Breather Resist / Suicide Note

Neighbours don’t always make the best houseguests, but this split EP from two of hardcore’s most powerful and promising forces, Breather Resist and Suicide Note, shows that bands from neighbouring states (Kentucky and Indiana, respectively) don’t need to rival each other to prove they’re heavy as hell. Hot on the heels of 2004’s year-highlighting Charmer, the brief (three songs in eight minutes) dose of Breather Resist found on this split (each band gets their own disc in this beautifully housed package) recalls their triumphant sophomore album in more ways than one. Not only are the songs unpredictable in nature, but the disc begins and ends with crowd applause, just like Charmer. Not sure what the point of such presentation is, but the Jesus Lizard-like chug of "Rock N’ Mass,” brief thrash assault of "Bad With Dates” and drawn-out, tambourine-shaking jam of "Working Title” should please even the most casual Breather fans. Looser, darker and often slower in tempo, Ferret Records regulars Suicide Note use their half of this split to explore less conventional ground. Just check out the organ tones that open "How Not to Care” and the punk throwback moves on their covers of the Didjits’ "(Mama Had a) Skull Baby” and "Max Wedge” to hear what I mean. Though the whole affair only lasts 20 minutes, it’s a match made in metal heaven.