Balboa – Manifeste Cannibale EP
Forge Again Records – FAR018 – March 22nd, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Philadelphia?
Balboa? Looks like someone has a thing for the
Rocky movies. But, please, hold all Sylvester Stallone jokes till the end. Moving on,
Manifeste Cannibale EP is essentially a teaser that runs the better part of fourteen minutes. And, the hardcore – a la a simpler
Buried Inside – is supremely enjoyable.
“Ostracon,” a track that can be downloaded (legally!) from the Forge Again Records website, commences the EP with full force. The vocals are perhaps more raspy than average and – after spinning the album a few times – I grew to like them quite a bit. The musicians all run the proficiency gauntlet with relative ease, but I hated that the songs collapse so early. “Ostracon” barely reaches the two-minute mark before it dies, and the jumpy “Kyoto”
almost reaches two and a half minutes. Serene is the beginning of the title track, “Manifeste Cannibale,” and the aforementioned proves to be overall a beautifully orchestrated number. Aside from the three-minute, soundclip rant from an ex-Marine, the song is a clean instrumental. “End to Major Combat” follows suit until the distortion-heavy, one-minute mark arrives. The aggression heightens as a result of the vox’s entrance, and
Manifeste Cannibale EP thus comes to a halt. Also of note, though, is the eclectic artwork: the album features cool, color patterns and a CD that utilizes the same general idea as
Subterranean Masquerade’s Temporary Psychotic State EP.
All in all, I’m really anticipating a second full-length from
Balboa, because if
Manifeste Cannibale EP is any indication, then the upcoming record should be killer. If you come across this by chance, lay down a few dollars to pick it up. Still waiting for a joke, eh? Well, here’s one for you:
Rocky II, III, IV, and V.
8/10
Official Balboa website
Official Forge Again Records website
