Easy Meat Smalltown America***

From the opening bars of their second album, it's clear that LaFaro mean business. It seems that we're in for 43 minutes of unrelenting rock action. Well, almost. Much of Easy Meatis broken up by brief interludes of private jokes and bloopers that disrupt the momentum of the album and initially seem to serve no purpose. On the other hand, they provide breathing space among the heavy guitar riffs, which are so monstrous that they might inadvertently rip you a third earhole. Shades of Therapy?, Ministry and Nirvana are clearly audible, but the Belfast band regulate the volume with tracks such as Have a Word With Yourself,where melody takes priority over muscle. Further exploration along those lines probably would have made for a better album, but this ticks enough boxes to convince. See lafaro.co.uk

Download tracks: Have a Word With Yourself, Sucking Diesel