I first contacted Rabbit in June, shortly after hearing the New York City hardcore group’s demo. Released in February of this year, it’s a four-shot dose of very dark and metallic hardcore punk that instantly stood out. At the time, they were in the studio working on a new release, which became known as their new EP, Halo of Flies, and you can stream it right now.
Halo of Flies is a pretty lean affair. Rabbit are by no means a powerviolence band but they keep song lengths under three minutes, with one exception. The title track and its follow up, “Worse,” immediately offer a taste of the dark hardcore Rabbit are so good at. Blast beats, agonized vocals and a healthy selection of mosh riffs are on display, bleeding into the chaotic “Hellmouth,” which channels Devil Master as much as it does Gulch.
“Malparido” feels like the album’s dividing line, a sub-minute jolt of speed and stompy hardcore. Halo of Flies feels progressively darker from the fourth track on, the lo-fi vocals getting more sinister and the songwriting leaning further into it as well. By the time EP closer “Withdrawal from Mass Grave” rolls around, it feels like things have hit critical mass, and they do, collapsing from final breakdown to rumbling harsh noise.
Halo of Flies is out on December 2 via Delayed Gratification but we’ll gratify you now. Listen to the EP below; Rabbit are playing a release show at Gold Sounds in Brooklyn on the same day.
