"Takes me back to the glory days when hardcore was fast and obnoxious and gave me a real rush. I wish there were more bands around today that could float my boat like that." - Barney Greenway [Napalm Death]Exploding to life in 2005 with their self-titled 7", Perth's Extortion wasted little time in making their presence felt. Unleashed later that year, their debut LP, Degenerate, cemented their position among the cream of the worldwide scene. Released by Perth's Common Bond Records and subsequently picked up overseas by influential US label Deep Six (Infest, Man is the Bastard, etc), Degenerate is now widely considered a high watermark in modern-day hardcore.2008's full-length follow-up, Sick, took things a step further. Faster and even more bloodthirsty than Degenerate, the lyrics went beyond the malevolent serial killer-obsessions to deliver an entire 'concept' album about death by bird-flu. Split releases with bands as diverse as Agents Of Abhorrence, Jed Whitey, Rupture and Septic Surge followed, as well as the incredibly raw-sounding Terminal Cancer 7" EP on Short Fuse. Recorded across three continents, the basic tracks for Loose Screws were laid down at Polymorph Studios in Oakland, California on a rare day off during Extortion's 2009 US tour. Working with producer Dan Rathbun (Tragedy, His Hero Is Gone), the band spat out all 12 tracks in a furious two-day session, with frontman Rohan Harrison then completing his vocals back home at Bergerk! Studios. As one final flourish, celebrity Extortion fan Barney Greenway of Napalm Death added his unmistakable roar to the aptly titled track "Grind To A Halt" at a studio in the UK.The results speak for themselves. Loose Screws is some of the finest, fastest and fiercest hardcore on the planet, and yet another nail in the coffin of peace and quiet.