Endwell - Punishment (Mediaskare)
It's funny how much of a difference a few years and a label change can do to a band. When Endwell released Homeland Insecurity in 2006, it wasn't very well received in the hardcore community. The band left Victory Records and subsequently put out Consequences which showed the band taking a more serious stance and quieted the haters. Here we are in 2011 and the release of Punishment should absolutely silence anyone who wrote this band off. No longer will you find this band chugging along through songs just to get to a poppy, clean chorus. Punishment delivers some of the heaviest vocals to come out of the hardcore scene in quite some time thanks to vocalist Sean Murphy and a slew of all star guest vocalists. While musically, the band doesn't stray from their take on NYHC much, but they have incorporated a few guitar solos throughout the album, and at moments even shine with some heavier death/black metal drumming from Mike Sciulara. As the band get deeper in their career, they're progressing into a heavier and much more solid band. Pick up Punishment and be prepared for an all out assault.
Nick Zimmer