British hardcore and punk has been seeing all new highs in recent years. The British raw, gritty, grim outlook alongside the generally confrontational attitude seems to have engrained itself beautifully with chunky riffs and raucous punk. Hailing from the great northern city of Manchester, Going Off join the long list of UKHC bands currently tearing up venues up and down the country with an abrasive hardcore punk sound that channels the primordial, visceral anger that sits in the hearts of the majority of the British populace. With an intense and relentlessly energetic live show and two EPs under their belt, Going Off’s debut album What Makes You Tick? continues their blistering run of form with twenty-one minutes of exquisite hardcore.
There is something exuberantly fresh about Going Off, firstly they waste absolutely not time in getting to the point, in true punk fashion with all of the tracks being under three minutes. With lyrical themes worth “going off” about (pun intended), Going Off have something to say, and instead of slowly building with preamble they aim for the jugular every time. In a time where there is a lot of pointless conflations over trivial matters, this directness and ruthless aggression is something that will appeal to everyone.
Musically, What Makes You Tick? is reminiscent of the likes of Frank Carter era Gallows and brutalising hardcore bands Candy, Scalp and Gulch with blistering pace and chaotic riffs, you’ll leave the album feeling like you’ve been roundhouse kicked on both sides of your head at the same time. What distinguishes Going Off from their American contemporaries is the aforementioned British grimness and raw grit. This is exemplified by a Mancunian man’s observant and brutally honest rant sampled at the end of ‘Code Of Conduct’. With various other sound samples in ‘Black White Blue’, ‘Ugly Heart’ and album opener ‘More Love’, What Makes You Tick? builds an atmosphere that is metaphorical to the current state of the country’s and to a lesser extent the world’s poor state of affairs. With this in mind, it is very easy to get behind their cause and kick off some absolute chaos in the process.
The passionate energy in What Makes You Tick? will get you thrashing about and disrespecting your surroundings in no time. Every riff hits hard like a prize fighter’s right hook, it is as if Going Off have managed to bottle the energy of heir live shows and poured it all into this album. Impassioned, animated and lively, What Makes You Tick? has everything that you could possibly need in a hardcore album. ‘More Love’, ‘Premium Dream’, ‘Lowlife’ and the aforementioned ‘Code Of Conduct’ are stand out songs on the album, and are prime examples of earthy, raw, unbridled and unhinged UKHC. Going Off have gone from strength to strength since their formation in 2019; this record builds on the band’s two EPs (2019’s self-titled and 2020’s Destroy), extracting the best elements from both, doubling down on the mercilessly bruising riffs and somehow sounding more ruthless than ever. You can make a case that this debut will surely propel the band into the upper echelons of the UKHC scene.
It is safe to say that if you need to let off some steam, spending twenty-one minutes with Going Off will be just what you need. What Makes You Tick? is an album that will help shine more light on an already flourishing UKHC scene. It is safe to say that these rowdy Mancunian punks are on their way to the top and absolutely nothing will stop them.