Album Review: The End A.D. – Badlands (Fastball Music)

Philadelphia’s female fronted metal/hardcore/punk band, The End A.D. was formed in 2014 and has members from some of the filthiest bands to ever plague the city of brotherly love.

The End A.D. has already pounded out two releases. Their 12inch color vinyl EP “The Smell of Despair” via Kill Time Records and their split cassette release “Sermon of Violence” with the all female Thrash band Tormentress from Singapore via Hellforced Records.

Now on November 29th 2019 their brand new album “Badlands” will be released through Fastball Music / SOULFOOD. An album really pushes all boundaries to the limit in terms of ass-kicking female fronted punk metal.

There’s some mileage on The End A.D. You can tell even though they’ve only been around since 2014. They’ve got stories and it shows through their music. A kind of punk-metal fusion that is as bloody as it is energetic.

Like all good punk, it’s very raw and very reflective of the times we live in. However, like all good metal it has also got heavy riffing, wicked rhythm and punchy percussion. All backed up by a snarling set of vocals that put the exclamation point on every single note. The energy of Addiction, Why Won’t You Die and Be Here Now ensures things are moving in the right direction immediately.

Even though Junkie Logic slows things down, it’s far from lacking in power though. The metal side of the band oozing through and delivering a hefty hit. It’s great fun.

It’s back to the more ‘in your face’ punkier stuff with Bitch Magnet, Enemy Action and I Feel Like Death. This is the top drawer side of The End A.D. Each track standing out in their own impersonal way.

There’s a bit of a lull with the unmotivated Tundra but it’s a short-lived dip as Alien Face gets a bit more rage-fuelled before I Wanna Be Alone wraps things up in an unexpected way.

Unexpected because it’s over 6 minutes long and really dives into the metal. Head first into it for a rollicking and rough affair. One for the sweaty and small clubs as a bunch of rowdy metallers and punk rockers lose their shit to it.

The End A.D. – Badlands Full Track Listing:

1. Addiction
2. Why Won’t You Die
3. Be Here Now
4. Junkie Logic
5. Bitch Magnet
6. Enemy Action
7. I Feel Like Death
8. Tundra
9. Alien Face
10. I Wanna Be Alone

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook