Kill Rock Stars label is best known for its roster of riot grrrl and indie rock bands, but when I saw this band's name, I figured that I could not go wrong with it. After listening to "The Switch Is Down," I am happy to report that I am not disappointed, although, this is definitely not the best record I own. UOoA's music can be classified as hardcore, raw and simple, with a somewhat lo-fi production. Luckily, they don't sound like their peers. Only two out of six songs on this EP, "Clear Set" and "Benedict," are fast, straightforward hardcore pieces. Opening track "Visible Distance" sounds, to my ears, more metal than hardcore, despite the simplistic structure. The last song "No Longer Stranger" is a slow, claustrophobic attempt to penetrate the mind of a serial killer. And the remaining "Stepping Softly Into" and the title track demonstrate UOoA's minimalistic leanings while still rocking maniacally.

If you are looking for actual song writing, you won't find much here, but the sounds on this record are served with an utter conviction, so when UOoA's lead screamer spits lines like "River run dry, but I still find myself swimming upstream; ghosts in my headlights, but I still find myself walking down the street," you are forced to take notice. Overall, this EP is not something that everyone would want, or need to have, but it's something that I can rightfully call an UNDERGROUND record.

© 1999 boris