Pain Of Truth & Sunami – Coast To Coast Split | EP Review

2 bands, 4 songs, 9 minutes, 27 seconds of absolute rage and devastation centred on big dumb riffs. An absolute aural assault, this is unapologetic knuckle-dragging hardcore and absolutely nobody should be sleeping on this release.

It’s remarkable what Pain Of Truth have been able to achieve in just 5 short years, bringing to life the classic NYHC sound as if it was still 1994. It would sound like some lame parody band in less practiced hands, and their two tracks on this split EP show exactly why they’re the undisputed kings of New York in 2025. ‘Shattered’ does exactly that, shatters your speakers, ear drums, anything even remotely fragile in your near vicinity, coming absolutely roaring in with one of the beefiest riffs ever laid down, and from that moment on it simply does not let up until you’re left broken and beaten on the floor. The ultimate sound of a chip on your shoulder, there’s no tough guy act here, nothing forced is forced. It’s just a pure hardcore beatdown.

The sheer force of will on these songs is incredible, rolling along like a runaway train, aided by the hulking tone on the guitars elevating the size of the riffs into something monolithic. None of this is to say that it lacks artistry though; it’s there in the chaotic staccato riffing, it’s in the stomping drums. Both of these have been heard before, but this is hardcore crafted to near perfection. Influences are supposed to be worn proudly on your sleeve, it’s supposed to be in your face, why lead your listeners to a conclusion when you can force it down their throats directly through their skulls? There’s a blend of hip hop in the sound that fits so perfectly, the flow of the vocals, barked like hardcore but almost rapped like hip hop and the groove throughout the rhythm section, bring these songs to life.

As much as Pain Of Truth are every bit the gritty NYHC scene from which they originate, Sunami are every bit as California cool, still trading in brutality and aggression, still delivering an absolute pasting to listeners but delivered with swagger and the confidence they know they’re better than you.  Gritty and dirty riffing, pulling influences from death metal and grindcore, this is ugly, filthy and brutal, packed full of attitude and bravado. Both Sunami tracks are drenched in this sound of primal aggression, everything from the tight, drums echoing like a machine gun burst, buzzsaw guitars and the furious vocals sound like it’s being forced through a tube into your ears, everything fighting for attention all at once and somehow, all of it winning at the same time. It’s brutality with a purpose.

Sunami have always poked fun at that type of hardcore bands, and what better way to assert your dominance, than to do what they do, better, more refined and with real intent behind it. There’s progression and movement throughout the tracks, they go through so many different phases, a new riff a new passage thrown at you every few seconds, everything lad bare, its showing off with attitude, this is what we can do, listen or don’t, we’re going to play anyway. Tight and focussed throughout the verses, loose ramshackle chaos when they let loose and the release! Those nasty, oh so heavy breakdowns, built for dangerous pits. The 3 and a half minutes of Sunami on this record might be done in a flash but they’ll stick with listeners for much longer.

Coast to Coast couldn’t be a better title for what these two bands have done here, similar styles of out and out aggressive hardcore, but both uniquely sounding of the scenes they’ve come from, and owning it with pride. The moment you stick this on you’ll be grinning, laughing with pure delight, not because this is ridiculous, but because of the audacity of these bands to commit so hard to the sound and pull it off with genuine skill and passion.