Gallows – Gallows

Instead of flickering out after the departure of intimidating frontman Frank Carter, Watford-based hardcore punks Gallows have decided to soldier on with the help of Black Lungs founder / former Alexisonfire member Wade MacNeil. His vocal approach is more guttural than snarling – think Fucked Up's Damian Abraham in Hulk smash mode – fitting in with the darker tone of this self-titled album, which lives up to the promise of last year's merciless Death Is Birth EP.

Though the influence of classic UK-based punk bands like Crass and Discharge still shine through in the hooks, there seems to be a conscious effort on the band's part to broaden their scope. Take Vapid Adolescent, which effortlessly dances between the melodic rock 'n roll of Cancer Bats and the vicious powerviolence of Trash Talk. If this grimy, blackened reboot stands as a document of what's to come, watching Gallows' next chapter unfold should be a thrill.