£14.00
Parallel Worlds may be a new band but their lineage can be traced back to the 90s, serving time in storied hardcore bands such as Voorhees, Imbalance, The Horror and, more recently, Young Conservatives. It was when Young Conservatives started writing material that didn't quite fit the mould of their previous releases that Parallel Worlds was born.
"In The Comet's Path" takes the classic hardcore blueprint of Black Flag, Bl'ast and Dag Nasty but also adds touches of Krautrock, post punk and metal to the recipe. From the motorik beat of album opener "Down The Cut Blues" with it's Neu-esque driving bassline and swirling guitar riff to closing track "End Song", that starts as a slow building sermon in the vein of Gang Of Four and Fugazi and culminates in vocalist Andy delivering throat ripping screams over the top of a pulverisingly heavy backing track, the album's vision and ambition is clear to see. The album is still packed with hardcore rippers such as "Doggerland" and "In Another Life" but there are also homages to 80s cowpunk with "The Citadel" and the chugging, all out metal attack of "Escape from Doncatraz".
As a statement of intent "In The Comet's Path" could not be clearer - this is not easy listening, this is challenging, thought provoking and will leave an indelible mark once listened to.