Lay It On The Line – ‘A Prelude To The Process’ EP

Its been a tough a couple of years for London hardcore band Lay It On The Line, with the band essentially splitting into two as they were readying a full length record. However vocalist Mike and drummer Mark carried on regardless, and along with having a new line up, the band has a new lease of life about it on ‘A Prelude To The Process’. Across the five tracks on the EP, the subject matter is all based on the teachings of the Process Church Of The Final Judgement, which is a fascinating thing to look into, and has been the subject matter of holy terror bands Integrity and Rot In Hell (to name a few) for some time.

Where as the aforementioned bands have a very distinct “Clevo-hardcore” sound about them, Lay It On The Line deal in a more melodic side of hardcore, but with no less bite than their peers. The addition of newer members to the fold has given the band a heavier and darker sound than on previous releases, and while opener ‘Laid Bare’ starts with a more upbeat and passionate delivery, it decays into a funnel of thick guitar riffs and breakdowns. The vocals on the EP are razor-sharp throughout, with vocalist Mike Scott shredding his larynx across ‘The Black Horsemen’ and ‘We Made Our Hell’, sounding angrier and more determined than ever before.

The lightening quick ‘Suffer The Consequence’ is a one-minute ball of raw hardcore punk fury, ending with a gargantuan breakdown before leading into closing track ‘Scorched Earth Policy’, which a has an almost Swedish, progressive hardcore feel too it. The great thing about this EP is the manner in which Lay It On The Line avoid any stereotypes or cliché’s that can be an easy trap for any hardcore band to fall in, and clearly draw from a wider pool of influences.

There no denying that its hard to be original in hardcore or punk these days, but when a band dares to think outside the box it can usually yield great results, which is exactly what has happened with ‘A Prelude To The Process’. Rejuvenated by a new line-up, shifting their sound in a heavier direction, and tackling a more interesting subject matter makes Lay It On The Line stand out in a world of cookie-cutter hardcore bands. The change has paid off and it’s exciting to see where they go from here.

GLEN BUSHELL