Raleigh’s reigning kings of hardcore release their debut vinyl, and it’s undoubtedly one of the most scorching records of the year. With a couple of regional tours and a sold-out demo under their belt, word has slowly been spreading that Skemäta is one of the most untouchable hardcore bands on the planet, and this LP confirms that for the masses. Recorded at Legitimate Business in Greensboro, North Carolina and mastered by Ryan Abbott at Side Two Studios, Skemäta’s debut brilliantly captures the band’s “everything louder than everything else” philosophy. There are legions of bands playing hardcore, d-beat, or whatever these days and one might say that Skemäta aren’t reinventing the wheel, but they’re just better than everyone else. The riffs are both more technical and catchy, the vocals are more brutal, and the rhythm section is more pummeling. Aside from perhaps Impalers, no other hardcore band out there is coming close to touching this. (Sorry State)