Review: Scarlet

Scarlet
“Something To Lust About”
(Ferret Music)

Edgy and brutal hardcore with a slightly experimental edge. It pummels you down, looks around to make sure no one is looking, and then pummels you some more. Knife-like jabs of guitar stick ya repeatedly.

It jumps around erratically, hinting that it’s just fucking crazy and out of control, but then it all focuses inwards and you realize with a stunning clarity that Scarlet knows precisely what is going on around them, and not only that, they are fueling it. While at times, viciously stark and pounding riffs command, it’s always beating itself up into a frenzy that will erupt at any given time in a song.

Vocally, it’s paint scraping yelps, but you can make out the occasional snippet without a lyric sheet. But you don’t need printed words to pick up on the intensity of most hardcore singers. They can sing about Wonderbread and make it sound like it’s some serious shit. Scarlet as a musical unit is a purely visceral experience. They are playing with subtle electronic elements and it works in their favor, as it’s not done for melody, more for texture.

Six songs deep and it will take weeks for the bruises to heal.