Reality Slap – “Limitless” [EP] [Album Review]

I’m not sure what exactly is “limitless” about this EP, as it pretty much manages to step into every preconceived notion of what generic hardcore is today. Everything slots neatly into paint-by-numbers youth crew hardcore posturing, complete with pseudo-intellectual samples that challenge the listener with such radical concepts like “we are not machines” and “imagination is not a state, it is the human existence itself.” It’s slightly less egregious knowing that Reality Slap are from Portugal, so the weirdly high school vibe might just be the challenge of language, especially when appealing to a larger audience that doesn’t speak their native tongue.

But it doesn’t forgive the fact that the Limitless EP is largely a rehashing of the usual hardcore tropes, albeit admittedly done with some frantic pacing and tight ass production. It’s just a shame that there’s not much happening that’s challenging or genuinely abrasive. The singer’s voice is somehow thin and hollow, and while the guitar work is gnarly, it also doesn’t stand out in any particular way.

One thing’s for sure though: these guys can play fast. This eight-song EP clocks in at just over ten and a half minutes, and that direct pacing gets more interesting when you factor in all the sampling going on. Overall, if you’re hyped on youth crew hardcore that doesn’t come from North America, you could do worse than to sit down to this tight little bullet of an EP. If you’re looking for some genuinely fearsome and heavy hardcore, then I would advise a pass.

Limitless [EP] Track Listing:

01. Beyond
02. Blaze
03. Limitless
04. Liberate
05. Escapist
06. Haymaker
07. Lone Wolf
08. Berserk

Run Time: 10:35
Release Date: January 13, 2017

Check out the music video for the song “Limitless”