Austria’s Astpai are bloody good. Think of paint it black meets kid dynamite meets none more black, mixing some raw aggression with plenty of singalong hooks and you’re part of the way there. This 12-tracker, released on Rise or Rust Records, is fast and frentic and one of the best European releases of its type that I’ve heard in quite some time. The energy and passion these guys seem to create is quite unrivalled – and I bet they manage to put on one Hell of a live show.
‘Born As Destined, Locked Up As Forced’ is quite literally incredible, a song that just wants to burst out of your speakers and explode from your stereo. And the truth is that pretty much every single song is as good as that one – ‘Lies and Affection’ rips, the backing screams that open ‘Paving Ways In Cliched Suits’ allows you to grab a moment’s breath, while ‘Obsession Kills’ is another cracker. And while Astpai probably won’t appeal to everyone, if you’re a fan of Lifetime or Kid Dynamite this is pretty much a must purchase.