Alternative Press

Making musical aggression fun is no easy task-just look at the entire recorded output of GWAR (or Ugly Kid Joe). Maine's Outbreak succeed at issuing a merciless hardcore assault while sounding like they're having the time of their lives. Their second proper album detonates with a propulsive flash of thrash and 80's skate-punk. For any hardcore band to matter, they must possess top-notch instrumental skills, a unique vision or the ability to perfectly translate rage onto record. Outbreak succeed on at least two of those counts. New guitarist Billy Bean (also of No Trigger) throws in economic metal leads while vocalist Ryan O'Connor employs a punk snarl indebted more to late-'70s punk than late-'80s hardcore. Tighter, smarter and livelier than most current hardcore, Outbreak deliver another impressive round.

PunkNews.org

Hardcore is all about hard work, and there's no denying that Ryan O'Connor and the rest of Outbreak had to severly step up their game after hitting some unfortunate speed bumps. The odds were against them, but they said "fuck the odds" and wrote the best album of their career. Punk as fuck, right?

Yeah, it is punk as fuck, so it's no surprise Outbreak has taken on a traditional punk/hardcore sound rather than their old thrash ways. That's not to say they've gotten soft; whether it's the youth crew-influenced "Human Target," the old-school punk feel to "Temporary Hype" or the vaguely metalcore breakdown to "Sedate Me," the aggression is still there, but their songwriting is more concise and varied. Moreover, there's definitely a hard rock element to their sound; the aforementioned "Temporary Hype" has a driving single note riff and the concluding track "Concealed" has some light-speed scale runs that ensure energy without resorting to being untastefully thrashy.

Track 11, "Warning Signs" is a mid-tempo melodic hardcore song where O'Connor shows us some of his most dynamic vocals: less snotty, hardly yelled. It's the amount of variety that makes Ryan Eyestone's artwork that much more relevant: crazy, vibrant, and all over the place. But unfortunately for The Blasting Room, though very dear to my heart, they should not have been the place for recording this. The old-school feel of the artwork and sound would be best complemented by a rougher recording -- it only really benefits the music on the quick start/stops, anyway.

When a band writes a self-titled album, it's assumed their intent was to define themselves -- their sounds and their politics. Outbreak does this while producing relentless punk rock tunes in the process.

Daily Music Reviews

Yes, Outbreak are releasing their new album both on Think Fast! Records and on Universal Music's Trustkill. Yes, they're on the 'Saw VI' movie soundtrack. Yes, they've chosen a more punk way for their sound. But fuck no, they haven't got soft.

This self-titled album is only their second full-length despite a quite large discography. It's been a while since their previous album was released on Bridge Nine. They quit the label and had major line-up changes, with two members leaving the band to join Cruel Hand. It's a new start for the band, which can explain that this record is self-titled as it seems to define who they are now in 2009. Let's start with what hasn't changed: they're still making merciless music. The songs are short, fast, made of a relentless fusion of hardcore, thrash and old-school skate-punk. Outbreak are still furious and this album is totally raging. But they've put their thrash influences a bit aside to emphasize on a more traditional punk sound. What inspired them for this record seem to date from the 80's and before, from old-school skate-punk ('Temporary Hype') to youth-crew hardcore ('Analyze/Criticize') or even hard-rock ('In The Digital World'). The result is still explosive but more diverse. Breakdowns are concise and precise and frontman Ryan O'Connor delivers quick and abrasive vocals with aggressive lyrics full of conviction. Gangs vocals are many but not overdone to suffocate the songs.

Outbreak haven't drastically changed their formula and fans will be pleased to finally hear new material but this album definitely has an old-school feeling, from its artwork to its punk sound. They're still a hardcore band with a thrash touch, but some diversity didn't harm them.

Bombshell Zine

There's not too much you can say about this album, most of it speaks for itself. Outbreak are a band who play it hard and fast, straight down the line, no messing about. Their songs are short, you can sing or scream your lungs out with every chorus and this album will no doubt tickle the fancy of pretty much anyone into this straight up hardcore genre. The artwork is brilliant, production is solid, and the tunes are pretty much how they are meant to be in this genre from start to finish. Everything a fan of the band would expect, and then some. Fifteen songs, twenty minutes, one solid album.

DangerDog.com

Outbreak maybe the hardest working hardcore punk band working these days. Hailing from Maine (the last place I would look for a hardcore band), this crew has traveled five of the seven continents with an array of other unsavory characters including Comeback Kid, Misery Signals, Agnostic Front, and This Is Hell. If they wanted to rub shoulders with their peers, they have certainly done so. For more cred, Outbreak has Jim Siegel (Dropkick Murphys, The Unseen) on the knobs for this self-titled disc. If you're a fan of the Saw movie series, Outbreak appears on the latest installment, Saw VI, with The Countdown Begins.

While I recognize, and appreciate more, the punk angle of Outbreak, others who are into the omnipresent hardcore element running rampant in rock and metal today will enjoy their raw, caustic edge. The pace is unrelenting without being monotonous, and Outbreak can cut a catchy tune here and there. Two of the best are Too Paranoid for Politics and Concealed which remind more of rowdy melodic punk rockers than harsh hardcore. This sets Outbreak apart from most other mainstream acts who are all bravado and swagger, but couldn't carry a melody in a swill bottle. Frankly, with this genre not being my first choice of interest or play, Outbreak's latest is a fast and furious, ripping good time. Hopefully, they'll keep pushing the melodic punk angle over the hardcore in the future.

410 Media

I have talked here before about my love hate relationship with hardcore. When it is done right, it is cathartic and releases energy. When it is done poorly it is monotonous and hard to listen to a full album. Which side of the fence do Outbreak fall on? To my ears they fall on the cathartic release of energy side.

What sets them apart form the pack of hardcore is while they serve up all of the elements of good hardcore, they are not dogmatic in bowing to the rules established for hardcore. There is a melodic punk energy throughout the album that really pushes them over the top for me. Part of this may have been the involvement of producer Jim Siegel who has produces the likes of Dropkick Murphys and The Unseen and the mastering at the Blasting Room by Jason Livermore. I dunno what it is, I am just glad outbreak is doing it and I hope that they continue

Outburn

Outbreak is the embodiment of post-hardcore. The brutal quartet from Maine brings melodic and furious hardcore with every release. Their third full-length is no exception. Packed with 15 tracks, Outbreak sounds like a band having a ton of fun while pounding through every chord. With a nod to thrash and 80s skate punk, Outbreak adds another solid release to their discography. The band also serves up lyrics that are thought provoking and exciting. "Too Paranoid for Politics," and "Concealed" address topics like social anxiety and disappointment with the government in a fashion that is easy to relate to and easy to circle pit with. Outbreak does a fantastic job defining themselves with this album. As a band that has in the past been overlooked, it appears that they may have finally released an album impossible to ignore. Their former releases, You Make Us Sick and Failure, while hailed in the hardcore scene, can now be seen as mere stepping stones to this release that may be the pinnacle of their career. Outbreak highlights all of the best aspects of hardcore on this self-titled album. It's fast, melodic, and does an amazing job at giving disheartened kids something to relate to while also solidifying the band as a staple of the hardcore scene.

ThePunkSite.com

"A couple of review packages ago I managed to misplace a drop card for Outbreak’s two-song teaser EP “Work To Death.” This turn of events really upset me, especially after reading the tantalizing album synopsis and accompanying biosheet that hyped the eight-year-old group to be frontrunners of hardcore punk. And as I’ve learned over the past year – and contrary to my mindset prior to reviewing for The Punk Site – I can really appreciate a good hardcore punk album – emphasis on the punk. So I was absolutely stoked and ready for my chance at redemption when I learned that I would be reviewing Outbreak’s follow-up to “Work To Death.”

The album, serving as their latest full-length, has the lofty distinction of being the band’s self-titled effort – a distinction usually reserved for career defining products. And speaking as a newcomer to the band, I feel that Outbreak does the band justice, and effectively communicates their unapologetic, absolutely raw and unhinged brand of Black Flag inspired hardcore punk.

At first glance the album’s fifteen tracks in twenty minutes formula might sound disappointing, but that’s only if you view the album from a modern mainstream perspective. What Outbreak achieves in twenty minutes is a clear case against the usually expected three minutes per track and forty minute CD formula. Outbreak throws convention out the window and offers a myriad of sounds, tempos, and expressions in tracks ranging from twenty eight seconds to two and a half minutes. Very often thrashy tracks like “HL” and “Misdirected” seamlessly meld together with only an elevation in tempo truly differentiating them. Guitarist Billy Bean effortlessly rips through chords, and the high-toned screaming of vocalist Ryan O’Connor belts these tracks into complete chaos.

Generally, Outbreak avoids writing longer tracks unless each second holds purpose and direction. Tracks like “Temporary Hype” and “In the Digital World” use these extra moments to build suspense through drum heavy, anthemic intros, reinforce intensity through vocal repetition, and even some skillfully executed solos. “In the Digital World” includes some particularly memorable slower moments featuring gang vocals that prevent Outbreak’s thrashy side from overpowering the album. “Concealed” has become a personal favourite precisely because of the great balance between the aforementioned solos, big choruses, shifting tempos, and frantic vocals.

As I’ve already stated, Outbreak’s self-titled work is a great defining record for the band. It isn’t by any means hugely innovative, but it certainly sets a high benchmark in the hardcore punk arena. If you’re feeling low and need a boost of audio energy, then look no further. This is audio adrenaline."

JerseyBeat

This makes old timers like me get fired up and should get the kids going crazy. Outbreak offers ferocious hardcore in a classic style. Each of the fifteen pieces is delivered with breakneck rapidity, and at times the songs can actually be too brief. (“HL” and “Human Target” in particular), but efforts such as “Temporary Hype” rage with more musical sophistication, while “Digital World” has a classic breakdown that is pure hardcore excellence. The shout along vocals of “Analyze/Criticize” will strip paint and I was left in awe of this band. The blinding speed of “Multiple Personality Disorder” and “(Work)ing Dead” will elicit references to any number of luminary hardcore acts for these guys were clearly raised on the classics. The thick groove of “Too Paranoid for Politics” assists in the creation of an infectious chorus. There is nothing flashy or overly sophisticated here; Outbreak simply rears back and lunges itself at you as one cohesive musical force. I would have to imagine these guys must be incredible live. - Rich Quinlan, JerseyBeat.com

AbsoluteUnderground.ca

Stripped down and pure are the descriptive words I'd associate with this release. Angst driven, uncompromisingly aggressive and extremely fast all fit the bill as well. Melody? Scratched, Breakdowns? Axed, Singing? Fuck no. Ultra Fast drumming? Check, Rage fueled lyrics? 10-4 good buddy, Frenetic guitars? You bet your ass. What your left with is 15 tracks that flow seamlessly together over 20 some odd minutes to create the distinct feeling that these dudes from Maine are unhappy about the state of affairs in the world & generally dis-satisfied with humanity for the most part. A dizzying combination of 80s inspired punk/thrash/hardcore with the ethos of todays youth at heart. Combined with Ryan Eyestones vibrant and appealing cover art, this album is the highlight of their tenuous career and one I'm sure a few years ago if you'd asked Ryan O'Connor if he was going to make, the answer would be vague and elusive. Thankfully it did, and it's been playing in my stereo non-stop.

Stereokiller.com

Outbreak won me over a couple of years ago with the release of "You Make Us Sick" on Bridge Nine records. "Failure" followed and let me down a little bit, but was still a fun fast hardcore record. Other than a split with Only Crime on Think Fast records I hadn't heard much from them in quite some time. Honestly, it was probably a good thing. Not hearing them for so long has allowed me to appreciate this album much more than if I had kept them on constant rotation.

If you are familiar with the bands past catalog then you know what you are getting here. Fast, angry, snotty hardcore that doesn't slow down from beginning to end. However, clocking in just over twenty minutes, this time they did it better than ever. Ryan O'Connor has essentially rebuilt the band around himself and released this album on his own label, Think Fast. O'Connor has always had harsh and furious lyrics and higher pitched delivery and nothing has changed here. Musically the new band members seem to be quite a bit more talented than those on past albums. Whether it is actually a difference in talent or just better overall song writing is unkown, but I'll take it. In typical Outbreak fashion, the song lengths range from a couple of seconds to just over two minutes. The standout track comes at the very end of the album. "Conceled" is the longest song and the most diverse. Mixing the pissed off fast tempo with the skill of the new band members throwing in some twists that weren't heard much in Outbreaks earlier material. Those twists only really being two guitar solos, but when have you heard the band doing that before.

I just got this album about an hour ago and have already listened to it the whole way through three times. It is possible that I am just surprised and excited with it, but aside from a few filler tracks, I genuinely think this is the best recording the band has released. If you have ever been a fan of the band I think you'll love it. If you have never heard Outbreak, this is a great place to start.

Fueled Magazine

Fast and pulsing guitars, an attack towards the ears. This is how ‘Outbreak’ sounds, more aggressive, energetic and human than ever before. The words “Don't welcome the problems that I attract but I was born with a target nailed to my back, so stand in line and take aim” of ‘Human Target’ are spit in your face. With ‘Too paranoid for politics’ they prove that hardcore is the rhetoric of our century. Other songs handle about growing up, death and frustration, subjects which are related to almost everyone.

HeadBangHere.net

OUTBREAK’s latest self titled release out now via Think Fast! / Trustkill Records is exactly how I like to hear my hardcore: loud, fast, and with something to say. Seriously, I can’t pick a favorite song because the whole album is absolutely crazy from start to finish. Coming from Maine, the land of the lobster, OUTBREAK really knows how to run a million miles per hour over the track, and I can’t say they’re just fast, these dudes can sprint! Also in the OUTBREAK formula is a ton of mean distortion, tasty feedback, quick guitar leads, gang vocals, and one hell of a vocal authority from vocalist Ryan O’Connor (who’s also the co-owner of Think Fast! Records), and if you’ve been following OUTBREAK for awhile, you’ll see that the band is still sticking to their guns, and keeping that loud and fast style of hardcore alive. Thanks OUTBREAK!

OUTBREAK’s songs are short and sweet, but energetic and straight to the point. Opening the CD with “A Sign Of Things To Come”, OUTBREAK gets back to the OUTBREAK that we all know and love so well. Again, can’t really pick favorites, but I’ll take the bull and run with it like they do. “Misdirected” sends OUTBREAK straight to hell with loud, aggressive, and rapid fire old school hardcore riffs, and the song is about keeping your head up no matter what misdirection life takes, and standing up for yourself. Other great songs like “Too Paranoid For Politics” and “In The Digital World” tap into the ups and downs of everyday life, and awareness of this fucked up world like politics, authority, and imagery. OUTBREAK doesn’t give a fuck about what you think about them, and that’s a beautiful thing about them – they make their music straight from the heart.

Regardless of your view point of hardcore, whether you like it “old skool”, “br00tal”, “fast”, “tough guy” or however, OUTBREAK is one of the best hardcore bands of this decade that is continuing to keep it real. If you are a hardcore/punk fan, you had better go buy this now! It’s like one of those basic necessities you NEED to have: food, water, shelter, LA Lakers, women, and OUTBREAK! OUTBREAK really outbreaks (yeah, pun intended) with a ton of rage, hyper active riffing, and some powerful words. Their self titled album is an album you’ll be keeping in rotation. This is real hardcore / punk made for real people. I’ll say it again, buy this now!!

From listening to the music, you\'ll have a good feeling that OUTBREAK is absolutely nuts live! And boy is that right. Go see these guys immediately when they come to a town near you.