Review: Piper Maru - Most Of My Friends Died In Space

Since I've followed it for the past 15 or so years, Toronto has had a particular D.I.Y. hardcore scene that produces exciting new bands all the time. It is in a constant state of rejuvenation and Piper Maru is serving up the latest batch of  rejuve-a-juice™. Most Of My Friends Died In Space serves four wonderful and weird bits of fast and catchy hardcore punk that seems both comfortably familiar and yet lacking immediate comparison. "De-Escalation Tactics" has a lengthy intro that would make a straight edge band proud but also contains rapid blast beats that weave in and out and ends in a catchy breakdown with jagged little bits of noise peppered liberally. This isn't the kind of song bands usually knock out on their first release but hey here we are. The repetition and frantic stop-start rhythms of "Control" is something I can only really describe as what sounds like a modern post-hardcore band writing an 80s hardcore jam. That might not sound appealing to you but it totally works, this is truly essential stuff.