What a welcome return this is. London hardcore boys TRC are back after 5 years with their new EP, Lifestyle. Back in 2011 TRC dropped Bright Lights, an album that I absolutely loved. A hardcore punk album with massive riffs, an even bigger attitude and plenty of genuine English character. Two years later they gave us Nation, another album that fired on all cylinders and delivered that unmistakeable TRC sound. These guys were doing things differently to everyone else all those years ago, and they weren’t half pulling it off well. Obviously no surprises when I say I’m excited to check out whether TRC are still going hard with Lifestyle.
As I mentioned, their last major release was back in 2013. Since then the guys have taken their time with fixing themselves up through multiple bumps in the road. The most notable bump being guitarist Charlie and drummer Lasselle, both leaving and forming Counting Days with a few other guys, all formerly of other massive UK metal and punk bands too like Bring Me The Horizon and Heights. A great band to their credit, but one that never really captivated me the same way TRC did when I first heard them. Thankfully now after a bit of a shake up, TRC are back with this new EP, and fucking hell do they still know how to smash it. Right off the bat, it’s apparent the guys aren’t trying to reinvent themselves with Lifestyle. On paper, keeping the same sound as they had five years ago is a pretty risky move to make, there’d be plenty of artists who wouldn’t pull it off, but TRC went for it. They properly double downed on this approach, and they make that point even clearer with the closer of the EP literally titled Same. But Better. A song essentially explaining everything I just said. From the opener of the EP this message is made clear, and I’m absolutely about it.
There’s something really authentic about TRC’s sound on this thing, the whole atmosphere they create is fantastic. After having to replace a guitarist and drummer, I was a little curious as to whether they’d be lacking in those departments now. They really aren’t. Chris even shouts out guitarist Ben at the end of the EP, for stepping up to the plate, and rightly so. The rhythms from the thumping drums and bass are great, and whether it’s the thick triplet riffs or less frantic power chord sections, the guitar work is pretty powerful. It’s all so hard hitting, the mix is seriously as thick as a fucking brick, and with the vocals on top it all culminates into a proper, well executed, pissed off, crushing sound. If I was being super picky the only real thing I have a problem with, is that Anthony’s shouted vocals don’t always cut through the rest of the sound during TRC’s more hectic moments, which is a mix problem if anything, and I would say it’s more down to his tonality. And I really do think he has a great voice and vocal delivery, just as much on Lifestyle as ever. Ant and Chris’ chemistry is probably at the highest it’s ever been with this project, they compliment each other so well, and have some fantastic trade off kind of back and forth vocals all over the project, notably at the start of Moaner and the end of London’s Greatest Love Story (Part II).
The London vibes are still really apparent which I think is awesome, and I’d say Ant and Chris’ performances both vocally and lyrically, are one of TRC’s standout qualities. Not to take anything away from the other song writing that went into this EP elsewhere though. As mentioned, Ben had to step up to the plate and he’s done a wicked job with Lifestyle. The first track Moaner is a great track for TRC to open up their comeback with, similarly with the second track Scrounger, the guys bring us fast paced, energetic hardcore music, with some really heavy riffs that fall more into the metalcore territory. With the third and one of my favourite tracks London’s Greatest Love Story (Part II), the guys really get to flex their creativity. The song has some incredibly solid breakdown sections, a fantastic guitar solo, and a huge riff switch-up half way through the song. It’s a mammoth of a hardcore track, clocking in at 5 and half minutes, that is structured more like a Metallica song than a hardcore one. It’s still a wonder how the guys managed to fuse Chris’ vocals and lyrics over this sound so well, it’s like a pissed off Roots Manuva and Mike Skinner influenced Cockney, spitting over a Hatebreed and Madball style of metal and hardcore. The clear hip hop and grime influence of Chris in particular comes across really well, some of the bars in Same. But Better. in particular are outstanding. Call-backs to older song titles and lyrics are performed really effectively as well, like in the end of the song Take It, which I absolutely have to mention for it’s evil vocal guest feature from Nathan of Prowler too. It closes the song out well, and shows off the punk atmosphere that this EP carries really well too.
In all these guys have a great, authentic and genuine sounding comeback EP with Lifestyle. Although it’s only 6 tracks, it has a pretty expansive run time of 29 minutes, daunting at first until you realise these guys have enough character to fill that run time and then some. There’s nothing particularly ground-breaking about this release, but Lifestyle definitely has me looking forward to hopefully, a full length release with more of the same soon. The revolution continues.
Rating: 3.5/5
Highlights: Moaner, London’s Greatest Love Story (Part II), Same. But Better.
Find TRC on Twitter and Facebook here:
https://twitter.com/TRCofficial
https://www.facebook.com/trchardcore/
Lifestyle is due for release on March 30th, and will be available on iTunes and here:
https://trclondon.bandcamp.com
Reviewed by Harrison Deacon
