After a fistful of singles, The Chisel delivers an album with more attitude than a bunch of teenagers who think they know it all. Simply put, this is a more hardcore version of Chubby And The Gang, narrowing down the influences and providing a barrage of knockout punches from the off. I’ve played this half a dozen times in a row and it’s like the gift that keeps on giving, a record where the law of diminishing marginal returns is turned firmly on its head. Plaudits must be given to Fucked Up’s Jonah Falco for the production which is powerful and clear; perfect for this band. Despite the hardcore leanings, The Chisel occasionally conjures up surprises like “Retaliation” and “Not the Only One,” which both sound like Titus Andronicus gloriously toying with an oi approach. As one who is prone to making such things, this is going to be bothering the upper echelons of my annual top ten albums of 2021 list. –Rich Cocksedge (La Vida Es Un Mus, [email protected], lavidaesunmus.com)