NOT an album per se, Overtime is Italian hardcore outfit’s debut recording for the Time to Kill imprint. Released on June 30, this prime slice of hardcore punk is full of rage, angst and undisguised aural violence – all condensed into a 10-minute EP.
Taking the raging slam that has its roots in the Big Apple’s NYC hardcore scene, the sound of youth rebelling and railing against the system has spread far and wide. This is very much the case here as the band’s stated philosophy is very much of the left-wing variety.
Formed in Sant’Elpidio a Mare, Italy, in 2013, the band is known for its strong stance against fascism and oppression, advocating for those treated as “zero” to stand up and fight back. The band’s music channels the rage of a generation facing repression and stifling of underground culture. That bit of the band’s bio on “rage” is apparent from the get-go, with opener Reaching Death threatening to rip off listerners’ faces with its opening salvo.
Intense, angry and downright violent would be apt descriptions of all four tracks here, with Mirrors having the additional groove to inspire lots of pogoing. Sagnol will also have fans of this genre creating a circle pit in their own bedrooms such is the ferocity of the song’s delivery.
Despite being in existence for a dozen years, Respect for Zero’s studio output is slim, with just the one previous full-length album – The Truth Remain, released in 2015.
With a new label supporting its endeavours, it is hoped that there will be much more music from Respect For Zero. The evidence heard on Overtime is very promising – a solid clanking bassline underpinning chugging riffs that are both meaty and groovy.
This is angry music made by angry young men, with themes of alienation, hopelessness and despair adding grist to the mill. Powerful stuff.
