This 7″ has been ages coming. I remember about 18 months ago I was suprised to find Fig4.0 on a free HHN sampler CD and I heard that there was a split record planned with an un-named American band, but no one seemed to know, or be telling who it was. In the end it was Ensign, and personally i’m not complaining.
The Ensign side of this record consists of three tracks, typical Ensign but some of the best tracks i’ve heard from them. The Opener, clocking in at less than a minute long, “A Place” starts fast with some gang vocals before breaking down into an energetic mosh part which had me turning up the volume and restraining myself from taking off around my living room. I’m sure you know the kind. “Circa 1985” continues with more of the same, fast youth crew styled hardcore, and for a moment – because of the vocal melody in the verse – I thought I was listening to HHH with American accents. “Three Can Keep A Secret” finishes off their offering with an angry number and the vocals – “I want to be the one to wipe that smile from your face, to show you that your perfect world isn’t as it seems” – pretty much sums it all up.
Fig 4.0 are one of those bands that seem to unite lovers of punk and hardcore. They have the raw and fast energy and the slower melodic parts, and create some damn fine tunes on top of it. Their first number “4.0” is pure thrash before breaking down to a melodic offering, pleasing on the ears but still energetic enough to keep you going. The top song on this side has to be “Commutant” which is pure stop-go mayhem. The music keeps you on your toes and the dual vocal shouts add a great dimension to the song. Intense? I think so. They don’t even let you have a breather as there is no pause to be heard before they throw you into “Bohemian” which sees a return of the blast beats that were found on a lot of songs on their album (“Action Image Exchange” on Bombed Out Records). The Final track “T.A.O.H.I.K” is another fast melodic hardcore number with a lyrical call to turn off the Television, which sounds like a good idea to me.
Overall, the Fig 4.0 tracks aren’t quite as good as their tracks on the split 7″ with Stand (on Super-Fi Records) but they are still well worth a listen. As for the Ensign tracks, you can’t really go wrong. This record is only going to cost a few quid anyways, so you’ve got nothing to lose.