornmental Youth Crunch – Split cover artwork
Mouthbreather / Enviornmental Youth Crunch – Split — Rorschach, 2009

There's a lot to say about this split. First, it features one great name (Mouthbreather) and one lesser one (Environmental Youth Crunch). What strikes me second is the contrast in band styles, though I'll elaborate on this later. And, third, that it's such a solid release with five songs - it's an EP, not a single.

First on the record is Mouthbreather. They play melodic hardcore that walks the line between street punk and thrash. John Martin has a big lung, posturing feel to his screams and the songs flow well, building energy and then dropping the tempo back down every so often for the pit stompers to catch their breath. The thrash influence lies underneath the more structural elements to their songs. Good stuff, meant to be played loud.

As for Environmental Youth Crunch, they play poppier music that is a strange pairing with the heavier Mouthbreather. EYC play something similar to your run of the mill Plan-It-X bands. It's pop punk with jagged guitars, sloppy vocals, and incredible brevity. They pack three songs on their side with plenty of room to spare. I'm intrigued, but I'd like to see them work the melodies into something a little longer, since the 0:28 "Leap Year" stands out as their best song. The 1:50 "Slow Jamb" is, indeed, their longest song and it actually feels long in comparison with the other songs.

As a nice change, the lyrics are printed on the inside of the cardboard sleeve instead of as an insert.

7.1 / 10Loren • February 1, 2010

Mouthbreather / Enviornmental Youth Crunch – Split cover artwork
Mouthbreather / Enviornmental Youth Crunch – Split — Rorschach, 2009

Recently-posted album reviews

Dead Bars

All Dead Bars Go To Heaven
Iodine (2025)

Dead Bars has a unique talent of taking the everyday, the experiences you see and live all the time, and shining a new light on them to make them personal and interesting. I've written about it before, yet it's my job to say this again and to make it interesting. It's what Dead Bars does, so it only seems fitting … Read more

Painkiller

The Great God Pan
Tzadik (2025)

Painkiller, the trio of John Zorn, Bill Laswell, and Mick Harris shows no signs of slowing down. The Great God Pan is their third full-length, since their reunion in 2024, and in many ways it is an unexpected offering. In keeping with their interests in the metaphysical realm, Painkiller find inspiration from the famed Arthur Machen horror novella. Here, the … Read more

Painkiller

The Equinox
Tzadik (2025)

Painkiller sees three absolute masters of extreme music join forces. John Zorn of Naked City and a billion other projects, Mick Harris who transcended from Napalm Death drummer to illbient guru with Scorn, and producer extraordinaire Bill Laswell. Their first two records, Guts of a Virgin and Buried Secrets are strange meditations traversing between free-jazz, grindcore and dub. Still hungry … Read more