Short Sharp Shock (SSS) have been in the crossover thrash game for quite some time. Despite that, they’ve never really caught on with much of the metal crowd. Perhaps due to the more politically/socially charged piss and vinegar (as opposed to the clichéd and goofy go-to use of say, zombies), but this is a band with a message for those willing to hear it.
Limp.Gasp.Collapse thrashes and grinds through it’s brief 38-minutes. The old school crossover feel, combining a heavy dose of thrash and hardcore is put to good use and sounds truly authentic, a claim that a number of bands portraying “crossover” can back nowadays. Featuring mostly “grindcore-length” tracks, reaching at the 1 to 2 minute spectrum, punchy numbers such as “Burn All Fields,” “Pig Owned,” and “Stress to Excess” never overstay their welcome and head straight for the thrashy point. This is nothing new for SSS, but on Limp.Gasp.Collapse, they do try their hand at some longer moments. There’s the go-for-the-jugular attack of “Beige,” which also features the likes of Carcass frontman Jeff Walker coming in to join on the fun. There’s a great, ominous riff that cycles through this track that keeps it a float for the 4-minute runtime. The closer, “Crushed by Drudgery” is the one that could be divisive to long-time fans. Clocking in at over 10-minutes, it doesn’t thrash so much as it churns and lurches. It’s an interesting experiment for the band though, showing they are more than capable of thinking outside the box.
If you are looking for a (mostly) thrashy and quick punch in the face, Limp.Gasp.Collapse delivers. Not being afraid to change things up a bit after a few albums is always a welcome sign as well. SSS have all their bases covered here.