With all the aggression of a pissed off bear comes the hardcore might of S.O.S. and their debut EP I Owe You Nothing. The release is just touching eleven minutes of well thought out and delivered intense attitude loaded quality hard sounds; though with the pedigree of the band it is really no surprise but as history has shown the coming together of heralded musicians from other bands does not always guarantee particularly great results.
The beginnings of S.O.S. were inspired a couple of years back when Terror frontman Scott Vogel and Hatebreed bassist Chris Beattie began talking about the possibilities of creating music together. The seeds grew in to a sturdier reality when former Agnostic Front/Madball guitarist Matt Henderson was brought in, the duo persuading him to be part of a band again after five years away from those demands. The band was completed when Vogel’s Terror comrade drummer Nick Jett and Trapped Under Ice guitarist Sam Trapkin were drafted to join up to the project. The songwriting and creation of the EP was a mutual group effect right down to the smallest detail and with Dean Baltulonis (Desperate Measures, Goes Cube, Freya) at the helm for the recordings production, the outcome is an impressive unleashed powerhouse of hardcore might.
The opening instrumental intro ‘Decontrol’ does not give too much away of what is ahead being a firmly solid slice of controlled driving music. Immediately its successor ‘Keep Me Outside’ explodes with all its angry might and Vogel rips the words from his growling throat, the S.O.S. mission is revealed, to challenge, menace, and entertain, which they do in equal measure. 
Apart from the defiant ‘Never A Brother’ the tracks barely pass the 1 minute 20 mark but the skill of the writing is such that one never feels short changed, the tracks are full and satisfying making the EP’s shortness over seven tracks unimportant. There is also a good consistency throughout and if there is any flaw it is a similarity between tracks, but as I Owe You Nothing is such a solid and appetising release it really is not an issue.
The title track ‘I Owe You Nothing’ is the strongest song; with machine gun drums, grinding riffs, gang vocals, and an erect middle finger it is an anthem and classic to be. Every track is in the face, a statement of intent and attitude but this song leads the way, and a song one just knows will have mass approval and participation at S.O.S. gigs.
I Owe You Nothing is a definite must listen for all hardcore and punk fans for its intensive riffs and incisive delivery. It may not turn a new page for the genre but S.O.S. show they are one of the leaders of the current flavours whether the members are in this or their other bands.
I Owe You Nothing is out via Good Fight Music
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Pete RingMaster 02/07/2011
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