Work To Death

By Outbreak

Released June 9, 2009


Tracklist

1. (Work)ing Dead
2. Don't Want To Fade (To Death)

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Work To Death reviews

WayTooLoud.com

After three years without an album, basement-wrecking hardcore act Outbreak has given us the "Work To Death" EP; a two-track effort about the tragedy of the bleak day job with a total running time of just over two and a half minutes. The opener, "(Work)ing Dead", is almost two whole minutes of punk influenced hardcore. The initial pulsating riff sounds a bit out-of-the-box different than the regular hardcore that comes from the band, which is seen when the band switches back to 38 seconds of mayhem in "Don't Want To Fade (To Death)". Ryan's snarling vocals are strong as usual as his band mates join in on some gang vocals here and there, plus the shrieks and voice cracking from the background singer is pure conviction. Overall this teaser is short and sweet, now bring on the full-length!

PunkRockTheory.com

Three years after their last album there is finally another sign of life from Maine’s Outbreak in the form of this 7”, out now on Think Fast! Records. In barely three minutes they tear through two new songs. First up is a cut called “(Work)ing Dead” and it’s as nasty as it gets. The main riff is very rock n roll, only sped up with vocalist Ryan doing his thing over it. The backing shrieks are pretty friggin’ cool as well! Next up is “Don’t Want To Fade (To Death)”, a short 38-second blast to the head. Short but sweet… really short… too short… bring on the new full-length already! Score: 7 out of 10

PunkNews.org

What’s the appeal of Outbreak? That’s a lot like asking why people enjoy slam-dancing, hedg-ediving, or skateboarding without pads. It’s violent, it’s aggressive, it’s crass, and it’s fun. Outbreak throws back to the golden days of hardcore, but not in a completely aesthetic way like such similarly great acts as Government Warning, Double Negative and Chronic Seizure. With Outbreak, the crude lyrics, manic shouts and sandpaper riffs aren’t homage to the past -- they’re the full-throttle effort of a band whose initial ambitions exceeded their correlating abilities. But that’s kind of the charm. And while they’ve grown musically and lyrically since, the offsetting youthful vigor has helped them maintain a level of rawness that most bands would have lost after six years of touring and putting out records. Thankfully to rest any doubts that might exist based on the previous paragraph, the band has provided such illustrative examples on their new 7”, Work to Death, as the 38-second A-side “Don’t Want to Fade (to Death).” Toggling between a heap of gang vocals are the snotty thrashcore vocals á la Common Enemy that separate Outbreak from many of their hardcore peers. While the lyrics may be simple (and let’s face it, they are), the tenacity with which they’re delivered helps drive home the point that much more: “Don’t want to be plain and dull / ... / Don’t want to follow your rules!” Side B is nearly four times the length of the first tune, as “(Work)ing Deads” powers forward with the help of a pummeling rhythm and glass-cutting guitar lead. If you can stomach the off-key wails like most punks should be able to, “(Work)ing Deads” is a juicy hardcore jam, topped off by a fantastic group-shout breakdown to close out the song. Though brief in duration, Outbreak’s Work to Death is an enjoyable taste of the band and will certainly tide those over who have been craving more Outbreak while awaiting the band’s full-length followup to Failure.

Maximum Rock N Roll

Fancy colored, one-sided effort by these ex- Bridge Niners. I was surprised by how great this was considering how underwhelmed I've been by the recent crop of Bridge Nine bands. Fast early-'80s hardcore taking cues from the old school of NYHC - CAUSE FOR ALRM, etc., but with some SXE shout-outs and break-downs and totally bratty old school vocals not like N.O.T.A. or something. This rips and I'll be tracking down the new LP for sure. (TB)

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Work To Death

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Recording information

Release Date

June 9, 2009

Catalog #

TFR040

Recorded at

Trapdoor Studios
Leicester, MA

Produced by

Jared Colby

Mastered at

New Alliance East
Cambridge, MA

Artwork by

JP Flexner

Vinyl info

1st press:
- 10 test presses
- 300 blue
- 300 clear w/ black splatter (Hot Topic only)
- 700 white w/ black splatter