Another fine cassette release from Drugged Conscience Records out of Naples, Florida. Homestretch demonstrate a well tuned brand of dark, heavy hardcore with some flairs of metallic influences weaved throughout their songs. Comatose features four songs for your listening displeasure, laden with socio-poli-awareness inspired lyrics. White pro tapes, lyric sheet with song explanations and a hand numbered, silkscreened obi strip are all included for upper echelon music collector nerdery (which I love.)
It's nearly impossible for me to select a favorite on Comatose, as each song seems to attempt to one up the previous one, raging forward with unstoppable intensity. Brooding riffage tuned dangerously low with high distortion effectively numbs your ears, while the vocals spit furious, yet inspired lyrics. This isn't another "mysterious" hardcore band, nor is it another NYHC or straightedge revival project. Homestretch is more on the Converge, Rise and Fall, or The Carrier end of the spectrum, with a little Ringworm driven straight through the heart for good measure.
Perhaps most impressive is the intelligent, creative lyrics, as each song tackles a completely different topic. "Sleight of Hand" details the miserable state of American pop culture, mindless television programming, and the diluted reality which pollutes each and every day. "Visiting Hours" seems to be a highly personal song about the corrupted, money thirsty medical injury, which treats insurance policies, rather than the people who struggle against disease and infection. Homestretch gives us another track on the pitfalls of organized religion during "Eye of the Needle." Comatose meets its demise during "How the Other Half Dies," which speaks to the overblown, obsessive compulsive fascination with money and finances which forces people to work jobs they despise, so they can create a lifestyle which looks like some faux reality out of a magazine.
Blasting guitars, clean recording, and great lyrical content easily makes Comatose a decent listen. The somewhat obvious Converge influences might annoy some people, while exciting others (such as myself). There's only a few copies left from Drugged Conscience, so if you like the download BUY THE CASSETTE.
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