No Love

***Finally! Despite a constant, five-year presence in Raleigh, NC’s fertile DIY hardcore community, NO LOVE's recorded output seemed meager: two demo cassettes and a 7” on the Sorry State Records Singles Series. Speculating punk atrophy would be understandable, but this new record demonstrates the complete opposite. Those around for their inception watched No Love struggle with their footing, treading those awkward tween years as a snotty punk band. Once the dual guitar chemistry gelled and expanded from trading hardcore riffs to a high tension game of set-and-spike leads, the shows started getting better and tighter. That confidence bled out ELIZABETH LYNCH's guarded nervousness, which she replaced with her signature sarcastic menace. No Love’s explosive debut LP, Choke On It, has been simmering in a centrifuge and wastes no time hurling potently packed punk rock nuggets at the listener. Clocking in 13 songs at 21:12, it’s a furious listen.