Low Profile make it clear in the bio - this ain't no emo. They mention a few Chicago area bands that play pop-punk/emo and denounce them as trendy. Low Profile, on the other hand, is a hardcore band with noise driven instrumentals and screamed, distorted vocals. It's loud, abrasive, angry hardcore with substantial experimental ideas at work. While the intro sounds auspiciously like a ghetto rap piece, the rest of the self-released album is quite good. Granted, not everyone will find "Hybrid Style" to their liking, but hardcore isn't meant for mass approval. Instead, a small devoted fan base will find this latest album appealing. There is enough melody here to keep things from sounding old and the energy is apparent. The band brings to mind many metal driven hardcore bands but I wouldn't compare them directly to any. There is enough originality here to consider the band as having their own "Hybrid Style", and comparisons would be a mute point. There are a few higly experimental tracks here, a few pissed-off rockers, and a medley at the end (4 songs in 8 minutes). If you don't mind a little attitude and experimental tendencies with your hardcore - you should find Low Profile a great distraction from the emo/pop-punk laced punk rock that seems to dominate the scene these days. Also, I'd like to mention that as far as DIY releases go, the quality on this one is very good. The booklet design is simple but effective and the 360 degree picture on the CD is a nice touch. Pretty impressive. --courtesy http://www.punkrockreviews.com