Female Hercules/ Cruiser/ Pincher Martin/ The Knocking Shop: “Raisins and Vomit” (Ratfish Records)

There are four tracks here and all are out and out hardcore except Cruiser’s ‘Archangel’ which is an alluringly cool rock funk that is at once sexy and mysterious. The hardcore genre is as much abused by mediocrity as any other musical style but due to the quality of the conviction served up here, Female Hercules’ distinctive sounding ‘Firepower’, Pincher Martin’s ‘Aphelion’ and The Knocking Shop’s impressive ‘Before Again’ all manage to avoid the pitfalls of complacency. At times the music is derivative and imitative but what it lacks in originality it more than makes up for in passion and commitment.