Review by Brian Kim
Philedelphia’s Ladder Devils have just released their debut full length Clean Hands and it is startlingly good. Mixing together gut-wrenching millennial post-hardcore and hard-hitting punk rock, Ladder Devils have captured a sound that strikes a perfect balance of abrasive and captivating.
Seattleites might recall the name Ladder Devils from their split 7” with local heavyweights Helms Alee last year, but with the release of Clean Hands, the culmination of roughly five years as a band and the followup to several EPs and splits, Ladder Devils stand to make a name for themselves, particularly in the northwest where their sound seems to draw heavily from. Tracks like the opening “Remember The Tooth” and “The Combine” re-awaken memories of These Arms Are Snakes’ weird, outlandish noise-grooves and snarling vocals, while the darkly infectious punky anthems of songs like “Midnight Eyes” and “Nameless, Faceless” almost recall elements of the Murder City Devils. There might even be little Nirvana-tinged grunginess strewn about. Not to say this record is a Pacific Northwest ripoff though, as there’s definitely an influence from east coast hardcore and noise rock as well. The barehanded aggressiveness of “Eye of the Mundane” smacks of bands like Shellac, or even a less polished Snapcase.
Clean Hands was recorded in New Jersey at Gradwell House Studios by Steve Poponi (Fight Amp, Into It. Over It.). The production is rich and clear while maintaining a raw edgy exterior. The guitars are thick but cut like a rusty bayonet through the mix, the bass is warm and immense, and the drums are thunderous and powerful. The vocals howl and scream in that perfect sweet spot, not over the top, but not buried in the mix.
Without a doubt, Clean Hands is a must have for heavy music fans longing for the glory days of post-hardcore, or for newer listeners who need a break from the smoked out sludgery overflowing in the Pacific Northwest. Clean Hands is out now via Brutal Panda Records, download it online via Ladder Devils’ Bandcamp at https://ladderdevils.bandcamp.
