Gatto Black – (Not) Ready to Die

The cat’s out of the bag with (Not) Ready to Die, the bombastic new sophomore EP from feline-friendly Buffalo post-hardcore project, Gatto Black.
Featuring singer-songwriter, Sal Mastrocola (EXNATIONS, No Net), this 7-song collection is a powder keg of emotions triggered by screamo vocals, chaotic drum beats, and third-rail riffs that will shock your system.
“But the thing about cats… they’re never afraid of their shadows,” and neither is Mastrocola, as he wails introspectively on the opening track, “Bitch I’m a Cat.” The singer-songwriter wears his heart on his sleeve and spills his guts via snotty emo-punk vocals that shake with anger and sadness. Each song is impressively unique, robust and layered, and runs a gamut of feelings that wallow in angst and insecurities.
You can feel these difficult, dizzying emotions on tracks like “No One Can Ruin Me.” This absolute tornado of a tune lashes out with bludgeoning blast beats pounding under frenetic guitars before transitioning into catchy, skate punk choruses. For how endearingly earsplitting it is, the production is impressively cohesive and structured and speaks to the talents both in front of and behind the boards.
Another stellar track includes the thoughtfully melodic, “Fatal Flaw.” Gatto Black’s post-hardcore influences shine brightly on this one and strike a nerve with catchy, sing-in-your-car harmonies and explosive cymbal crashes. It’s an infectious earworm bursting with nostalgic energy harkening to your favorite 2000’s acts such as Thursday and Recover.
As a whole, (Not) Ready to Die hits like a bump of cat nip. It’s the good stuff; the kind you want to tell your friends about so you can say you discovered it first. With only two releases so far and the project still in its infancy, Gatto Black has proven to be a band to keep an eye on. Get in on the ground floor while you can and give it a listen below.
(Not) Ready to Die is out now via Triple Hammer Records and available on streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music.
Categorised in: Album Reviews, Buffalo
This post was written by Matt Burgerhoff