SLAM PIT WAR ZONE

“MIDNIGHT MADNESS AND BEYOND . . .” GBH. Combat Core. It’s not hard to see why this English punk band has been so popular with the local hard-core brigade over the years. On its third studio album, GBH delivers an unremitting blast of speed-metal punk that’s tailor-made for the slam pit wars. The rough ‘n’ tumble, live-in-the-studio sound just about brings the excitement of an Olympic Auditorium punkathon to the safety of your living room. Digested in small doses, this big-riff LP offers some chaotic, high-energy fun. But over its 12-song length, this unfocused blowout ultimately has you yearning for the good old days when the likes of Black Flag and Minor Threat wrote songs to not only slam by, but to remember as well.