Satara – Clean Cut LP (Geenger Records)

Geenger Records has been pretty much one of the most active regional record labels last year, with over nineteen releases under their belt. “Clean Cut,” a debut full-length album by Satara, is certainly one of them, and it’s one of those recordings that deserves your undivided attention. Considering the band itself, there’s not so much to be said about it, because these folks let the music speak instead of shiny biographies, adorned with crazy embellishments, overly emphasized achievements, and other unreal stuff that other hardcore bands tend to do these days. As far as I am informed, the band resides in Germany, but it also includes a member of Lazarath, a renowned crossover hardcore band from Serbia. Behind the modest appearance and a cover artwork that doesn’t reveal anything you do not need to know about the band, “Clean Cut” cuts to the chase and delivers a modern hardcore music decorated with subtle touches of crossover thrash and punk rock. Somehow, these folks found a sweet spot where hardcore dominates the most, but also reveals something more than just a plain old sound we all gotten used to over the years. Those additional crossover and punk rock elements definitely make a big difference without spoiling Satara’s primary sonic direction, and that’s where all the power of this band lies. Therefore, “Clean Cut” will definitely appeal to anyone who appreciates hardcore music, written, composed, arranged, and produced with great care.

The album kickstarts with tremendous power and energy, offering just a glimpse of what’s about to come next. As soon as you place a needle on this record, you’ll notice these folks are not joking around with their music. They expertly blend rawness, aggression, heaviness, and power of the genre, yet there’s a thoughful constructure behind every song. As I’ve said before, these folks are putting great care in every shout, guitar riff, bassline, and drum beat, and you’ll definitely notice that in pieces like “Victim Of Society,” Don’t Question,” “Dynasty,” “Naše Ulice,” “Reality Check,” “The Icemen,” and “War Machine.” Of course, these are just some of the highlights, and you should pay attention to the entire material, because there are some other bangers where the band showcases their songwriting and composing mastery. If you pay close attention to those songs, you’ll notice how the band infuses some of the finest properties of late eighties and early nineties hardcore, crossover thrash, old school metalcore, yet on some songs they place a good old anthemic punk rock elements that invite you to singalong with them. What’s so interesting about this material is how organically each song arrives, revealing the album’s narrative. It’s a style that suits this band so well, as each segment showcases how comfortable they are while playing these songs. Not so many bands can brag about that fact, considering that most modern hardcore recordings feel forced, repetitive, predictable, and bland, while Satara’s performance feels so fresh, unique, innovative, and unpredictable.

“Clean Cut” arrives with a polished sound that meets all the trends in contemporary music production. This great attention to detail reveals all the greatness of this band, pointing out all their qualities and shedding light on every single detail that defines this record. Each vocal, sonic, and rhythmic acrobatic has its place and purpose in this sonic equation, making Satara’s “Clean Cut” so appealing to the ears. The vocals command attention, guiding the listener through each segment and elevating everything to new heights. The vocalist employs classic hardcore shouts, and his voice suits the sonic backdrop so well. You’ll also notice how additional vocal lines, back vocals, and sing-alongs emphasize particular sections of the song, making them even better. In the meantime, the comprehensive collection of catchy, memorable, engaging, powerful riffs, themes, leads, and other shreding maneuvers bring rawness and aggression while serving as a perfect backdrop for all the vocals to shine upon. Besides the guitar, the bass is also responsible for a portion of the powerful output this band brings with each song. You’ll notice how all those excellent, warm-sounding, intricate low-ends rumble beneath the guitar, offering more heaviness, clarity, and depth while binding the mentioned instrumentations with rhythmic patterns. The exceptional drumming, based upon tastefully assembled, flawlessly performed, well-accentuated, dynamic beats, breaks, fills, and other percussive acrobatics, keeps the remainder of the band in line while dictating groove and pace. As you can hear and see, each instrument plays a significant role in this sonic equation, making “Clean Cut” such an incredible hardcore material.

If you’re looking for thoughtfully assembled modern hardcore record, decorated with some of the finest properties of crossover thrash and punk rock, then “Clean Cut” will be right up your alley. These folks put heart and soul into this material, delivering one of the finest hardcore recordings in recent years. Therefore, head over to Geenger Records’ web store and grab a vinyl as soon as possible.