Review / 200 Words Or Less
Strong Intention
Razorblade Express

Patac (2012) Jon E.

Strong Intention – Razorblade Express cover artwork
Strong Intention – Razorblade Express — Patac, 2012

Strong Intention may be one of Maryland's best kept secrets. The band have played a mix of Grind and NYHC since the '90s and seem to be unwilling to quit anytime soon. After a long recording hiatus the band has returned. What may make this the record that gets them more fans is a certain guest star of sorts for the record. Yup, Mike Williams of Eyehategod, has joined to help out on this record. While he certainly isn't their new or even lead vocalist he certainly makes his presence felt. He does guest on 2 of the 6 tracks here and wastes nary a second of his recorded time.

The Ep starts with the title track. The song opens with a grungy sounding riff giving an opening for the indomitable howl of Mr. Williams. All of this leads into grinding fits that are given room to breath with leads back into groovy breaks. All of this makes a perfect place for Williams' vocals to sit on top of. It's an odd mix but something that feels right in context. The Ep continues with the normal lineup of the band taking things to a heavy fastcore style. The song has vicious but slightly less memorable riffs but the song is salvaged with a smart break and powerful gang chants. The songs continue to share the styles in the first two tracks. With the next two being fast but using slower parts to tie the songs together. Meanwhile the last two blast away at about 30 seconds each.

There is something to be said for experience, which is something this band have in spades for certain. The band knows their style in and out and play to their strengths. The recording is dirty but clean enough to hear whats important within each song. So the return of Strong Intentions' style of grinding hardcore is available for more people and should be.

7.6 / 10Jon E. • November 5, 2012

Strong Intention – Razorblade Express cover artwork
Strong Intention – Razorblade Express — Patac, 2012

Related news

Give Praise July Sampler

Posted in MP3s on July 7, 2015

Strong Intention plays East Coast

Posted in Tours on August 8, 2012

New Strong Intention

Posted in Records on May 31, 2012

Recently-posted album reviews

Personality Cult

Dilated
Dirtnap (2025)

I had a hard time starting this review. I can’t help coming back to the fact that it sounds like Marked Men. It does, maybe intentionally so, as Dilated is the second of Personality Cult’s albums that is produced by Jeff Burke of Marked Men and Radioactivity. But I don’t necessarily like to say a band sounds like another band … Read more

Various Artists

Her Head's On Fire/Arms Like Roses - Split
Double Helix (2025)

Her Head’s On Fire (NY, NY) and Arms Like Roses (New Haven, CT) team up on this split 7” with two new tracks (one each band) of post-hardcore tunes that are both massive and melodic in their own distinct ways. "Universal" is the track from Her Head’s On Fire. Recorded by the band’s guitarist Jeff Dean, "Universal" came from the … Read more

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