Baptists’ full-length debut more than lives up to the promise shown on their self-titled seven-inch which was released nearly two years ago. For this new recording they have crafted a modern hardcore record that draws just not from itself, but also on noise rock, math rock, metal, and the occasional weird polyrhythms of bands like Can. But instead of being a mess, all these influences come together to form one raging sound. You see, they cut down these influences to their very core, so it’s still a very stripped-down and to-the-point kind of recording. This is some forward-thinking and visceral hardcore that is artful and also bruising.

“Betterment” kicks off the proceeding at a hectic pace, but stops to throw in a few bits of doom. “Think Thank Breed” is powered by a scything riff and powers through with feedback and forward momentum. “Bullet” stretches it out a little bit, complete with a bass break with some drum jamming and a little extra noise. “Mortarhead” should be renamed Motorhead for its blazing mixture of punk and metal, as well as “In Droves,” which just pushes the needle into the red.

“Crutching Trails” is powered by frantic percussion and a noisy angular riff that wouldn’t be out of place on a Drive Like Jehu record. “Soiled Roots” is five minutes of sludgy madness, complete with a smeared in dirt riff, raw-throated vocals, and a deliberate, menacing pace. The title track is a straight-up rager, once again powered by another off-kilter, vertigo-inducing riff.

It seems as if Southern Lord is releasing a whole bunch of crusty metallic hardcore these days, with some recordings being better than others. This is definitely one of the better records you’ll hear from this label, and it also one of the better hardcore records you’ll hear this year.

(Southern Lord Recordings, PO Box 291967, Los Angeles, CA 90029)