Rapture is a Christian hardcore band from Los Angeles, a quartet making a rather striking introduction to themselves with debut album Trials. Recently signed to OnTheAttack Records, the band has also made their first proposition a name your price download, which with some stomping punk bred tracks the reward, is an invitation hard to turn down.
The band was formed last year by four friends who wanted to create and explore the music which excited them whilst also sharing their faith and love of Jesus Christ, an inescapable but not over imposing aspect of their enjoyable first release. 2014 as a musical year was a low key affair, the band only playing a couple of shows, but as this year broke the band decided to concentrate on their music and hit Birdcage Studios to record Trials with Allen Falcon. Approached by On The Attack Records who wanted to be involved in the album’s release, Rapture now make their first potent persuasion on ears with a full year of shows planned to back its unveiling.
The release is opened by Intro, though it is a little more than merely that. From the great growling bassline starting it off, it aggressively snuggles up to ears with abrasive riffs and vocal squalling, providing an unsurprising but swiftly anthemic and pleasing proposal all within 51 seconds.
Its fine start is matched by the fiercer but no less gripping Legacy where again the lively beats of drummer Tony Rangel demand keen attention whilst the grizzly basslines of Isaac Guerrera 
show themselves to be quickly compelling. The song is a confrontational prowl of ears, though as lyrics show, is more face to face with its own personal angst than solely challenging the listener, a showdown further driven by the accomplished riffs and enterprise of guitarist Garrett Gutierrez and the furious tones of vocalist Richard Haro.
Kingdom Crew steps in next with a rawer air and rhythmic chest beating. The band has been referenced to bands like Terror, Dynasty, and, xLooking Forwardx but certainly this track suggests a merger of early CIV and Shelter as a starting point in its bracing texture and sound, whilst Enemy Lines next rumbles and snarls with a slight air of The Bronx in its rapacious hardcore incitement. Though again surprises might be said to be low, everything about the track from its tenacious rhythms and grainy riffs to the vocal fight and group calls leaves a healthy pleasure and appetite in place.
The tempestuous Deceiver bellows and entices next with magnetic enterprise and attitude before the outstanding Nothing Else brings it all to an impressive close. The final song features Joel Muniz of Dynasty, and treats the listener to a rampaging march of inventive rhythms from Rangel aligned to the ever tempting bass endeavour of Guerrera. That is just the creative spine though of the most inventive track on the album, guitars alternatively spearing and spreading through the air with spiky imagination whilst Haro and band raise voices to their faith. It is Rangel which steals the show here to be honest but as elsewhere it does not work without the rest of the band’s impassioned enterprise and impact.
Without forging something strikingly original but avoiding anything majorly predictable, Trials is a promising and pleasing entrance by Rapture. This is a sure fire recommendation for all raw punk fans from a band with undoubted big potential.
Trials is available now via OnTheAttack Records as a name your price download @ https://ontheattackrecords.bandcamp.com/album/trials
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rapture/1403442699960183
RingMaster 12/03/2015
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