Cemento – Killing Life

I was combing through the Noiseville punk group on Facebook as I routinely do and found this interesting entry with a link to Cemento from Los Angeles. The artwork made me think it was some sort of blistering hardcore thrash, but upon cuing up the opening track “Cash Grab”, it was anything but that. To my surprise it was far more post punk than punk or hardcore. As I continued through all eight tracks, this became another random discovery of epic proportion.

Cemento tears through the modern day chaos leaving a wake of sullen beauty in their delivery. Primed with their DIY ethos, everything comes together. The music barrels through with a pulsing bass and ripping guitars laced with reverb. The drumming completes the instrumentation by adding dynamics to the rhythm. The vocals sound as if you are listening to them through a closed door. The monotony within the pitch and tone adds character to the overall performance. This muddy murky feel, reflects the true sounds of the underground. Although there is a feeling of monotony, Cemento can add more melody if they so chose. Take “Incomplete Thoughts”. It stands out vocally with its addictive chorus showcasing more range backed by plenty post punk power. If the guitars were retuned with less reverb “Coming Down” could lean toward a more punk approach. This may very well be what appeals to me the most when it comes to Cemento’s delivery. They bridge the gap between punk and post punk enough that it will likely cater to a both audiences. That same approach reminds me of bands like TSOL, Personality Crisis and Children’s Hour had when they were able to appeal to not only their primary genre but others as well. Cemento is on to something here. Pay attention!

With the Delta Variant on the way, this apocalypse is going to continue. Add this to your playlist, crack open a tasty beverage and continue to watch the world burn.

The cassette is limited to two-hundred copies released on Iron Lung Recordings out of Seattle.