About.com Rating

Strong Intention is a grind/hardcore band from Columbia, Maryland. Razorblade Express is their new EP, which runs about 9 minutes spanning 6 songs. The band has been around since the ‘90s and find its sound rooted heavily in the Agnostic Front, Eyehategod, and Cro-Mags vein of punkish metal. After actually seeing the band live and opening for Pig Destroyer, Goatwhore, and Eyehategod (on a boat), I can assure you they are well worth your time.


The songs vary from a few sludgy numbers like the title track to the more hardcore heavy songs such as “Rat Factory.” A lot is accomplished in the 9 minutes of music as Strong Intention have quite a bit of variety based off of minimal song length.

Some the songs remind me of the intensity of Eyehategod’s Dog’s Holy Life with their brutally honest lyrics and unwavering ability to beat down the listener at a moment’s notice. With all of the EHG mentions, Mike IX Williams does show up on a few songs and makes his ever insane presence felt.

Strong Intention’s major strength is the variety of speeds on most tracks as they tend to vary back and forth and unfurl a major bit of chaos on the listener. It is with these attributes that the listener is constantly hit with something new, whether it be slow blues laden sludge or over the top hardcore.

Even grindcore makes its presence felt on “Messiah Whore” before slowing down and then speeding up again. The sporadic nature of Razorblade Express is one of its most endearing qualities and makes for a very solid listen and a worthy addition to the catalog of fans of all of the above mentioned bands.

Albeit short, this provides enough promise to see what Strong Intention can do over the course of an actual full length.

(released June 5, 2012 on Patac Records)

Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.