They call it hardcore but it still sounds like metal.
If Billy Joel was a current concern today rather than in the 1970's, he might have felt compelled to write about all the ever changing names of loud, thrashy music and at the end of the day that it was still "heavy metal to me."
Decimate stand proudly behind the flag of hardcore and whilst it does stand as a reasonable introduction to their music, is there any need for this separation?
Certainly the vocals are screamed and contain enough venom and spit to frighten small children and old people but its not a new phenomenon. Growing up there was kids in school into bands with the exact same style of vocal delivery and power and yet it was all metal, with perhaps the adjective black being thrown in behind it. There is a twist provided with some quick rap lines. The mix of rock and rap has covered itself in glory in recent with acts like Linkin Park but its used sparingly on this album and it peppers some tracks well and offers relief from the intensity of some of the other deliveries.
Musically, to these untrained ears Decimate play a classic line of music with the ferocious drumming and widdly guitar riffs coming in a direct line from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal acts from the early 1980's. The vocals don't recall the style of Iron Maiden but the flash and impressive soloing certainly evokes memories of the band in their pomp and prime.
And that's potentially a worry for Decimate. '11 Rounds' is a strong album with very little filler. Its punchy, each track plays to the bands strengths and it gives the impression that live shows would be a rollercoaster of thrills and spills, with the odd injury thrown in. However, unless the music is foisted upon people and given a chance to shine, casual passer-bys may be automatically put off by the genre name and pick something less interesting instead.
On an album of consistent tracks 'Cant Stop Now' and 'Forever Alone' offer some variety, the latter with is slower phased intro launching into a frenetic brawl that threatens to leave the listener reeling and gasping for more.
As a debut full length release, Decimate have proved themselves to be capable and it's a strong showing throughout. '11 Rounds' may feel as though its going to knock the listener out at times but on the whole, it's a pleasing and fulfilling record.