British quintet
Stampin' Ground specialize in basic, mosh pit-friendly hardcore-metal with no frills. Combining
Reign in Blood-era
Slayer with the tough-guy hardcore of bands like
Hatebreed as well as a little
Pantera-style macho attitude, they don't break new ground, nor do they really attempt to do so. They keep it (relatively) simple, focusing on sturdy songwriting rather than showy musicianship or complicated riffs. Song titles such as "Don't Need a Reason to Hate," "Bear the Scars," and "Pain Is Weakness (Leaving the Body)" sum up the band's m.o. fairly well -- better than the album title, anyway, since this music is more hostile and aggressive than "dark." This kind of music has a fairly specific audience, but fans of the above-mentioned bands and their more recent offspring will probably get some enjoyment out of this album.