Impact. That’s what you need if you are trying to make an impression in the minds of fickle Metalheads. You can use speed, heaviness, dubious subject matter or whatever. In the case of SCORCHED EARTH TACTICS, you start off with a punchy, infectious track like “Lambs.” This song should have a biohazard marker on it.

The aforementioned opener veritably stomps itself into your skull with pounding, groove laden riffs. Set to a mid pace, the band get all angry on yer ass before upping the ante for a speedy, swooping lead guitar run. What follows is a mix of Death Metal and Hardcore chucked into a concrete mixer for added hardness. S.E.T. utilise construction zone crunch for the most part but also include flighty sections that soar around the steel girder structure bolted together by the band.

There is a sense of busyness about this EP, the band incorporate numerous pesky lead runs and the odd more considered passage but the pile driver eagerly awaits its turn and it is never too long before the bone shaking starts afresh. This one of those records that has the right balance of distractions without sounding laboured. Whatever nuances are at play, they do not detract from the main goal of hammering Metal.

SCORCHED EARTH TACTICS rather successfully bridge genres to a point where they actually do occupy the middle ground and as such do not fall into the trap of wearing one hat on one track and a different hat on another. The five songs here are all distinct from the others and all are worthy of pinning your lug holes back for. The twin guitars juxtapose each other so that whist one is ripping away a la Metal, the other often contrasts with an almost Alt Rock structure. Vocals are a fine bellow, full of fury. Drums, whilst never running off into the realms of hyperblast, still get a solid pummelling motor on. All thrown in with the bass work, you get an intelligent yet destructive listening experience.

“Blastradius” is one of the better Metalcore releases I have heard this year, bearing in mind that I’m no aficionado of the style. Whatever, I’m entertained and the dog liked it too. (Online September 3, 2005)