RPG

Record review

Austin Imprints

RPG

Fulltime (Arclight)

Thirteen songs in 29 minutes burns half-life for most ostensibly metal acts, but Richmond, Va.'s RPG manage Fulltime thunder in land-speed record time. Southern boogie fattened by metal-lic riffs and bled by punk tempos trips the switch of the quartet's greased lightning debut, singer/axe-grinder Matt Conner's cold snarl cutting through tense arrangements like the unholy offspring of Bob Mould and Jello Biafra. "Stand Still Blues" burps redline rabbit punches with pinpoint accuracy, while "Lose It" stomps the fuzz pedal to the floorboard and "Paralyzed" cracks open an ominous hornet's nest. "You Gotta Know" is a no-frills amphetamine rush and "Crash Bam Boom" lays a swaggering, classic rock hurt on the ex. Not a hatchet job in the wood-pile, though the audio is only half of Fulltime; a 40-minute documentary on the DVD is subtly Spinal Tap, which may not register at first through the bong smoke until the deleted scenes. The band's commentary is hilariously hazy. RPG's aural assault sells its loud, self-described "simple" stomp, but the DVD fills in Fulltime with sardonic smarts. Burners take your marks …

***

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

Support the Chronicle  

READ MORE
More Music Reviews
Texas Platters
Sabbath Crow
Carrion Highway Weird Sun (Record Review)

Michael Toland, Aug. 16, 2019

Texas Platters
USA/Mexico
Matamoros (Record Review)

Rick Weaver, Aug. 16, 2019

More by Raoul Hernandez
iLLfest, Perfume Genius, Röyksopp, and More Crucial Concerts for the Week
iLLfest, Perfume Genius, Röyksopp, and More Crucial Concerts for the Week
Keep your ears open for these shows

May 30, 2025

The Opera, a Laboratorio, and One Wild Nothing in This Week’s Crucial Concerts
The Opera, a Laboratorio, and One Wild Nothing in This Week’s Crucial Concerts
Shoegaze, black metal, jazz, punk, and more

May 16, 2025

MORE IN THE ARCHIVES
One click gets you all the newsletters listed below

Breaking news, arts coverage, and daily events

Keep up with happenings around town

Kevin Curtin's bimonthly cannabis musings

Austin's queerest news and events

Eric Goodman's Austin FC column, other soccer news

Information is power. Support the free press, so we can support Austin.   Support the Chronicle