The second release for the Burning Sons is every bit as good, if not better, than their debut and more than deserves the honor of being the first new Mystic Records 12″EP in more than two decades.
Rating: 
Burning Sons – Reduced to Equality 12″EP
Mystic Records
Last year Milwaukee’s, Burning Sons, was given the honor of having their debut 7″ EP be the first new release on Mystic Records in 20 years. Now one year later they are repeating that honor with putting out the first new 12″ EP. This EP follows the same formula they used on their debut and it’s mid-1980’s sounding, no-nonsense hardcore. There’s obvious influences of Murphy’s Law and the Cro-Mags with the slightly metallic guitar sound and chunky riffs but the metal influences are slight and really only add some extra punch in the nice guitar sound they have. They have a great old-school sound and had these guys been putting out these records during the Reagan administration then they’d be treasured collectors items today as the music is easily as good as the stuff that I grew up on when hardcore was still young.
The EP comes in a full color standard jacket that has some really cool artwork on it that also has a 1980s hardcore feel to it. The back cover features all the credits, lyrics, and a photo of the band. There is no insert and the record is pressed on white vinyl which was limited to 500 copies and plays at 45rpm There is seven songs on the record and they are all very good and the production on this record was excellent.
Old school sounding hardcore isn’t easy to come by these days, let alone any that’s good. Burning Sons are a rare breed that sound retro without sounding stale and this EP is easily worth the price of purchase and it is good to see another new record on the legendary Mystic Records label that fits in with the label’s classic back catalog.
