EP Review: Redbait – Cages (New Age Records)

A year after 2018’s Red Tape, Redbait is proud to announce the release of their second EP and New Age Records debut Cages. This EP builds on the anti-patriarchal politics of Red Tape with lyrics addressing labor solidarity and the racism we see in both the halls of government and daily life in St. Louis, as well as more personal topics like addiction and animal rights.

It will be released on June 14th 2019 via New Age Records.

Blurring the lines between punk, noise-rock and metal, Redbait are a wild bunch clearly unwilling to compromise. The five tracks of this EP are exciting, angry and noisy numbers. Each one clambering for attention like five toddlers on a sugar high.

Super short and very punchy, Capital Gains is the wildest of the bunch. Our Town has a lot more meat to the guitars, sounding far more substantial before the title track erupts into a unfiltered levelling of chaos. Just when you’re getting used to the speed, Redbait slow things down for a really crunchy beat led by a drum/guitar combo that gives the heaviest of metal a run for the money.

After such a ‘metal’ track it’s back to the punkier speed for Bred for the Knife although the mellow finish is a welcome surprise. Mellowness that leads into Forever Ends Now even if it is short lived as Redbait erupt into a kind of post-metal rhythm before going all in on a hardcore punk energy finish.

Redbait – Cages Full Track Listing:

1. Capital Gains
2. Our Town
3. Cages
4. Bred for the Knife
5. Forever Ends Now

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