Despite the promising orchestral, hardcore choir of intro “Enfermeria, Part III: The Recovery”, the second full length effort from political SoCal hardcore stalwarts Underminded is only a slightly above average contemporary hardcore effort.

Lying somewhere between the likes of Passion and Dead Hearts as far as emotional, metallic yet melodic hardcore, but with some angular choppiness thrown in, Underminded are skilled at what they do and Eleven:Eleven drips with passion and conviction, but also is filled with forgettable riffs and empty structures, despite the urgency of vocalist Nick Martin.

However, along with the stirring intro, “In Complacent Glass Cannons” shows a band willing to step outside typical hardcore stereotypes and sometimes deliver some music as challenging as their lyrics, but unfortunately these moments of experimentation is often the exception rather than the rule as Underminded generally rant and stomp their way through their material with little or no ingenuity, though there is lots of energy and political raving rendered through impressively chunky guitars and a tight rhythm section.

Underminded seem to having a promising pulse under their hardcore exterior, a promise that seems limited by hardcore’s very own restrictions, and I’d like to hear what this band could do when not limited by their own genre.

[Visit the band's website]

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