Choices Made are a hardcore punk band out of Toronto, Ontario in Canada. On Friday they released a new EP called Happiness in Troubled Times, and it’s now streaming on all platforms and can be ordered on Bandcamp.
Right from the opening chords of the first track “Forced Hands,” it becomes clear that this is hardcore with a metallic edge. The opener has guest vocals from Tracy A of Cross Dog, and the dueling vocals turn an already intense and powerful hardcore song into something more dynamic. Then “Masquerade” comes in with power and speed, peeling out at a breakneck speed that increases the sonic punch of the already hard-as-hell guitars.
The title track is the shortest song on the album at 52 seconds, and actually starts off at a fairly standard pace before a sound clip comes in and the song suddenly takes on a new sense of speed and urgency. “Grace” establishes its ferocity early with a heavy bass intro that gives way to unrelenting harcore guitars and snarling, screaming hardcore vocals. Finally “Lifelines” hits the ground running with a steadily fast beat that establishes the pulse-pounding rhythm that makes this such a successful closer for the EP. This is down-and-dirty hardcore at its absolute finest.
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Photo courtesy of William Lezma
