Reviewed by Jonathan Langley

The Chariot's 'Unsung EP' is a no-nonsense affair in look and sound. A clear case emblazoned with sinister modern iconography and a transparent sticker featuring lyrics and tracklisting is all you get. It features mainly previously released material (four tracks of it), re-recorded with a new drummer and slightly cleaner production values, but the two new tracks really shine. Musically, 'Unsung EP' is unadulterated hardcore, with all the uncomfortable timing shifts full of jarring stop-starts, disquietingly stretched and twisted chords and screaming the genre is famous for. The lyrical obscurity that results from avoiding clichés like a creditor with halitosis does not undermine the obvious Christian faith behind the perfectly executed screams here. "We only die twice, but for such a long time," goes one eternity-evoking line from "Kenny Gibbler (Play The Piano Like A Disease)", one of the new tracks, while lines like: "Just because you kiss a lot, that don't mean you're in love/Just because you've begun that does not mean you've won," call for the saints to persevere in a powerful way. This is intentionally uneasy listening of a hardness that you have to hear to understand. Live video footage also included is really for fans only.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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