No storm is left unbeckoned by an unnerving sense of calmness, a foreboding feeling of dread and uncertainty; likewise, no criminally-underrated, limited-edition hardcore tape goes long without an eventual vinyl release to help supplement the unfortunate lack of posterity, and of course, to give those killer fuckin’ slobberknockers some well-deserved recognition. In this case, a split cassette between Chicago’s C.H.E.W (formerly “Chew”, currently a supernatural musical being of paralleled ferocity) and Philadelphia’s Penetrode (another hardcore act of comparable ferocity, and make no mistake, that in and of itself is a fuckin’ achievement) was prematurely released sometime in April of 2017 after complications with corporate’s “production timelines” resulted in hefty delays. But y’know the saying, that “the best things in life are worth waiting for”. So if you’ve got a penchant for pummeling the ever-living shit out of your eardrums with some unrelenting hardcore brutality, then this record is a thrill you surely need to chase. Behind every vocal wail -- be it the rabid, nigh-animalistic howls of C.H.E.W. or the dry, strained moans haunting Penetrode -- lies an intense wave of uncontrollable energy. Behind every diseased riff -- not limited to C.H.E.W.’s squeal-prone lead or Penetrode’s dense, darkened tone -- a full-bodied jab to the gut. Behind every destructive drumbeat -- with C.H.E.W. leaning towards rampant, neverending fits of aural violence and Penetrode towards grueling, mosh-friendly rhythms -- a brief moment of pure fucking catharsis. Returning listeners to either project should be more than pleased, or at the very least fucking stupefied, by the abominable beauty that is this eight-track split. Hell, it’s practically a few octaves shy of being downright lethal