Album Review: “Dark Side of The Cage” by Cruel Hand

Cruel Hand are a hardcore band formed in Portland, Maine in 2006. The band has released a few full-length albums as well as a few EPs since then and most recently dropped a new EP titled “Dark Side of the Cage” in January 2021. The EP opens on a high note with the absolutely epic title-track. “Sink (And Swim Down)” stood out to me for its uniqueness from the other songs – I particularly liked the backing vocals and guitar solo. Track 3, titled “Get off the Cross”, is reminiscent of “Soul Searching Sun”-era Life of Agony, which brings us to the final track. The EP closes with a great cover of Life of Agony’s “Weeds”. Overall, “Dark Side of the Cage” is a really solid record and I’d recommend any hardcore fan check out Cruel Hand!