Killing Time (NYHC)

When you’re talking late ’80s New York hardcore, you’d have to be crazy not to position Killing Time way in the forefront of your potted history. There was something in the synthesis between the original lineup of new school ruffians Breakdown and original Token Entry vocalist Anthony Comunale that created an almost supernatural perfection. Maybe it was their matchless mid-tempo crunch. Maybe it was their pragmatic lyrical content and Comunale’s no-nonsense delivery. Whatever the fuck it was, there’s no doubt they hit upon creating the ultimate soundtrack for violent lament. When the band unleashed this formula via their 1988 demo under the name Raw Deal, it soon became the framework for many new bands on the scene, but none of them ever came close to hitting the mark. -Tony Rettman for CLRVYNT