Deadlocked – 10 songs and 10 times with full force on the… ears. Reverse delivers with their current EP “Deadlocked” a short record that drives and is settled somewhere between punk rock / screamo, grunge and influences of metal.

But wait a minute… 10 songs and an EP? Yes, because the record is divided into two parts. Like many other bands, the “Ruhrpottler” of Reverse, got creative during the pandemic and offer the fans, additional to the original six songs, four bonus tracks. Part one was self-produced and part two is the 4-track compensation bonus, for an improper celebrated release – “Thanks Corona!” The latter part was already recorded in 2017 at Kurt Ebelhäuser (among others Donots – Coma Chameleon), but recently re-recorded and remixed.

But let’s start from the top: Briefly cleared throat and off it goes with the frontal attack on the vocal chords. 2:18 min runtime for the EP opener “Bored” and thus directly a statement is set. We don’t cuddle – rough, hard, angry and perhaps vocally a bit crude, but that’s what makes it. Reverse want to whoop it up and establish their attitude right away. “Omen” follows and is only a tad bit less angry than track 1, although the vocals in the beginning are a little, let’s call it “laid-back”. But then the vocal lips clench violently and crunch, quite in Reverse-manner, in unison with the guitars through the rest of the song.

“Goodbye” is a farewell song in hard punk garb, which probably would trigger a circle pit live and also is a short workout for band and audience with its 2:17min. But there are not only punches directly on the kisser – “Bitter Sweet” shows a calmer side and strings. The not so heavily distorted and effects overlaid guitars, meet with the distinctive voice and add up to a really interesting soundscape.

“At the Edge Of The World” is probably the most grunge-like song, which already almost seems radio conform and provides some intermediate elements of good variety over the runtime of 3:16 min. The Unofficial final song of the EP “Suicidal Happiness“, is a snotty, angry track that is played fast and driving and pauses only briefly – letting us catch our breath just for a second to then shred on with full energy towards the end.

And then there would be the B-side, the bonus side from “Distress&Control“, which despite the hard playing and singing style seems more affable and mature, but not necessarily better – just a bit different. The enormously hard, almost dirty and raw sound suits the band very well. Nevertheless, a good idea to pack these B-tracks with it – The tracks “Haunted Heart“, “Harley’s Smile” and “Fake” remind us somewhat of Nirvana‘s “Bleach” and Refused‘s “Everlasting” and thus somehow of grunge and hardcore, but now in snotty angry.