Debut release on Prescription, RX-001.

Our take: This cassette compiles a bunch of recent studio recordings by long-running Canadian metal-punk band Absolut. The three tracks on the a-side are new demo recordings for an upcoming LP, while the five tracks on the b-side come from an unreleased 2022 demo. We love Absolut here at Sorry State, and these recordings hint that their upcoming album may be their defining statement. Absolut’s guitarist’s chops get more impressive with each passing year, and while getting better at your instrument can be a double-edged sword for a hardcore band, Absolut has not lost the plot. As with Sorry State’s Valtatyhjiö, tasteful touches of double bass drumming add spice to the relentless d-beating, and the blistering lead guitar licks weave across and through the riffs, as on the standout mid-paced track “Burn in Hell.” That track’s main riff would be plenty to carry the song on its own, but the lead shredding means every bar of the song offers unique surprises for the ear. Absolut’s next album may one day render these recordings obsolete, but in the meantime I’ll be burning up this hot reel.