Strong As Ten / Koenigstein Youth – Split EP

Strong As Ten and Koenigstein Youth team up on this split 7-inch, and the result is a sharp, focused blast of fastcore and powerviolence from the east of France. Short, violent, and to the point, this record does exactly what it needs to do without overstaying its welcome.

I already knew Strong As Ten well going in, so expectations were high. Thankfully, they deliver. Their six tracks tear through at full speed, packed with frantic hardcore thrash and the kind of urgency the band has always thrived on. Everything feels angry and confident here, and I’d honestly put this material among their best. It hits hard, moves fast, and takes no prisoners.

Koenigstein Youth were new to me, but they made a strong first impression. Their three tracks are slightly more involved in structure, adding a bit of variation without sacrificing intensity. The tempos are still rabid, the energy is still off the charts, but there’s a sense that they’re approaching the same speed-obsessed sound from a slightly different angle. It works well and balances out the record nicely.

The presentation deserves a mention too. The cover art and lyric sheet, done by Ivan Brun of Coche Bomba, look great, and the fact that this release came together with the help of eleven DIY labels only reinforces the communal spirit of hardcore punk.

If fastcore and powerviolence are anywhere near your radar, this split is well worth tracking down. Short, violent, and effective, it’s a solid release from two bands clearly firing on all cylinders.