Label: Refuse Records
Date: March 15th, 2022
The first thing I do upon meeting a new name on the hardcore scene is basically to check out where have its members played before. Weird, but it’s almost become a mathematical impossibility to find a brand new band with members just starting out, forming their first band. I mean, surely I’m wrong and there are kids out there. Am I? Are there? I cannot remember. It’s terrifying to even imagine such a rebellious musical genre as hardcore punk without the young blood. Can it be that the opposition relies on the shoulders of thirty or forty year olds? Maybe there’s somebody who knows a whole lot more about the scene that can prove me wrong. But it definitely won’t be with Staticø.
Staticø is a new name on the Serbian scene, but the faces behind the moniker are (well, some of them) adorned with quite a few grey hairs. Thankfully, one won’t soon be able to spot them idly walking around, newspapers under the armpit, complaining about all the loud noises and the total lack of respect of nowadays’ youth. There’s enough energy left lingering in them, as proven on “Il Nostro Cimitero”. Well, certainly enough for about nine minutes of music spread across five songs on this debut EP.
As for the genre, well, I believe you can conclude quite accurately what is on the EP. I’ve already mentioned hardcore punk as a point of reference. Old school would be next. Staticø takes you back to the origins, back to the 1980’s. Both with their punk and hardcore influences. It’s the short, vicious blows that are the key for this quartet. Razor-sharp riffing, wrathful drumming, accentuated bass filling and the enraged vocals. With socially conscious lyrics, as expected. Basically, bits and pieces of what made this type of music what it originally was. Personalization is avoided like a Covid infection, in order to pay respect to what this genre’s enthusiasts hold sacred. The result is a recording that should appeal to fans old and new. A decent dose of aggression, hate and… Despair? How come? “No Hope”? Really?
In all honesty, the song is not just about giving up, though it could be construed as such. However, that’s not going to negatively impact the listener. What is more likely to do so, is the lack of a proper “driver”. What I mean is that this collection of five songs doesn’t have all that many hooks. It’s all properly devised, neatly executed and brings along the know-how of the topic at hand. But it fails to deliver the final blow that should ensure you to keep spinning this 7” to infinity. For a while, yeah, sure, it’s grand. Still, after some time, you will find it easy to move on to the next one. And whether you will return to it someday is debatable.
With all the classics in your record collection and the mass-production of the new era, there are bound to be new recordings left and right. I really miss something more from Staticø. Naturally, that will likely not make me abandon hope (pun very much intended) in the future of the band. After all, “Il Nostro Cimitero” is not a bad EP. I just expected more. Remember, this is a debut for Staticø, but there are many miles behind its members. They can do better, for sure.
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