Crooked Ways

Crimes of Passion comprises five songs of melodic hardcore that sound like they draw inspiration from Hot Water Music and that ilk — you know, that kind of anthemic, fist-pumping punk rock that plays well with people who missed out on the silver age of hardcore nearly a decade in the past. The kick drum is played too fast to be robust, but it’s played well, and the musicianship here is faultless. Even though the singer vocalizes with intense conviction, resisting any urge to merely scream badly, most of these songs sound of a piece. However, “Dark Passenger” and the title track have promising dynamic textures that hint at where Crooked Ways might go as it sheds the voice of its influences.