It was a sad day when I discovered that my favorite noise-rock terrorists Unsane have disbanded. On the other hand, it was also a joyful day because that's when I found out about The Cutthroats 9. Messrs. Chris Spencer and Dave Curran - Unsane's singer/guitarist and bassist respectively, have regrouped, bringing along a new drummer and an additional guitarist, and what a pleasure it is to have them back. It's like Unsane never went away. Its patented brand of bashful, harmonic violence - a unique combination of rock and hardcore riddled with great, distorted grooves - was successfully inherited and revived, and is as precise and deadly as ever.

With the end of Unsane, and his re-emergence in the noise-rock realm under a different moniker, veteran Spencer could drop whatever burden that grew around his shoulders after a decade of smashing, crashing noise and ugliness with his former band, take the skills that he gained throughout all these years and give that same smashing, crashing noise and ugliness a new beginning. And that's basically what he did with this project. Very tight musicianship and heavy, distorted sound of the Cutthroats 9 very strongly resembles that of the latter day Unsane, namely "Occupational Hazard" LP. Song-wise, meanwhile, the Cutthroats proficiently covered the entire span of Unsane's existence, but also adding a bit more traditional rock music stylings to their songs, which is all good and well by me because the band slay regardless. All those still crying over Unsane's demise should get their hands on this jewel ASAP.

© 2001 boris