Album Reviews

Following a six-year hiatus, Trapped Under Ice are finally back. “Heatwave”, the band’s third album, clocks in just shy of fourteen minutes, which might not seem like much. But these are fourteen glorious minutes spread out over eleven groove-centric hardcore punk tunes you will want to listen to over and over again.

Tracks like “Backstabbed” and “XL” come with a flurry of shredding guitars, pummeling drums and Justice Tripp’s commanding bark, all of which hit harder than ever before. Two songs in and you will already feel as if you’ve been put through the wringer. The songs hardly ever cross the one-minute mark, yet somehow there is always room to cram in another vicious breakdown or to lock in a groove.

Trapped Under Ice’s members have spent the last couple of years honing their skills in Turnstile, Angel Du$t and Diamond Youth and it was obviously time well spent. “Heatwave” is everything I wished it would be. By the time you hear a snippet of Martha & The Vandellas’ “Heatwave” at the end of the album, you will feel exhausted and completely satisfied.

Track listing:

1. Backstabbed
2. XL
3. No Relief
4. Do It
5. Throw It Away
6. Pressure Is On
7. Oblivion
8. Slow Death
9. Heatwave
10. Other Side
11. Move