Hellbent Records is a relatively tiny entity that’s definitely still trying to make a name for itself. In accordance with this goal, it helps have friends in valuable places. Somehow, Hellbent managed to get two of Hellcat Records’ brightest up-and-coming acts and pair them together on a searing split cd platter. The result is utter chaos, and something that would rattle the nerves of conservative parents everywhere. If this was the mid 80s, I’m sure that if Tipper Gore, or any of the PMRC got ahold of this disc, there’d be a congressional hearing called order in a near instant. Regardless, the killer artwork is worth the price alone for this rad split, and yeah, the music isn’t so bad either. CRACK ROCKSTEADY 7 is just LEFTOVER CRACK under a different name (for contractural reasons I suppose), and the fives songs to their credit follow closely with their work on their recently released full length, “Mediocre Generica,” except there’s a little more ska herein. These guys have plenty of intellligent, poignant things to say, but their dopey demeanor keeps them from being taken all that seriously (espeically with song titles that read, “Drug Song,” and “Nobody is Free”). F-MINUS waste no time whatsoever with all five of their songs coming in at one-minute or less. “Love is Just a Tool,” also appears on the Suburban Voice compilation (volume 4), but other than that, all of their songs are exclusive to this disc. I still have trouble getting into bands where the music is over before I can fully grasp it, but F-MINUS are continuing to improve by leaps and bounds. Definitely check out their second full-length, “Suburban Blight.” Overall, this split CD is very cool, but at only 16 minutes, I feel somewhat short-changed. Then again, I think this thing is selling for a fairly cheap amount, and the artwork will certainly be the most offensive piece in your entire collection. So yeah, if you like either of these two bands, and pissing off your parents is still something of importance to you, make sure you pick this up and leave it in clear sight.

Hellbent

www.hellbentrecords.com