USA Nails carve off the fat

The one thing that instantly becomes apparent after hearing the first dozen seconds of USA Nails' second album is that it's one that doesn’t hold back in its intentions and quickly gives us the telltale signs that No Pleasure is rich with songs best played as loud as possible.

The instant abrasive kick of "I Am Normal" offers a start that can’t help but make an impact and firmly puts USA Nails under the noise rock umbrella. Throughout the ten songs that follow, there's little venture away from the template. Pummelling drums lay at the foundations of USA Nails sound, and it’s upon this that a cacophonous wall of noise is built. As hard edged, razor sharp riffs hurtle forward at full throttle similarities to Steve Albini’s pre-Shellac band Big Black become apparent in the way that distortion and feedback are utilised; twisted and bent into interesting shapes that fit comfortably with and complement their hard hitting, riff heavy bursts of energised hardcore hugging punk rock.

Exceptions include "You’re A Stain" and "Automated Cyst", which sees a relapse in speed; the dirt filled riffs slowed down to near pedestrian pace; either could easily be mistaken for long lost Mclusky track if presented in an identity parade. The opening stop start dynamics and circling power-drilled guitar riffs of "Make Me Art" offer another brief diversion, but like the other punk-spirited songs that lie at the heart of this album it's direct, compact and any excessive fat has been carved off to present these songs at their athletic best.