In theory, this is how hardcore should sound: progressive. Iceland's Minus utilizes various elements and angles to create a diverse and unique album with Jesus Christ Bobby. Such elements include electronics (the voice manipulation stuff is awesome), jazzy guitar progressions, brutally heavy guitar tones, and even an acoustic number. The vocals are screamed and raspy, sounding like everyone but similar to no one. Another worthwhile appreciation is the complete lack of tight editing, with many tracks closing with background noises and not sounding clean whatsoever. But more power to Minus for such tricks; it just makes them all the more punk rock. Following very much in the footsteps of the late, semi-great Refused, Minus seeks to do what the original intention of hardcore set out to be: mess with people's conceptions of music and tear it up. Toward the end of Jesus Christ Bobby, things start to drag a tad, but, all in all, for a band with a theory of creating "grossly beautiful" music, they do just that.
© Kurt Morris /TiVo