Web Banners | Print Ads | Logos | High Res Photos | High Res Cover Art | Reviews

Outbreak "Outbreak"	This Is Hell "Warbirds"	Outbreak "Work To Death"
Last Lights "No Past No Present No Future"	Blackened "This Means War"	Smartbomb "Diamond Heist"
No Harm Done "Escape"	Grave Maker "Bury Me At Sea"	Wait In Vain "Seasons"
Hour Of The Wolf "Split with Lewd Acts"	Smartbomb "Chaos And Lawlessness"	Between The Wars "Death And The Sea"
Far From Finished "Living In The Fallout"	Only Crime "Split with Outbreak"	Hour Of The Wolf "Waste Makes Waste"
The Geeks "Every Time We Fall"	Bullet Treatment "The Mistake"	Ambitions "Question"
Outbreak "Failure"	Sick Of It All "Death To Tyrants"	Ignite "Our Darkest Days"
Between The Wars "Less We Believe"	Wake Up Call "One Eye Open"	Expired Youth "Where We Stand"
The Distance "If You Lived Here You'd Be Home Already"	Youth Attack "Don't Look Back"	Have Heart "What Counts"

Outbreak "Outbreak" 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. - Alternative Press TOP 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. - PunkNews.org TOP 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. - Daily Music Reviews TOP 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. - Bombshell Zine TOP 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. - DangerDog.com TOP 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 - 410 Media TOP 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. - Outburn TOP "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." - ThePunkSite.com TOP 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 - JerseyBeat TOP 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. - AbsoluteUnderground.ca TOP 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. - Stereokiller.com TOP 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. - Fueled Magazine TOP This Is Hell "Warbirds" With 2008's Misfortunes, Long Island hardcore crew This Is Hell delivered one of the bleakest records the genre has ever seen. Immersed in seething hatred and frantic despair, it still managed to drag in the listener through its energy and hooks. It threatened to consume anyone who got too close to it, and it begged the question: What could come next? With the five-track Warbirds 7-inch they answer that question with three short, sharp bursts of energized, visceral and antagonistic metal-edged punk and two suitably decimating covers. The anguish of Misfortunes still lurks in the background, but for the most part it has been beaten back by a determined hostility that practically dares you to get in their way. Of the three originals included, the best is the 2:40 of "Worship Syndrome," which charges out of the gate with murder in mind and rampages all over you before dropping in a seriously weighty breakdown that urges you to fight your way free of the melee. It's pretty stunning stuff, and they follow this up with a cover of Warzone's "Crazy But Not Insane," embracing the dynamics of the breathless original and backing it up with a ton of ire. Closing out the collection, they surprisingly manage to make INXS' "Never Tear Us Apart" sound every bit as menacing as that which has preceded it while keeping its original midtempo groove. Taken together, this is a solid statement that the band have a lot more to say before they are through, and one hell of a way to get some adrenaline pumping. - Alternative Press TOP Generally when hardcore bands begin meandering down the path towards crossover, thrash, and eventually full-blown metal, it’s because they’re running out of ideas, trying to expand their fanbase, or possibly see a little bit more cash potential in headbangers than two-steppers. But for whatever reason said unnamed bands begin blowing the winds of change, This Is Hell gets a free pass for probably not falling into those categories even while turning slightly in the direction of crossover thrash. Although the band’s preceding full-length was interesting and enjoyable enough, Warbirds looks slightly more appealing right off the bat, with song lengths hovering around the two-and-a-half-minute mark instead of the four-and-a-half minute tracks that populated Misfortunes. Furthermore, by the time the music gets going, it’s fairly evident that This Is Hell aren’t barking up too high on the thrash tree. Aside from some guitar soloing rarely seen in the band’s previous catalog, not much is different, and the tunes certainly don’t lack the hardcore wallop the best tracks from Sundowning, Cripplers and Misfortunes packed. Well, “Never Tear Us Apart” does, but that’s probably because it’s an INXS song. The other cover of the bunch is Warzone’s “Crazy But Not Insane,” which plays a great deal more to This Is Hell’s strengths, especially given that Warzone was exploring similar avenues at the time the song was written. The three originals on Warbirds range from pretty good (“Worship Syndrome”) to great (“Warbirds”). The treated vocals may be a little off-putting in this era of AutoTune, but evaluated without bias, they really don’t affect the songs negatively or otherwise. “The Search” opens the EP with machine gun riffs and vocalist Travis Reilly proclaiming “We’re searching for oil / We’re searching for gold / We’re searching God / Or so we’re told.” Midway through, searing metal scales enter into the equation to confirm claims of such crossover tendencies. The aforementioned greatness of the title track is held up by a solid minute of hardcore chaos with an interesting breakdown and subtly slick guitar playing through the second half. “Worship Syndrome” drags slightly in comparison and starts to lose energy, though “Crazy But Not Insane” follows and picks up the pace again. Warbirds is the first release since the band left Trustkill Records for the perceived greener pastures of Think Fast! Records. In a hilarious turn of events, Think Fast! has since inked a distribution deal with Trustkill, though unfortunately for comedy’s sake, it’s not set to take place until Outbreak's full-length drops. Either way, Warbirds is a tight collection of hardcore thrash fury that won’t lose many fans while charting new territory. - PunkNews.org TOP This Is Hell's Warbirds is a compact exhibition of the band -- a product of the American Nightmare and Modern Life Is War phenomenon -- strolling into simpler "crossover" territory. Some may be comforted by the change in sound, but the metallic trajectory set by their Trustkill farewell Misfortunes was pitched with this unexpected old-school curveball, and may take a few spins to finally warm up to. Their subtle melodic and progressive tendencies are substituted for jarring, shifting power chords and wah-tinged guitar solos ("The Search") and their structures are dumbed down to shorter song lengths and some traditional-styled breakdowns ("Worship Syndrome"). The production is crisp, antagonistic and the instruments sound tight, with lots of power on the accents. The two covers, Warzone's "Crazy But Not Insane" and the less predictable "Never Tear Us Apart" by INXS are fantastic; the former is a balls-out, modern rendition while the latter is a complete stylistic shift. You have to hand it to This Is Hell -- they never write the same thing twice and they'll continue to polarize their fans with admirably bold songwriting. - PunkNews.org TOP Google This Is Hell and you’ll find that it’s the name of a live radio talk show in Chicago that boasts ‘four hours of completely uninterrupted unedited blah blah blah’. And then there’s Long Island’s This Is Hell, a hardcore band that needs just ten minutes to blast through five songs on their new “Warbirds” 7”. I think I’ll prefer the latter any day of the week. Anyway, “Warbirds” is the band’s first release on Think Fast! and features five songs. Three of ‘em are new, “” is a Warzone cover and “Never Tear Us Apart” is of course originally by INXS. It makes perfect sense for these guys to cover that song because… no wait, it doesn’t make sense at all! But they do a pretty good job of playing a slower song while still sounding like This Is Hell. The other cuts are vintage This Is Hell with perhaps a slightly thrashier side this time around. The passion, energy and conviction these guys are known for, is still present and accounted for and thanks to Jim Siegel’s production job, even more audible than before. 8/10 - PunkRockTheory.com TOP Long Island natives This is Hell have been going full-force since their formation in 2004. There has been an endless stream of releases - a demo, a couple of EP's, a split, and two full-lengths - through those years. The Warbirds 7” features three brand new songs and two cover songs, something the band seems to rather enjoy (previous covers of The Beastie Boys, 108, The Movielife, Kid Dynamite, and CIV have been recorded). Warbirds opens with a bang. “The Search” picks up where the band left off with Misfortunes. It's fast-paced hardcore with a rock flavoring showcased perfectly on this two and a half minute blast. And while you're enjoying what you've come to expect from This is Hell, the band throws a bitching solo in midway through the song. It works quite well and is a welcome addition to their arsenal. The band soldiers on with the title-track, which may only last just over a minute, but it's a doozy. This song actually reminded me a lot of their very first 7” EP. It's a frenzy from start to finish. “Worship Syndrome” is most akin to their last long-player. It opens with a blistering first half, but then scales back the pace and allows vocalist Travis Reilly to take command. In fact, the entire second half of the song is essentially one big sing-along moment. The flip side of Warbirds features two covers which couldn't draw from any more polar opposites. Firstly, This is Hell tackle the NYHC classic “Crazy But Not Insane” by Warzone. The band plays it fairly safe and sticks to the original, though there is a little zest of This is Hell in there too - I think the mix of the song helps to establish this. Secondly is a cover of INXS' “Never Tear Us Apart.” The band took a bit more artistic liberties with this song, their interpretation actually sounds a lot like a Modern Life is War song for some odd reason. It's an interesting cover choice. I don't know if I love it, but I don't hate it by any means. I'm just caught off guard by it. This is Hell never seems to let up, churning out yet another release with Warbrids, and of course hitting the road to support it. The new songs are solid; I especially dug “Warbirds.” I don't think I enjoyed the other two new songs as much as Misfortunes though; that album was pretty damn great. This EP and the previous split with Nightmare of You are nice, but I'm definitely itching for a new full-length now. 7.5/10 - ScenePointBlank.com TOP It's so good to see poignant social and political lyrics in modern hardcore, where tiresome "my soul fire burns" shit is the norm. And it's also great to see a modern hardcore band that doesn't sacrifice their rage for Warped Tour accessibility. THIS IS HELL has been tearing it up for a few years now and this new EP is on par with their previous releases - -slightly metal-tinged screaming-with-conviction hardcore along the lines of early RISE AGAINST (who have since sacrificed their rage) or BANE. "Worship Syndrome" is my personal favorite on this five-track slab, and the other two originals are killer in their own right. The two covers on the flipside, a WARZONE track and an INXS one, are pretty unnecessary, but fun. - Maximum Rock N Roll TOP New York metal-edged hardcore punk act This Is Hell returns with a particularly intense a five track EP, Warbirds, featuring three new original tracks and two appreciable covers. Over the past several years This Is Hell has made quite the reputation as a deeply political, troubled band that, as implied in their name, speaks of the modern world as a hellish experience devoid of human compassion. Warbirds is no different, and fits naturally in the band’s thematically bound discography. Right out of the gate, the opening track, “The Search,” shoves the band’s politics at the listener without warning. Vocalist Travis Reilly belts “we’re searching for oil, we’re searching for gold/ we’re searching for god, or so I’m told,” instantly illuminating the religious guise so many American politicians hide behind, and explicitly making the obvious connection to America’s dollar driven foreign policy. The track features This Is Hell’s usual energetic breakdowns, and some appreciably pompous metal solos. The title track is business as usual, keeping up a particularly forceful sensory barrage of guitars and aggressive lyrics. The final original track, “Worship Syndrome,” neatly demonstrates the band’s knack for connecting musical style with lyrical intent. The track focuses on the tendency of religious groups to exclude non-members by using doctrine to antagonize outsiders. After a few quick and short anger-fueled verses and choruses, the band pulls back the pace, enters a mid-tempo breakdown, and mourns how “this false love and worship is the real tragedy,” and questions “if this is how it has to be.” The result is blunt, to the point, and intentionally confrontational. The final two covers, Warzone’s “Crazy But Not Insane” and INXS’ “Never Tear Us Apart” (yes, you read that right) are competent but lack the same drive as This Is Hell’s originals. However, it’s surprising how well their adaptation of INXS fits the album. Musically it’s unrecognizable, but as a closing track, it lyrically provides a hint of optimism amidst Warbirds’ dark soundscape. All in all, Warbirds provides for an intense and enjoyable eleven minutes. While rather short, the album serves as a welcome teaser for fans who have no doubt been quite anxious since This Is Hell departed from Trustkill Records and signed for a new home with Rise Records. So if Warbirds signifies anything, it’s that fans need not worry, because This Is Hell remains as solid as ever. - ThePunkSite.com TOP Outbreak "Work To Death" 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! - WayTooLoud.com TOP 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 - PunkRockTheory.com TOP 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. - PunkNews.org TOP 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) - Maximum Rock N Roll TOP Last Lights "No Past No Present No Future" Sometimes, bands make me want to throw up my hands. With LAST LIGHTS, it's in the best way. No Past No Present No Future, is the band's discography, bookended by an instrumental written after the band's singer passed away in late 2008 (the tragic result of a live performance accident). LAST LIGHTS channels feelings of personal agitation in a similar manner to that mastered by former Boston-area artists THE SUICIDE FILE and GIVE UP THE GHOST. Short declarative statements, with a couple important words twisted to great lyrical effect push around roaring guitars and manic percussion. Instead of the lyrics being about intimate romantic relationships, they're about the relationship of the path-breaking individual to society, and while these are not new revelations or new topics, the sheer amount of energy that is put into the compositions and performances makes it feel new and dangerous all over again. Unlike the YEAH YEAH YEAHS, No Past No Present No Future is a real blitz, one that has rage, frustration, catharsis and authenticity coming out of its pores. Its impact will be felt, not just on your eardrums, but in the hardcore scene for years to come. - PastePunk.com TOP When Last Lights opened for Four Year Strong at BU Central on December 5th, 2008, the band was celebrating their signing to blossoming punk label Think Fast! just two days prior, and singer Dominic Mallary was as energetic as ever, hurling himself about on the stage, screaming his lungs out and twisting the microphone cord around his neck, as he did nearly every show. A few hours later, his health began rapidly spiraling downwards, as he lost feeling in his legs and eventually convulsed in seizures after being taken to the hospital where he lost consciousness. Some 15 hours after performing what would be his final set, the last lights went out for Dominic Mallary, dying of a brain aneurysm before he could witness the full fruition of all his hard work and talent. Though the band decided not to go on without Dominic, their recent contract with Think Fast! allowed them a proper sendoff, giving widespread release to their entire discography consolidated onto one album. From their initial self-released demos to their Bad Habit split and Mightier than Sword seven-inch, there’s no lulls or shifts in intensity; the collection is as seamless as if it had been cut in one clean studio swoop. What Last Lights is able to do in 11 songs is rare. They don’t necessarily walk a line between the old school and the new school of hardcore, but they pull in the better elements of both and create something that’s as fascinating as it is raw and intense. Patches of short, fast Black Flag or Minor Threat riffs crop up (“Everybody’s Working for the Weak End,” “U.S. Out of New England”) to demonstrate the band’s sense of history, but co-mingle with discordant clashes of melody more reminiscent of Modern Life Is War or Bane. But what really solidifies Last Lights’ well-deserved recognition is the grimy, defiantly realist poetry of Mallary swimming in and out of the band’s damaging hardcore melee. Mallary graduated from Emerson College in 2007. After one scan through the lyrics booklet of No Past No Present No Future, it’s hardly surprising that he focused his studies on writing, literature and publishing. Troubled by the wretched, creeping normalcy of modern society, burnt out on suburban blight and the false promise of the American dream, Mallary paints a bleak picture of the youth of recent past: “I was raised by radio waves in my parents’ separate homes / While our future was mortgaged for the down payment on a war of our own” (“No Future”); “These days are spent trading in cheap white lies / I’ll paint them black and call it a night / I tried but the light was never enough / This life could be the death of us” (“Destroy What Destroys You”). There's even the occasional homage buried in the lesson, as the Clash is quickly referenced twice in “Love + Rent”: “He who fucks nuns later joins the church / In the sad small town where fascism sells / The youth have hope, but give them enough rope and they’ll hang themselves from wedding bells.” “Oh, Modern World” showcases one of the best single lines in recent hardcore memory (“Hey, hey, hey humanist: your Holy Grail is a cup of piss”) but it slightly loses its allure the eighth time it’s repeated. The only track exclusive to this disc is the instrumental “Sink.” Recorded in January of 2009 after Mallary’s passing, it’s pretty good for an instrumental hardcore song, but is clearly missing the key element of Last Lights’ greatness. Though lead singer Dominic Mallary is gone and missed, No Past No Present No Future is a stirring encapsulation of his legacy. Graced, with the hauntingly lush artwork of Tim Brothers and a lyrics booklet of complete with photos of Mallary and the band at their finest, it makes it all that much more of a shame that Think Fast! is abandoning compact discs, because no digital package will be able to capture the feelings that complement the music in this way. But to give gratitude where it’s due, Dominic’s final goodbye is in fine form with this release. - PunkNews.org TOP "Massachusetts is a coffin / I was born in a corpse" Being from Massachusetts, I've had the pleasure of seeing a lot of great hardcore bands come from the Bay State. Some of them go on to nation- or world-wide recognition, while others never make it out of local VFW halls. Last Lights, a band based out of Worcester, seemed destined for the former. The ferocious quintet formed in the summer of 2008, releasing a demo, a self-titled 7", and a split 7" with Bad Habit later in the year. The band was making quite a buzz in the local scene with their intense live shows. They had the passion, dedication, and raw talent that many bands lack. "My generation was born controlled / Hope I die before I get sold" Tragedy struck on December 5, 2008 when vocalist, lyricist, and primary songwriter Dominic Mallary abruptly passed away as the result of complications from Last Lights' previous night's performance. His untimely death at the age of 24 was undeniably tragic, but he lived life passionately and died doing what he loved. Following his passing, Think Fast! Records, the label with which the band had just signed, announced that they would release this, a discography album entitled No Past, No Present, No Future. The album combines the band's ten previously released songs with a new instrumental track recorded by the remaining members in January of 2009 as a tribute to the fallen frontman. "Fuck you, I don't agree with a life lived less than free" Mallary's poetically nihilistic, socially-conscious lyrics read like lines out of Fight Club. He sings about his disdain for the world around him, be it dead-end jobs, crime on the streets, or society in general. One thing is made clear through his words: Mallary lived his live by his own rules and did so passionately. I don't mean to focus solely on Mallary, but even if he hadn't passed away, this review would be very much the same. He truly made Last Lights what they were with his heartfelt lyrics and vicious delivery, while the band backed him with fittingly aggressive, punk-influenced hardcore music. Sonically, the band is not a far cry from classic hardcore/punk bands such as Black Flag and Minor Threat. "The lack of feeling is also a feeling / but don't press my face to the floor and call it a ceiling" Some say that the greatest hardcore bands only release one album before breaking up and falling into obscurity. In that respect, No Past, No Present, No Future will undoubtedly be the Last Lights' swan song among those lucky enough to discover it. It's truly a shame that the band was only able to record about twenty minutes of material, because this showcases just how impressive they were. If the band was this good six months after forming, one can only imagine what they would be like a couple years down the road. Although Mallary is no longer with us, he will forever live on through his words and music. I believe that's exactly how he would have wanted it. "This is my prayer: no past, no present, no future" - AbsolutePunk.net TOP Blackened "This Means War" For fans of: Hatebreed, Terror, Madball, Down, Hell Yeah! More powerful than the bands from which its members sprung, Blackened could be the metalcore album to kick your ass and melt your face. There's nothing feminine about it, but I know you gals are going to love the thick, chunky chops and bulky riffs. One problem I've always had with bands like Hatebreed and Madball is that they're too compressed and too over produced. Blackened has left the edges raw, making This Means War more abrasive, interesting, and more original than other albums in this genre. I have no problem recommending this to anyone who is into real hardcore. - EvilNeedles.com TOP Four seasoned vets of regional hardcore (current and former members of The Distance, Hatebreed and Fastbreak) deliver eighteen-and-a-half minutes of seasoned-sounding hardcore tight, visceral and full of enough tempo changes to hold kids' attention in circle pits anywhere with no part hanging in the air for too long. Blackened isn't breaking new ground with the form but they have that form in a chokehold - the old-school hardcore riffs have the right amount of swing, the thrashy metal bits jackhammer appropriately, he sounds really really mad. While the degree of melodic imagination in the riffs isn't at the same level as the band's technical skill, it is skillful and inspired in its angry attack. - New Haven Advocate TOP This is what happens when former members of Hatebreed, The Distance and Fastbreak collaborate into one band and combine elements of hardcore with metal to create their own aggressive sound that’s fast, hard and unforgiving. Fans of true hardcore are in for a very nice treat as Blackened breaks into this scene with a debut album most bands can only try to create. “This Means War” erupts right into some blast beats in between really slowed hardcore, creating a deep contrast that’s almost not supposed to work, but does. Plus the way they execute each transition with precision timing and force, you’d only expect from some well-seasoned musicians. Which is exactly what we got in this band when you take a look at each of the members previous band history. Only nine tracks make up this album, all in which give you a variation of blast beats, D-beats, heavy chugging hardcore, and dark metal breakdowns. Their passion for merging the intensity of hardcore with brutal metal chords pours right out of the speakers as there’s basically no time to breath throughout the entire album. I’ve never actually used the term “hard-hitting” before to describe any album, but “This Means War” could possibly define that term. 4/5 - WayTooLoud.com TOP Who? Connecticut-based hardcore supergroup featuring Hatebreed bassist Chris Beattie, ex-Hatebreed drummer Dave Russo and ex-Fastbreak guitarist Chris Legg, fronted by vocalist Jay Reason of The Distance. Sounds like? Hardcore. Oh, wait, excuse us: Hahd-kowa. How is it? It is awesome to hear Jay Reason shredding his throat again, as The Distance took a big turn for the pop-rock shitpile on their last record. This music's what you'd expect it to be, but in this album's case, that's definitely not a bad thing. Rocks like? Hatebreed, Earth Crisis, Terror - Alternative Press TOP From the ashes of the youth crew-influenced Fastbreak and sharing both current and ex-members of the Distance and Hatebreed, Blackened could have sounded like a variety of different things. Every member of the band is a veteran of hardcore, having connections to several eclectic hardcore bands throughout the New England area. They could have easily succumbed to sounding like any of the previous bands they served time in. Yet, they have a much heavier disposition than Fastbreak, are more unrelenting than the Distance and lack the repetitiousness of Hatebreed. Blackened is sort of like a blend of metal with the sound of New York hardcore. Not wholly original, but with a band having such a diverse background, it comes as quite a surprise. Not at all being a fan of Hatebreed, I was definitely weary about how much I would like this. So has it, several members have been peppered throughout the seasoned history of the hardcore juggernaut of a band. Thankfully, Blackened has a deeper, more inspired sound that resonates with you within the first minute of the album. They don’t really have the same mentality of a band of Hatebreed’s pedigree. Blackened comes off more humble and a lot angrier. Needless to say, they won’t be coming out with a coffee table book any time in the near future. The album wastes no time building up suspense or warming you up with an intro. “Tirade” opens, seemingly, right in the middle of the vocalist howling a furious diatribe backed by heavy guitars and a thundering rhythm section. It starts off quickly but slows down a bit to let the listener catch up. Their metal influence is showcased in songs such as “Let Them Drink Venom” and “Unfinished Business,” with the former being one of the highlights of the album. They show their `80s hardcore influence the most in the seventh track, “Unscathed,” with its simplistic intro having just a simple drum beat leading into a deep bass line. The song is probably my favorite on the album and it should please anyone with an affinity to earlier hardcore, complete with lyrics about being “the last man standing.” The album does suffer, however, from overproduction. I find the vocal effects, like the ones found on “The Great Sorrow,” unnecessary. They wouldn’t be out of place on a nü-metal album that’d be for sale at your local Hot Topic. It is a bit distracting as well, since they seem so out of place and seemingly pointless. Though the nine-song album isn’t extremely short time-wise (for a hardcore album), some of the songs could use some trimming. Overall, however, the songs are delivered with perfect precision and brimming intensity, no doubt because of all the experience driving the band. Blackened’s debut is a welcome one and makes a great addition to Connecticut’s excellent and constantly burgeoning hardcore scene. - PunkNews.org TOP Having paid their dues in such bands as Hatebreed, Fastbreak and The Distance, Conneticut now brings us Blackened. But don’t be fooled by the above bands because Blackened have taken it to the next level. They have brought back a NYHC sound from the mid to late 90’s. 9 tracks of hardcore the way I love it. It’s hard and heavy and makes me want to break stuff in my house. - FlexYourHead.net TOP Even though this band has been promoted as featuring current members of the Distance, and Hatebreed, Blackened stands a lone creating an album with a solid start to finish. "This Means War" is heavy as fuck built with suspense through each track. Hopefully Blackened will continue with this project even though they have their other current projects. I can definitely see them being the next big hardcore act to break out. Check out tracks "If I Could Say It All Over Again" & "Tirade". - Define The Meaning TOP Significant Findings: In Connecticut hardcore as in life, the more things change, the more they stay the same. From the robust late-80’s Oi! band Forced Reality came the unrelenting assault of 90’s CTHC, which changed both the metal and hardcore scenes as we knew them, forever. Blackened is a brand-new band that represents east coast hardcore with a generous old-school feel, and whose arrival on the hardcore scene at the tail end of 2008 symbolizes the Connecticut scene having come full circle after more than 15 years of steady expansion outside its intended confines. The heart, soul, and roots of the Metallica of our generation, Hatebreed, glisten without compromise on “This Means War,” Blackened’s debut full-length for Think Fast! Records. Founding member and current bassist Chris Beattie, and original Hatebreed drummer Dave Russo, who performed on the band’s demos and legendary “Under The Knife” EP, serve as the rumbling, primitive underbelly for the high-pitched screams of current The Distance frontman and longtime ambassador of Connecticut hardcore, Jay Reason, and seasoned guitarist Chris Legg of Fastbreak, one of the earliest of the 90’s east coast bands to revive the 80’s youth crew and post-hardcore styles that would come to flood the hardcore scene a mere few years later. Why Blackened’s debut works so well is that while its members are clear veterans, many of whom have moved on to more certain and steady positions both in the music industry and outside of it, they revisit an angrier style of hardcore that they all grew up on, in turn mustering just as much fire as a young Bridge 9 band would likely bring to the table. With Beattie continuing to go wherever in the world the Hatebreed name leads him (Koch Records, as of just recently), and Jay Reason continuing to forward his progressive interests with melodic rock band The Distance, you’d think these guys were drained or needed a break; no such thing by the sound of it. “This Means War” races through nine songs that are as much pure NYHC in approach as anything you’ve heard this year. Possible Diagnosis: Imagine if Kevin Baker of Hope Conspiracy and Piecemeal fame fronted “Look My Way”-era Madball, with just a bit more unhinged madness, and you have a decent starting point for what Blackened sounds like. The album’s airtight production by one of the most coveted producers in metal and hardcore, Zeuss, gives the album all the punch it needs to make as bold a statement as it will upon release onto the earth in January. As for an interesting CTHC fact, Blackened frontman Jay Reason has been Jamey Jasta’s right-hand man and the manager of Stillborn Records for over ten years already; one of the earliest releases on the label was Pushbutton Warfare’s “Wash Away The Weak” 7”, a band which gave members to Hatebreed and 100 Demons upon its dissolution, but also whose early lineup featured now super-producer Zeuss. So don’t think for one second that Blackened are merely some random Hatebreed side-project band. - HardTimes.ca TOP Smartbomb "Diamond Heist" If Smartbomb’s nine-song, 12-minute debut Chaos and Lawlessness was the band’s newborn infant (kicking, screaming and refusing to calm down), their full-length followup Diamond Heist is its toddler older brother. Though not too far separated, the older brother is more constructive, slightly more disciplined and knows a few more tricks. He is, however, still prone to bouts of unrestrained aggression and fits of youthful energy. Made up of two-fourths No Trigger and one-fourth Shock Nagasaki -- two Northeast acts that would seem to come from very different sides of the punk spectrum -- Smartbomb convenes in Worcester, MA with a sound that doesn’t exactly blend the melodic hardcore / skatepunk of the former with the throwback pogo street punk of the latter. However, to peg Smartbomb with a sound would be erroneous in itself, as their style has shifted slightly (but noticeably to the astute listener) from one release to the next. While their debut was more or less an anarchic frenzy of hardcore punk, Diamond Heist is not as easily classifiable. For one, the album has much more of a Boston punk feel. This may be due to producer Jim Siegel (Dropkick Murphys, the Unseen, Blood for Blood), but it may also be thanks to vocals from Eric Widing that for some reason now sound almost identical to Far from Finished frontman Steven Neary. The band also experiments a tad more, with a punk interpretation of a Ventures’ surf tune, and some upstroke ska thrown into Smartbomb’s cover of the evidently timeless Isham Jones / Gus Kahn classic “See You in My Dreams.” However, there’s still plenty of the frantic hardcore and skatepunk variety. Sprinting off the starting blocks is the album’s catchiest track, the fiercely outspoken “Barely Legal”: “Sign ‘em up and shave their heads and ship them off to die / […] / When you’re barely eighteen you’re too preoccupied / Too young to question why / […] / I’m alright if you’re alright, I pledge no allegiance to this fact / I am proud, and it’s my job to keep thinking out loud.” The similarly pointed and similarly catchy “Who’s the Terrorist Now” follows suit with a choral nod to U2’s “Sunday, Bloody Sunday,” while “Lesson Learned” blinks by in a matter of seconds, though not before calling out the (2008) totalitarian government and calling on listeners to “revel in the urgency of now.” “Crucial Times” not only sounds like it could be the name of an ‘80s hardcore band, but the song actually flirts with such a sound, at least with its gritty guitar intro and frenetic chord patterns. Though somewhat amusing, “Avoid the Lloyd” comes off as more of a personal vendetta than the universal antagonist for which it aims, while “Worcester, MA” isn’t bad by any means, but lacks the incisive, inclusive message of songs like “Blood and Sand” and the greater part of the album in lieu of a more local appeal. Still, there’s plenty to like about Diamond Heist. Though lacking the uninhibited aggression and brevity of Chaos and Lawlessness, Smartbomb substitutes in catchiness and accessibility for a solid sophomore effort. - PunkNews.org TOP Every now and then an album arrives that pushes every single right button, an album that has exactly the kind of sound I've narrowed down as my very favorite over the years I've been doing this job. Smartbomb's debut album "Diamond Heist" is that album, and hence you can expect a fair amount of bias to be present in this review. But even with the removal of bias, most people familiar with melodic hardcore / punk rock should be able to agree with me that this is one of the best, if not the very best, release(s) to come out of this genre in the last couple of years, on par with seminal records like Strike Anywhere's "Change Is A Sound", A Wilhelm Scream's "Career Suicide", Pennywise's "About Time" or Lifetime's "Hello Bastards". "Barely Legal" kicks off the album not only with fucking awesome riff/chord interplay at breakneck speed, but more importantly with vocalist Eric Widing's immeasurably great vocal work. Trust me on this one, you'll seldom hear as powerful, yet so fully melodic and full-of-warmth vox as he's able to deliver throughout the entire album. He sounds devilishly fiery and pissed off, but yet somehow manages to keep that intensity at a level where it's still ultra melodic and -catchy. He's one of the most passionate vocalist's I've heard on record, you can think of him as a perfect cross between Strike Anywhere's Barnett and A Wilhelm Scream's Pereira, using the best qualities from both vocalists into his advantage. His greatness comes through especially on "Lesson Learned", where his extended "Leeeeessssooooon leaaaaaaaaarned" yells will guaranteed make a mark in your mind for months to come. I could continue by naming more highlights on the album, but that's kind of pointless when every single song on the album is as close to perfection as you can be in this genre. Each song is distinctly different, the choruses are nothing short of incredible, and the intensity level is at a level only the best can achieve throughout. Or well, except for the only long track on the album, "PCH (Intermission)", the Rolling Stones inspired (though punk'ed up) instrumental piece lasting just over three minutes, which really breaks the entire album in half, and the NOFX-inspired reggae/ska-ish intro "In My Dreams", which is pretty boring until the gas pedal is glued to the floor around 1 minute into the song. But after that, you get three more tracks of melodic hardcore godhood. In the end, the album has raced by you in just under 25 minutes, which might seem short on paper, but it's really the ideal length for this album. It's bloody intense and a rewarding album, that only seems to be getting better and better even with repeat listens in the 20s already. Mark my words, "Diamond Heist" will be referenced to in countless reviews in the future, where it'll be named as one of the classics in the genre, as a great example of how you don't have to be particularly original to be brilliant. 9/10 - RockFreaks.net TOP Back when Smartbomb's latest EP "Chaos And Lawlessness" hit the stage in early 2008, it was given several listens to see if it could sway my opinion towards either good or bad. Unfortunately the short EP was a little boring even though it spoke in true punk fashion. This time around we are privy to their first full length "Diamond Heist" which promised to be an upgrade from their previous release. Right from the start, improvements were noticed from almost all elements. A producer can either help or hurt a CD in many ways and having Jim Siegel (Dropkick Murphys, The Unseen) as producer on the project made this album a whole new album. Where a slew of speedy riffs and awkward throaty growls once stood, we are left with a clearer, more Rancid(if you can call that clear)-like sounding band. The riffs are still quick, but they aren't sloppy like the previous EP. The vocals are more manageable now because time is take out to sound out the words (I guess so we don't think they are drunk). The lyrics still stand strong, filled with anti-flag spiels and political anthems shouted for all to hear. The one thing I did enjoy about their EP, as well as "Diamond Heist" is the honest and true unchanged punk atmosphere created with their music. This could fly now just as well as it could when punk emerged decades ago. That being said, the album is also criminally short, clocking in at about 22 minutes for a 12 track endeavor. Yea punk is a violent and quick display of protest but if I'm shelling out my hard earned bucks(I wish I had some of these) then it better be for an album that can outlast an episode of the Simpsons. Besides that, much progression has been made to the band that was once called "No Trigger’s side project." And while the swift and political punk rock isn't something to listen to everyday, Smartbomb has cleaned up nice for their debut "full"-length. - SkylinePress.net TOP Smartbomb had an EP released earlier in the year that sounded like some hyper kids trying to fit in with the skate-punks and hardcore bands of California. Fun, but a little messy. For their debut full-length, “Diamond Heist”, they’ve completely cleaned up the sound production and created an almost perfect combination of speed, adrenaline and melody. Right from the start the music has an intense quality that every punk album should have with speedy guitar and drum interaction and energetic hooks. Eric Widing’s vocals are definitely one of the most distinct in today’s punk era– very close to Strike Anywhere’s Thomas Barnett with the harmonic voice jumps. There’s definitely a sense of anger in his voice but it’s kept back as he lets the lyrics do all the screaming. Which brings us to the lyrics, and with song titles like “Barely Legal” and “Avoid The Lloyd” the band gives off a humorous impression. But while there is some random humor mixed through the album, most of the lyrics are all but laughable. “Barely Legal” talks about all the kids who are shipped off to war without being old enough to question why, while the hardcore influenced “Crucial Times” has a political agenda to make people think for themselves and deals with the “propaganda machine… whether it be communism or the most modern terrorism”, definitely thought provoking and catchy with the “Hey! These are crucial times!” gang chant at the end. An advantage to “Diamond Heist” is the array of sounds this No Trigger side project has, from the white-boy reggae intro on “In My Dreams”, an amusing twist to keep your attention, to the daring, yet catchy, three-minute intermission. For the flipside, the only thing I have a problem with is the fade-out at the end of “Blood & Sand”; there’s no reason for a fading out in punk rock, leave that for the radio friendly. But with that said, Smatbomb’s solid knowledge of the punk way of life will certainly win over fans of the genre. 4.5/5 - WayTooLoud.com TOP Why doesn't this type of pop punk still exist in widespread media? Fast tempos, quick guitar strumming, and a chorus that is sung at the same speed as the verses, Smartbomb brings back a style that was around in 2002 and 2003. It could almost be on the border of speed punk (think Bigwig) on some levels but overall, Smartbomb has put out a solid release. Listening to this release in the car, the high energy carries through each song. It's sad that the release doesn't have more songs than the eleven that are included. Hopefully, Smartbomb will continue to release CDs that are as good as this or even better. Even if this is the bottom of the barrel for them, it still sounds a lot better than the mainstream "punk" bands that are in the media today. If things remain circular, bands like Smartbomb will become popular in the mainstream without having to change themselves. The recording and final mix of the CD is done well. I only wish the bass was a little more prevalent in the songs. I can hear everything else without any trouble, but the bass is a little passive. The drum kit recording is one of the best I've ever heard; there aren't any echoes or lost beats in any of the songs. The vocals also impress, each syllable is distinct and clear, even if you can't understand everything that's being sung. There just aren't any faults with this release; it continues the great trend of pop punk as it should be. It's time for punk to reclaim its name from the bands that call themselves punk in the eyes of big corporate media. Smartbomb is on the forefront of this trend, bringing back the music to where it should be played and at the best speed possible. Punk is all about emotion and Smartbomb has plenty of it. 4/5 - PunkBands.com TOP This the way songs should be...12 songs in under 25 minutes. Hell Yeah! And Smartbomb throws alot of music at ya in those 25 minutes. Fast, furious and catchy. These 4 guys know how to put it together. A rush of guitars, bass, drums and smart vocals push through these 12 songs and make me wanna shout. "Who's the Terrorist Now?" Indeed, I think we all know by now who those bastards are. So if you're feeling down about how we're all getting ground down by the greedheads and you have 30 minutes, I would suggest dropping this disc in a player and cranking it to 10! This is the only Smartbomb we should ever know. So let's go...really fast... 5/5 - RebelNoise.com TOP Hardcore punk that starts off with both guns blazing then cools down after the "intermission". Fast catchy riffs lay down the foundation for smokin' tracks like Who's The Terrorist Now ? and (my favorite) Crucial Times. Had this been cut down to an EP it would've been brilliant. Don't get me wrong, it's still above average and worth checking out. - East Coast Romper TOP For years there's been a gap in the punk scene. Bands like TSOL, Bad Brains, and the Descendents pumped us all up, wrote songs to make mix tapes with, and gave us logos to doodle on our notebooks. But the true punk herd is thinning as the ranks of goofy, glam inspired pop punk are growing. Smartbomb is one of a rare breed of true punk bands that can fill the void. They play punk for punks. With snotty vocals, fast drums and simplistic guitars - none of which are over produced or sissyfied - these guys shoot from the hip and deliver a slightly crusty, always aggressive sound. If you're familiar with TKO records and their brand of punk you'll be glad to know one of the guys from Shock Nagasaki is in this band. - EvilNeedles.com TOP Smartbomb's members have done time in No Trigger and Shock Nagasaki, and you can hear their influence in Smartbomb's melodic hardcore/punk sound (specifically No Trigger). However, Diamond Heist is more a decent slab of less melodic purely raw speed that rocks a little bit more like old Descendents records, the Unseens's brighter mombents (what's up, "Worcester, MA"?) or the now defunct New Mexican Disaster Squad. The problem is, Smartbomb pale in comparison to the songwriting talents of those bands; what's consequently left is superb background punk rock in need of more dynamism, chord changes, vocal inflection...anything to further break up the songs. Admittedly, late efforts like their ruggedly fun cover of Louis Armstrong's "In My Dreams", the EpiFat-nodding "My Wicked Mind" and multi-part closer "Undercurrents" keep Smartbomb's heads above water. - Alternative Press TOP Snotty fast fun punk rock coming from Worester MA. Featuring members of No Trigger and Shock Nagaski and produced by Jim Siegel. SmartBomb are now not just a side project and are jumping into the frontlines as a MAJOR BAND playing endless amounts of shows and tours. The music can be compared to NOFX or The Descendents with a sprinkling of Screeching Weasel. - PunkGlobe.com TOP In today's punk soundscape everyone seems to play some variant of the age old genre. Pop-punk, skate-punk, street-punk, cabaret-punk, horror-punk... and the list goes on. Few bands avoid the hyphen, opting for sounds generally described as modern "updates" to the genre. And while inter-genre convergence celebrates various musical styles and influences, bands buying into these trend tends to under-appreciate the power of straight-up "punk." Evidently Worcester, Massachusetts' Smartbomb recognized this reality and has dutifully provided us with an instant classic to fill this void. Playing in a familiar, but very neglected, unhyphenated-punk, their full length debut, "Diamond Heist," instantly reminds its listeners of the passion that gave punk music its original draw. While there are certainly hyphenated influences scattered throughout the album, the traditionally fast tempo and vocal range (that narrowly avoids degrading into a growl) ground the album in an unmistakably "punk" foundation. Songs like "Who's The Terrorist Now" and "Worchester, MA" sound unmistakably influenced by the unyielding drum beats and fast but simple guitar chords of early Anti-Flag and The Unseen. Because of its rock solid punk core when the band subtly draws upon various other schools of punk they momentarily enhance their sound rather than jeopardize their foundation. For example, "Crucial Times" ends with a slower, street-punk influenced backdrop featuring a crowd shouting the track's title. Because this marks the sub-genre's lone appearance, the shouting harnesses street-punk's inherent political conscious, successfully highlighting the song's urgent call for political change. Other songs like "Second View" contain tinges of early Decedents pop-punk, while the slightly smoother vocals on tracks like "Barely Legal" and "Avoid the Lloyd" instantly garner comparisons to 90's melodic skate-punk. For the album's second half the band slows down the tempo (although still fast by contemporary standards) after a well executed "Intermission." During the first half of the album the tracks never really stop but seamlessly blend together. Consequently, the 23 seconds of pseudo silence (listening carefully reveals ocean waves) commencing the intermission make the slower, punk-rock influenced, bass heavy intermission quite powerful. The "Intermission" also helps ease the listener into the album's second half's more experimental tone. Following the intermission, "In My Dreams" throws a curve ball by introducing barely audible female backing vocals and a very "bouncy" beat. The final track, "Undercurrents," even throws in a couple rock inspired guitar solos and some bass work that wouldn't sound out of place in a punkabilly tune. Throughout the entire album socially conscious lyrics call for change. The lyrical continuity also helps bind the later more experimental tracks with the more traditional songs that define pre-intermission "Diamond Heist." All together, Diamond Heist provides a pleasant surprise for those of us yearning for new bands who pay respect to unhyphenated "punk." For this, Smartbomb delivers in spades and will likely find itself in heavy rotation on my playlists. - Punk Music Reviews TOP I reviewed their last release just two months ago and I must say; this one complements it quite well. It’s an enjoyable experience following a band from their start and watching them grow. This release makes me hope that I’m able to keep watching them until their final moments, which, if this CD is any implication, will be epic. This one has more of a melodic influence then previous releases and the single best moment on the record is the song “Blood and Sand.” Keep it up, guys. - Razorcake TOP No Harm Done "Escape" No Harm Done is a 3 word band name. I can think of another 3 word band name that I bet these guys are tired of hearing about: Set Your Goals. Yes, you guessed it. No Harm Done is more pop punk than hardcore -- sort of a strange divergence for Think Fast! Records, it seems. Now, to me, that is NOT a problem. I love Set Your Goals. And after a few listens, I start to hear other nods. There are HUGE nods to Reach The Sky's last two lps and even a few nods to later era Good Riddance. If you aren't seeing the common thread, just know that I am digging this album. After digging a little more, I realized one of the band members if very familiar. Charles from Get Outta Town Records. I have no freaking clue how this guy does it. He runs a label, plays in at least 4 bands I can think of and probably has some sort of day job. How he manages all that, I'll never know. What I do know, this album is probably my favorite project of his. And Charles involvement probably explains the Think Fast! so-called divergence. PS. A coworker just brought in a crap ton of candy: jolly ranchers, sweet tarts, twizzlers, ... The good stuff. I don't believe the sugar has biased my review, though. - HowsYourEdge.com TOP My cousin told me once that punk rock was best written when angry. Now that might not be true for a handful of quality acts, No Harm Done definitely has some issues on their mind that they aren’t afraid to voice. Okay, maybe not anger, but when a band chants “Fuck your glory days!” you know it’s all about what’s happening now and those folk who still live in the past need to push fast forward. Plus the fervor only fuels the sonic quality of their punk rock, which is always a plus when the instruments are played loud and fast and the drumming sounds like it could fall apart at any time. “Escape” is nothing short of punk rock, 14 tracks of speed with no extra noises or interruptions. The melodies will have you singing along with the short breakdowns and gang “whoa”s. The vocals are sung clearly which gives them a sound similar to former Canadian skate-punks Belvedere, but with a slightly less metallic quality– which means it’s the type of record you blast in your stereo if you’re a tad blue from remembering the good ol’ days of up-tempopunk rock. For being together for only 4 short years I can see why No Harm Done is leaving a lasting impression in every city they play. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a sudden urge to take my BMX out for a session. - WayTooLoud.com TOP Hurray for No Harm Done! Escape, the third full-length from this melodic punk/hardcore group, is a breath of fresh air during the suffocating month of August. I received this record a while ago and it's been rotating heavily through my mp3 player as well as my car stereo. I just can't help it. These guys play a brand of energetic punk combined with nice bits of melody and hardcore, all of which help to form an infectious and heart-warming sound. Think of all of those great melodic punk bands that put a smile on your face as you blasted their records while driving to work, windows down, screaming along; New Found Glory, Lifetime, Lagwagon, etc. These guys fit right into that category with wonderfully simplistic music, honest lyrics, and a conviction behind the performances that is so rare in this day and age. While sterile, "marketable" bands also claiming the punk moniker continue to climb the charts and get the girls, it's reassuring to hear a band that is coming from an almost archaic approach to DIY punk rock. Maybe I'm jumping the gun. Maybe the way the music presents itself is nothing like how these guys actually are. If that's the case, they've done a hell of a job convincing me otherwise. No Harm Done come off as a bunch of guys that write tunes in a shitty practice space, working for hours on the perfect chorus or rhythm, one that will imbed itself in your brain. From the opening chant of "This is my escape" from singer Matt Cantwell, I believe everything the man has to say. His approach to the lyrics is simple; talk about what you know. I don't believe for a second that Cantwell hasn't lived what he sings, there's just that much passion behind it all. While listening to the record, I imagine the band playing basement shows and tearing the place down with their good time vibe. Escape is a great call to arms for punk rock. It helps remind us that the music itself is what's important, that marketability and advertising campaigns shouldn't be the focus of a band. Hell, there's not even a picture of these guys on their press release, which is also a testament to the approach taken by Think Fast! Records. More and more often I find myself digging this label and the releases it puts out. In fact, as of the writing of this review, all four records we've commented on for punkbands.com have received four stars; that's a hell of a streak and I'm certainly not gonna break it, not with another quality release such as this one. Check these guys out and check out Think Fast! Records; I have a feeling we're gonna be hearing more about No Harm Done and I certainly hope Think Fast! continues to back talented, passionate bands with something to contribute to the independent music community at large. - PunkBands.com TOP Florida melodic punk/hardcore band NO HARM DONE have been fighting for respect for years. After stumbling around with a melodicore sound that was mostly dated in the vein of early NO USE FOR A NAME, and a later nods towards the swelling hardcore influence of STRIKE ANYWHERE and Fat Wreck era RISE AGAINST, the group has finally found its niche in Escape, a brisk, 14 song full-length that rocks from start to finish. With the addition of Charles Chaussinand on guitar (owner of Getta Outta Town Records, and an occasional contributor to Pastepunk), and the emergence of singer Matt Cantwell as a confident vocalist, the band is focused, and full of energy as it rips through nearly half an hour of fast, anthemic tunes, topped out with a smashin' recording from Jim Siegel's Outpost studios. Cantwell's voice on here is a mix of the looseness and swagger of the BOUNCING SOULS' Greg Attonito, and the outsized, slightly nasal reaching of LIFETIME's Ari Katz. Melodic and sorta smooth, but certainly not slick. It works, especially as the beats-per-minute push higher on songs like "The Untouchables," "A Radio With Guts," "Welcome to Florida," and the album's best titled song, "A Quarter Tank of Gas and a Kill Your Idols Record." NO HARM DONE's rhythm section is tiiiiiiiiiiiiiight, and while not overly technical, their abilities and playing style snuggle up closely with bands like NO TRIGGER, THE FIRE STILL BURNS, and KID DYNAMITE. Escape is as good a "break out" release as I've heard all year, and it's really hard to not smile a lot while taking this one in and singing along. - PastePunk.com TOP Hardcore and punk rock has been around for over twenty years. The sound has changed to include more melody, more metal, more this or that. To create a truly great hardcore/punk album, you’ve got to keep true to the real sound while adding room to experiment and make yourself sound different from every other band out there. No Harm Done has done just that. This Orlando, FL based band has gone with more melody, less fury when it comes to their songs. Following the paths of greats like Strung Out, Rise Against, Stretch Arm Strong, and a few others, No Harm Done has brilliantly assembled songs that ride the border between punk and hardcore while making them catchy enough that they’re listenable to anyone. Their fun and upbeat jams will bring back thoughts of better days for those older kids, and hell, they’ve even got a song called “A Quarter Tank of Gas and a Kill Your Idols Record”. If anyone can find something to not Escape from No Harm Done, I’d love to hear it. When it comes to writing songs for this genre, this band has it down solid. - SkylinePress.net TOP No Harm Done is a young band, yet they've already managed to criss-cross the U.S., put out several releases and make a marked change in sound. Escape, their third full-length and debut for Think Fast!, strips down their style considerably. Instead of the gravelly, technical skatepunk-leanings of their earlier output, Escape succeeds on a more streamlined and poppy but totally competent and coherent melodic hardcore plane. In the first few songs on Escape, immediate similarities to a more straightforward Crime in Stereo circa The Troubled Stateside ("I Decline") and post-reunion Lifetime ("One Thirty-Six AM") run rampant. It helps that vocalist Matt Cantwell has a slightly raspy but overall cleaner delivery than before and is now pretty reminiscent of CIS's Kristian Hallbert. Heck, fans of Set Your Goals will probably take a liking, too. In any event, the smoother flair helps No Harm Done sound more heartfelt and succinct. A likely contributing factor to the band's simpler approach is the addition of guitarist Charles Chaussinand. In addition to running Get Outta Town Records, Chaussinand has played in Make or Break, a pretty straightforward hardcore act themselves. His fast-paced power chords and occasional frill helps provide a base that works for No Harm Done just as much as the guitar wizardry of their past did. Escape makes good on its title, with the band often singing about wanting to leave their desolate state of Florida, from the anthemic, one-line opener "My Escape" to "Welcome to Florida" ("fuck the sunshine, fuck this state"), otherwise exploring loneliness, desperation and confusion common for the members' age (something like 16-20 or so). No Harm Done already seemed to have their transition record with last year's EP, the appropriately titled The Start of Something New. Escape is definitely the first complete effort for them showing off their new chops, and though it doesn't feel entirely versatile or the songs too well-rounded, it's still a solid one at that. As the band further explore this new terrain, one can be assured their songwriting will get better and the ambition to try something new will push them into much more impressive territory. - PunkNews.org TOP This band is so FL it hurts. I know they're all really young, but they remind me of veteran acts like the Shook Ones, Bad Religion, Strike Anywhere, and Fifteen. They have the sweaty skater punk sound down pact, but with their bright and bubbly surfer-pop style it's hard to peg them as simply pop punk or hardcore band. Let's just say they play fast, they sound like they're having fun, and they bear a striking resemblance to Set Your Goals. Rock on FL!! - EvilNeedles.com TOP Sweet and melodic hardcore that reminds me of SAMIAM or THE LEFTOVERS mixed with mid-period AFI, but with the dreaded "modern" sound. Can you say SAVES THE DAY? This is not necessarily my cup of coffee, but I do have to say that these mofos hit the nail on the head when it comes to perfecting the type of sugary pop-core that tenuosly passes as something relevant for MRR. The guitars on this third album are outstanding, and the singer has a great vocal delivery that goes for the heart more than the throat, but aren't there a million of these groups vying to be the next big thing? I could see thousands of MySpace and Hot Topic types swooning over these guys, but not too many fans of rock "n" roll. The lyrics, of course, are personal and introspective, but they're very good for what they are. I have some friends in mind that would totally love this, but they're more likely to buy tickets to the Warped Tour before they pick up an issue of this magazine. Know what I'm saying? - Maximum Rock N Roll TOP I've been listening to this non stop since it came out. I didn't think it would be this melodic. You'll be singing along with the songs the first time you hear them. A song like "Throwing Bricks" could actually be played on Top 40 radio, not that that would ever happen, thank god. - Uneven Ground Fanzine TOP No Harm Done is no joke; they are one of those bands that deserves to be heard. They've got genuine, unabashed energy and Escape is a well-rounded album, with an even balance between raising your spirits and trashing your apartment-on your birthday! Don't let No Harm Done lose their voice. - Beyond Race TOP Significant Findings: With all the nearly perfect punk rock that has been laid down in decades past, when bands had to literally consider themselves fortunate to stumble upon influences they would later come to cite, the pessimist might be so blunt as to claim there is, and will be, nothing new under the sun ever again. And that pessimist would be difficult to argue on that point. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t still great punk bands trying to make a name for themselves, fully aware of the undisputable greatness that came and went before them. For some reason or a combination of them, Think Fast! Records just seems to have a nose for authentic punk and hardcore. Melodic hardcore punk, as tough a subgenre as you can name to stand out in, is yet another that the Maine-based label can claim a competitive stake in thanks to No Harm Done’s latest full-length, “Escape,” an inspirational and intelligent upbeat melodic hardcore record that will surely go down as one of 2008’s sweetest collection of summertime, life-improvement anthems. How interesting it is that just as heavy hardcore is making a shocking return to the riff-oriented 90’s, so is melodic hardcore citing that decade more than ever, with “Escape” an example of the phenomenon done with real heart. The Fat Wreck Chords bands and Vans Warped Tour headliners of the era like Pennywise, Good Riddance, Lagwagon, No Use For A Name, and Millencolin all live on through No Harm Done, but so does the more somber melodic hardcore like Grey Area, Avail, Lifetime, and Hot Water Music. Tempo shifts one of the elements that set “Escape” apart from other, more boilerplate albums that are being pumped out left, right, and center by young bands looking to capitalize on the obviously lucrative melodic punk market. But there is far too much feeling, gang vocals, intricate dual-guitar interplay, and signature songwriting in general for “Escape” to be confused with common bubblegum pop-punk, which (deservedly) is the fate of many other albums attempting a similar sound yet failing to create the overwhelming emotional overload of an album like “Escape.” There are straight-edge intonations throughout, and from the street punk-esque artwork to the occasional but easily justified tightness of the material, No Harm Done are probably not the boozehouds most melodic hardcore bands have been known to be. Possible Diagnosis: These are kids who simply love bands like Kill Your Idols and Lifetime so much that they made it their early-life goal to inspire the youth in much the same way they were by the aformentioned underground icons a decade ago. And thanks to an expert, organic production by Jim Siegel at The Outpost (American Nightmare, Blood For Blood, Far From Finished), every drop of blood and sweat drawn from No Harm Done can be heard crystal-clear. Recomendation: When life-changing bands like Lifetime and Reach The Sky break up, it leaves gaping holes both in the scene and the hearts of kids who live for melodic hardcore. Florida's No Harm Done are the next big hope for the style, with some added flair just to make sure no one ignores them. - HardTimes.ca TOP Grave Maker "Bury Me At Sea" This Grave Maker album drops tomorrow. Yes, July 22nd 2008. A good day for hardcore certainly. Because this album pretty much rips from start to finish. I recall loving this on first listen. During the second and third listen, I felt a little different. Something wasn't the same. Maybe I'm not feeling super hardcore today, not sure. I am still digging it, but now it just doesn't feel as hard hitting. I recall the words "this makes me want to mosh" when I spun this the first time. Was I lying to myself? Unlikely. I'd probably still mosh to this. Some ill fucking tracks. Don't forget, they are releasing this album over the weekend at El Corazon in Seattle. How the hell is Hatebreed playing that venue? Fuck, so good. Small venue, probably a good time to stage dive for these bands. No chance of getting a good stage dive in at Warped Tour or some such fest. El Corazon is set up just fine for diving. This album also features great guest appearances by some of hardcore's current best. Rick from This Is Hell/Soldiers and Andrew Neufeld from Comeback Kid. Not bad. Not bad at all. - HowsYourEdge.com TOP British Columbia is a breeding ground for hardcore bands. Being the home base for such greats as Blue Monday, Go It Alone and now Grave Maker, it is undeniable that this Canadian province is full of talented and pissed of youth. Grave Maker, featuring Baily, the former bass player of Figure Four, Endless Fight, and Shattered Realm, has put together a record that doesn’t break new ground, but Bury Me at Sea is worth listening to, for all twenty six minutes and six seconds of this eleven song work of art. Playing fast, pissed off, in your face hardcore is what Grave Maker does, and damn it, they play it perfectly. They’re comparable to fellow label mates Wait in Vain, as well as Modern Life is War, Killing the Dream or Blacklisted. Though they are a new band with a relatively fresh face, Grave Maker has done nothing but annihilate the road, playing more than 100 shows in their first six months as a band. With guest vocals on the record from Andrew Neufeld from Comeback Kid and Rick Jimenez from This is Hell / Soldiers, they’ve got some bigger bands backing them for sure, which will help draw attention to them , for those who thought their music wasn’t enough just yet or hadn’t heard of them before. Bury Me at Sea is jam packed of sing along vocals, fast two-step inducing guitars, and an overall feeling to their songs that makes you want to head walk and finger point. To close out the album, Grave Maker uses “It’s Raining Again”, one of the best cuts from the album. Using a slower, darker hardcore sound, it is the perfect wind down to an album full of angst, anger, and thrashy riffs. - SkylinePress.net TOP This is the sound of unrest and turmoil. For those of you who keep things pent up inside and need that special catalyst to unleash your aggression I present Grave Maker. Their choppy constructions, and barked lyrics will force any moment to crisis, and turn your next tea party into a bloodbath. Keep your ears open for guest vocals by Andrew Neufeld of Comeback Kid and Rick Jimenez of This Is Hell--two of my favorite bands. - EvilNeedles.com TOP Coming from Seattle and Vancouver, this hardcore band comes blasting out of the gate on their debut with "Time Heals Nothing," featuring the strong vocals of Jon McRae and the amazingly heavy, almost sludgy guitars of Brian Kemsley, the band shows what influences they have and how they've been able to expand upon them. This lends itself into the next song, "I Won't Belong." Song after song, the awesome power of Brian Kemsley's guitars and drummer Wayne Peterson make the whole record sound like an attack against all the corporate bullshit that's been poured down our throats, (Boys Like Girls, anyone?). When the band comes around to "Drop the Torch," undoubtedly the heaviest and best song on the album, their power cannot be denied. This band is here to make a statement and whether you want to or not, you will be drawn into it because of the never ending intensity. Simply put, this band is absolutely amazing and is definitely a band that everyone should keep their eyes open for. By the end of the record, as the intensity is still at a record level, "The Boatman" comes in and immediately rips everything preceding it to shreds. Powered by bassist Bailey, the band throws down in a way not seen since the rise of the initial hardcore metal scene in the ‘90's. As the record winds down, the band still keeps everything on an even keel which is phenomenal considering how heavy the rest of the record is. But that being said, the band and this record are one of the best things I've heard all year and it's going to be more than interesting to see what they manage to come up with, next time around. Definitely one of the top contenders for best band of the year. - PunkBands.com TOP Every single one of my friends knows that I have an aversion toward hardcore music. Of course, I like a lot of it. But there is a big portion of bands that play that genre with such a macho/bully attitude it’s hard to get pass all the rhetoric and posturing and get into the music. If the music sucks donkey balls in the first place, of course there is no other way around it. Not even a philosophy I can get completely behind. The thing about Grave Maker is that the gruff mc gruff vocals of Jon remind me a ton of a few NY and Boston bands that played the kind of hardcore that was stiff in all the wrong ways. I don’t want to mention names. No point in that, but let’s say that if I was in the studio listening to the vocalist recording his tracks and I was not able to listen to the music, I’d be about 98% sure Grave Maker wouldn’t be my kind of hardcore band. And I am not trying to take anything away from Jon, because lungs the size of a swordfish he has. And power in his delivery….no doubt about it. It’s just a bit curious how his vocals match the hardcore music of Grave Maker. It’s just that they fit perfectly and together are a sight to behold. If that phrase even makes sense when applied to music. Because even though they remind me of a few too macho for their own good hardcore NY/Boston bands, the dynamics with which they deliver short bursts of rage like “Wreckage”, “Dusk to Dawn” and “Loveless” are also sticky icky icky. There is a lot of melody and a lot of feeling in display here. Which makes Bury Me at Sea much more memorable than about 96% of hardcore records. Funny enough that this album reminds me of The Warriors’ powerful last slab of revolt Genuine Sense of Outrage. I was expecting that one to suck, but very much like Bury Me at Sea, it delivered a fucking wallop and I still have a few riffs doing circles in my hippocampus. Surprisingly, both are produced by the same guy, Roger Camero. - DeafSparrow.com TOP Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Grave Maker quickly made a name for themselves thanks to a promising demo and a commitment to the road. With the band signing to Think Fast! the band gained the exposure they needed to make the jump to the next level. Bury Me at Sea is the band's debut full-length. The album packs a mean punch of aggressive modern hardcore with a metallic edge to it. “Time Heals Nothing” and “I Won't Belong” start off with a good one-two punch of fast-moving hardcore. The guitars are crisp and fierce while the rhythm section is filled with energy. Jon McRae's vocals kind of remind of Life of Agony a bit; they're yelled but they've got that harmonic tone to them as well. “Wreckage” really packs a wallop with a nice breakdown. Rick Jimenez of This is Hell/Soldiers throws in some extra vocals as well. Every hardcore record needs guest spots, obviously. “Comfort in Concrete” features guest vocals from Andrew Neufeld of Comeback Kid/Figure Four fame. I was kind of hoping he'd be using his deeper voice as opposed to the posi-yells of Comeback Kid - bummer. I guess I just miss Figure Four way too much - haha. Some of the songs do ease back the speed at points and dabble in the progressive Modern Life is War sound, which is unfortunate because Grave Maker is at their best when they push the pace. On the flipside, you've got the band letting loose and just letting it rip. “Drop the Torch” is a scorcher of a cut, in fact it's probably my favorite song here. Fast, angry, and unrelenting, the way hardcore should be. In the end, Bury Me at Sea is a solid debut. With the band's persistency to remain on the road, there is no doubt they'll become increasingly more popular. And with the tunes contained here, they'll no doubt be winning over crowds all over the world. - ScenePointBlank.com TOP Significant Findings: I don't want to tell you that this is the most amazing album I have heard in the past little while. If I say so your anticipation will be too high. This album is better digested as an element of surprise. If this is the future of HC, we are in good hands. Possible Diagnosis: Bury Me At Sea is the perfect hardcore album. It's the type of album you give to aliens or put in a time capsule to explain what HC in the late 2000's was. No one is out there trying to reinvent the hardcore wheel but it just fucking hits right. Live, the band delivers in the same way this album does in the studio. They are from Vancouver hence making them now the best Canadian band out there and out here. It rocks harder than the new Comeback Kid, and seem to have found what Terror have lost over the years. This is what I wish Stick To Your Guns had done constantly, pure hard in your face hardcore. These guys are picking up the pieces and building what will amount to a 2008 top 10 on many people list. This is the kind of album you drop into someone's lap and you just sit back and see them lose their shit. - HardTimes.ca TOP Wait In Vain "Seasons" It is pretty common for hardcore all-star bands to come up out of nowhere. It’s what they do. Friends tour together, share practice spaces, eventually people play together. This band though, well… it’s about as star studded as it gets, and damnit their star shines bright. Fronted by Timm McIntosh (of Trial and Champion), with guitar work by Roger Kilburn (of Love is Red and Sinking Ships) and Chris Jacobsen (from Set Your Goals), and drums tracked for Seasons by Alexei Rodriguez (of Trial and Walls of Jericho), it’s pretty clear to see that this group knows exactly what they’re doing. Continuing on the straight edge hardcore sound, Seattle’s Wait in Vain churns out fast paced hardcore songs that illicit sing-a-longs and two stepping from fans worldwide with lyrical content that is really second to none, focusing strongly on Timm’s life experiences that all of us as people can relate to. Musically it reminds me a lot of their former efforts; it has a really strong Champion feel to it, which I can back completely as I was pretty big on them prior to their untimely end. The title track “Seasons” is one of the better songs on the album. It sucks you in no matter what is going on around you, which is the true power of a song like this. It is impossible to listen to Wait in Vain without focusing primarily on their music, there’s not much “background listening” quality to this album. This is energetic, attention stealing hardcore at its finest. The puritan hardcore fans will fall in love with this record immediately. 8/10 - SkylinePress.net TOP You could say this CD has a flashback effect, but I'd call it more of a boomerang effect. Wait In Vain has the strength and members to fuel a full on hardcore revolution. Driven by meaty, chugging guitars and fast-forward tempos along with thought provoking lyrics, Seasons is heavy hitting on the ears and mind. Every once in a while I miss the 1990's. I miss skateboarding with my boyfriend. And this disc gives me the feeling of bringing it all back. - EvilNeedles.com TOP Thanks to the many bands in hardcore, a few subgenres have emerged from that one genre. In the last half the 90's, Trial was very active amongst the hardcore scene. Now eight years after their departure (not including the three reunion shows in 2005), Wait In Vain has surfaced into the hardcore scene with a veteran four-man line-up that includes two ex-Trial members. Wait In Vain plays the very familiar style of political, straight-edge melodic hardcore. Although they aren't exactly covering new ground in their debut album, "Seasons", they have taken their solid hardcore formula from past bands and created a sound that is ferocious and untamed while at the same time technical, credible, and passionate. While "Seasons" is a strong effort for the Seattle quartet, hopefully in the near future they will take their skill and experience and expand on their sound. 4/5 - WayTooLoud.com TOP I really enjoy Wait In Vain. I always have. I mean, check my gushing review of their demo. I was all about that demo and rocked it regularly. It has a northwest feel for sure, but it was larger than that. This LP is a little back in the Northwest niche. Not a bad thing, necessarily, but definitely a little more stereotypical of my expectations of Northwest Hardcore. I'm sure Aram would disagree, but then again, he wears a guard on his x-rated swatch. Yeap. The music is good, no doubt, and the art direction on the LP sets it over the top. I really dig the style of the art, and I really think it fits well with Wait In Vain as band. It captures their feel and concepts. Shout outs to the photographer and Timm on executing a dope layout. These guys are touring pretty hard right now so make sure to go check them out. Also feel free to try your luck on Ebay. Maybe you can pick up an older tee or something. Pretend you've been down since '05. - HowsYourEdge.com TOP Wait in Vain is a rare newer-era hardcore band whose makeup reads like an impressive list of bands and less like guyliner and mascara. Vocalist Timm McInotosh was a guitarist for Trial and Champion; guitarist Roger Kilburn has spent time with Love Is Red, Stay Gold and Sinking Ships; fellow guitarist Chris Jacobsen was in Set Your Goals; and the drummer on Seasons' recording, Alexei Rodriguez, has done time with Walls of Jericho, Trial and even 3 Inches of Blood. With all this experience behind their belts, you'd think Seasons would be a more original release, and it's not -- but the album is done so well, its familiarity becomes more of an endearing trait than a distraction. When McIntosh, who sings in a rather straightforward and gruff delivery, shouts "I remember those days!" in the standout title track, you don't get upset that it practically sounds like a tribute to Chain of Strength's "Too Deep Until Now" (besides the fact that McIntosh is cathartically singing about a friend lost to suicide nearly a decade ago), but rather you happily reminisce (if you're, like, 35) or just get stoked. But through the course of the record, McIntosh is more about poetic desperation and a quest for truth (the God interrogation "Q And...") and never about rehashing straight-edge themes or what have you. While looking at that above list doesn't always hold true for the base of Wait in Vain's sound, it certainly helps; Seasons carries traces of both Trial and Champion (as well as those bands' elder influences like COS, Judge and Burn), and Kilburn's signature guitar tone often bleeds through, giving the teasing feeling you're listening to new Sinking Ships material. You can simply tell it's him when he starts riffing in "Forget Me Not" and "Puritan," or adds those melodic frills to the aforementioned "Seasons." Seasons is a very solid and uniform debut, seeing Wait in Vain stretch their creative muscle a bit from their now three-year-old demo and exploring dark and interesting themes through a fresh transitive vibe. - PunkNews.org TOP When you look at the list of previous ventures from the members of Wait in Vain, it's hard to not get excited. Frontman Timm McIntosh was a founding member of Trial, as well as spending some time with Champion. Bassist (and now guitarist) Roger Kilburn was in Sinking Ships among others, guitarist Chris Jacobsen did some time with Set Your Goals, and drummer Alexei Rodriquez has played with Trial and Walls of Jericho. That's quite a list! But don't let those musical endeavors hold back what Wait in Vain has to offer. Seasons is the Seattle straightedge band's debut full-length, and first recording since a demo back in 2005. After being plagued with numerous lineup difficulties the band finally has a sturdy cast to deliver its message with. This recording is ten tracks of 90's inspired metallic hardcore that is complimented by lyrics that are equally as thought provoking. For the get go of “Another Year” it is undeniable that there is an influence from several of the members previous efforts, particularly Trial. But with McIntosh being the principal songwriter then and now, it is almost expected. The music is aggressive with a definite chug of 90's in it, but there is almost infused a substantial amount of melody; I often found myself referencing Ignite. Tracks like “Forget Me Not” demonstrates this fully, flexing the line between the 90's sounds that McIntosh helped trail blaze and those that Killburn most recently tackled with Sinking Ships. On the flipside, when Wait in Vain decides to hit it hard, they bring it all. “A Blind Eye” has two solid breakdowns, definitely heavy to get kids moving on the floor. “The Fix,” re-recorded from the demo, and “White Picket Fences” round things out with an excellent balancing of heavy chug and fast-paced melodic hardcore. Lyrically, McIntosh is still tied to the worlds of politics and social issues that were covered in Trial, but he's also taken the step to cover more personal topics as well (not that vocalist Greg Bennick didn't in Trial). Some of McIntosh's best lines come at his most personal reveals. For example, on “Seasons” he recalls the loss of a close friend and the dealing with them being gone. “Passions Just Like Mine” discusses the abandonment of dreams for a normal life while “Puritan” attacks the world of consumers and need for possessions. Overall, it's a varied set of lyrics. Following a gap of inactivity, the return of Wait in Vain is a welcome one. Musically things are solid throughout, though at times a little repetitive. Lyrically, McIntosh has something to talk about, and in this day and age when there is a lot going on in the world, we need more bands like this. If you miss the 90's or just love what the Pacific Northwest has to offer, don't pass this album up. - ScenePointBlank.com TOP I don’t want to be one of those guys who takes someone from a band and compares whatever they do presently against their past (and mostly more recognized) accomplishments. Still, I can’t hold back in this case. This really sounds like Trial. A lot. Far be it from me to complain about such a thing, so I hope Timm McIntosh isn’t reading this and getting pissed. He’s got a style and it works well. In fact, there’s a serious lack of bands that can do this right- that being modern fast hardcore with a penchant for, I guess you could say, metal drumming. Ya know, good breakdowns, tons of double bass parts that are far from cheesy and lyrics that actually mean something. This sounds like it was dredged out from 1998 and announced itself by giving everyone within spitting distance a big, fat black eye. Now, I also get the vibe that McIntosh pretty much writes the bulk of these songs, as well as the lyrics because he has a great way of keeping a good flow with the music and lyrics to match up very well in terms of the highs and lows, rallying cries, and so forth. This is most noticeable on the last track, “White Picket Fences”, totally raging in all respects. Oh yeah, nice Clash quote at the end too. Yeah, this is definitely a case of a group taking a bit of an older sound and giving it proper respect for the here and now, doing it extremely well. - HangingHex.com TOP Everyone knows vocalist Timm McIntosh played guitar in Trial. Does that mean this sounds like Trial? Not exactly the same but lots of similarities. I guess it gives me the same vibe as "Are These Our Lives". If you liked Trial I can basically guarantee you'll like this. I love it, great lyrics and great arrangements with layered guitar parts, intense stuff. - Uneven Ground Fanzine TOP Seattle straight edge is back on the map...Fronted by Timm Mcintosh (formerly of Trial and Champion), Wait In Vain is undoubtedly a band that you have to put your attention at. They also feature members of Sinking Ships and Set Your Goals on the guitars, while the drums of 'Seasons' were recorded by Alexei Rodriguez (Trial, Walls Of Jericho). Besides all that 'all star band' hype, Wait In Vain is a unique band, that I dare to say has managed to become influential with only a couple of years of existence. I also dare to say that Wait In Vain are today's Trial. Word. Their first full length (they have a demo out, released by Catalyst Records in vinyl format, as well) includes 10 songs of hardcore music and culture, in the vein of Trial, Burn, Judge and Verse. The production is rad, while the technique of the band's members is of a high level and that leads to a high quality result. Don't expect beatdowns and 'true till death' cries, don't even expect straight edge cliches and shitty statements. This is music that touches your heart & mind. What I like the most are the lyrics, they are deep and thorough. You can check some explanations at their myspace site, as well.'Seasons' were originally released by the awesome label Think Fast Records on CD format, while Panic Records (Seattle based label, owned by Timm Mcintosh if I'm right, home for Outrage, Another Breath and At Half Mast, among others) put it out in vinyl, limited to 500 copies. I know that you don't care but I'm lucky enough to own one of the 100 copies in blue grey haze vinyl, ha! It's a pity that Wait In Vain had to cancel some of their shows from the 2 months european tour with Outrage last summer / September, so we cancelled their Greek show as well... Maybe next time, even if I see that they are a bit inactive nowadays... - World's Appreciated Kitsch TOP Hour Of The Wolf "Split with Lewd Acts" Fans of older skate videos featuring music from bands like Helmet or Unsane must be pretty pissed off that modern videos seem to lean more heavily on Warped Tour rock than the harsh grooves of yesteryear. Well gramps you're in luck. Hour of the Wolf and Lewd Acts have joined forces to give you 20 minutes of throw back tunes to play over the new school shit you're being fed these days. Hour kicks things off with three blasts of rugged skate thrash sure to incite you drain your swimming pool and make your own backyard ramp. Lewd Acts keeps the party going with their half of the split. Keeping things a little less melodic their mix of Black Flag and Motorhead riffing is sure to keep your happy ass skating until the keg runs dry. Just don't look for much emotional depth outside of the genuinely moving abuse tale “Broken Kids,” cause this split is like the old Poison line, “it ain't nothing but a good time.” - MammothPress.com TOP With a Stooges-like riff kicking off "Overload," Hour of the Wolf definitely make themselves known on this split EP with Lewd Acts. Everything about this band is interesting; the guitars courtesy of Addison and Hank and most especially, the vocals of Lance, which bring to mind old Bronx. Their tracks were produced with a surprisingly good coat by Bob Hoag, sometime keyboardist of the Ataris. Second track "War Machine" tries too hard to be the Bronx, but it still works, only to a lesser extent. This band definitely has got everything down and tight and it wouldn't surprise me if we ended up hearing much more from them in the future. Lewd Acts kicks their portion off with "Broken Kids," which sounds like what a lot of screamo bands try to shoot for but don't have the passion or energy to pull off. While at first I was less than impressed with the song, repeated listens give me a new look on not only the song, but the band as a whole. Lewd Acts' material was produced with a strange sense of urgency by Kurt Ballou of Converge. "Shark Bait" is a forty-five second blast which sounds out of place because it just goes by incredibly too fast but they make up for it with the last song, "Glass Act," which sounds like they've been doing they're homework and figuring out how they can adapt it to fit their style. Overall, the split EP is very good with more points going to Hour of the Wolf for more originality but the only problem anyone might have with this record is its length: a mere 13 minutes. Of course, this may all just be a tease by the bands and the record company, having fans begging to hear more, which is a good ploy. A good introduction to two bands who definitely have more to say. - PunkBands.com TOP Hell yeah, this is what fast, pissed angry hardcore sounds like! And it's got a good rocking side to it as well. Each Hour Of the Wolf release sounds different to me, I don't know why. Each time they sound more and more like Motorhead and even more pissed. Not that I mind. I can fully get behind that. But that's what you get with those cats. Lewd Acts I've never heard before, but I'm happy to know that I now have because they bring something good to the table as well. They present a handful of nice short and fast songs that all have some great breakdowns. I know that sounds kind of corny to state in 2008, but these mosh-frenzies honestly don't sound like obligatory dancefloor cues. They seriously sound pissed and slightly out of the norm. Success! They have made hardcore not only interesting, but angry as fuck at the same time, no small feat these days. - HangingHex.com TOP Hour of the Wolf and Lewd Acts provide two very different takes on hardcore, but both are speedy and concise, making for a tight split EP. Hour of the Wolf use their three songs to continue their brand of Misfits-inspired, rock'n'roll-tinged hardcore punk that follows in the footsteps of their 2007 EP, Waste Makes Waste. "Overload" will have you hollering along ("Another night, is over!"), while "War Machine" delivers craggy, aggressive verses and a melodic but still agitated chorus. They have a good, rambunctious attitude about them, and it helps to make for an effective Side A. Sometimes I want to say Lewd Acts are like another metallic hardcore unit, Shipwreck (a.d.), and there are moments on here that definitely warrant the comparison (precisely a minute into "Broken Kids," where their mid-tempo swagger bears resemblance, and plenty of "Glass Act"). But unlike that band, Lewd Acts are a little more chaotic, not quite as heavy, and twice open with an accelerated tempo and then get dynamic on us with a slowed down bout of tension ("Broken Kids," "Jealous Sea"), a tactic that seems to work best with "Broken Kids." This is a solid introduction to two lower-key acts in the modern hardcore spectrum who continue to develop their respective styles before dropping a full-length on us. - PunkNews.org TOP It wasn't that long ago that I caught a little tour featuring Hour of the Wolf, Lewd Acts, and Trash Talk. In fact, it was just last year. The bill was interesting as it mixed varying punk/hardcore styles - a little something for everyone – which is a welcome change to the one show-five bands-one sound norm. Two of those artists have teamed up here for a split release, complimenting each other's sounds quite well, despite their differences. Hour of the Wolf follow-up on last year's sensational Waste Makes Waste with two new songs and an oldie. “Overload” strikes first and immediately brings to mind “Attitude”-styled Misfits. The music is fast-paced punk but there is also a sense of “pop” in its sound. “War Machine” is a leftover recording from a couple years back. I'm not sure what it is, but the song just seems out of place with what I've heard from them. It's a lot less punk and more hardcore, which for the band isn't what I was used to. Perhaps this is why it wasn't originally included on whatever release it was intended for. “Nothing Hits as Hard as the Abyss” is Hour of the Wolf's final offering; it's a nice fast metal meets punk jam calling to mind Lemmy and company. 2007 saw Lewd Acts release a discography, which for many was their first exposure. One calendar year later they're back with four new cuts. The band starts their side off with “Broken Kids.” Musically the song is a lot less hardcore than their previous output, in fact it almost sounds like an Hour of the Wolf song - rock-infused punk. Given the band's San Diego origins, this isn't that surprising. Unfortunately I wasn't really into it on that song but thankfully the band redeems themselves with “Jealous Sea” and “Shark Bait.” Both are metal-driven hardcore jams with some nice thrashy crunch and vicious yells. Closer “Glass Act” opens with an even-paced rock groove before segueing into a nice bridge section and launching into a ruckus-raising breakdown - definitely one of their best songs to date. This split is a nice holdover while we wait for new full-lengths, which is really as much as you can ask from this type of recording. The Hour of the Wolf side was pretty much more of what I enjoy from the band while Lewd Acts hit good on three of four. I'm sure we'll be hearing from both of these bands again before years end. - ScenePointBlank.com TOP Arizona's increasingly prolific HOUR OF THE WOLF are back with another release, this time, a seven song split with California's LEWD ACTS. The pairing is solid, as both bands take a different, yet compatible spin on grimy, fast-as-fuck punk rock. HOUR OF THE WOLF sound like MOTORHEAD being chased down a dark alley by a pack of foaming-at-the-mouth wild dogs. The 'WOLF particularly shine on the scuzzy, THE BRONX meets ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT tune, "Nothing Hits As Hard As The Abyss." LEWD ACTS has all of the subtlety as a trash compactor. The band's four songs are hardcore/punk with traces of doom ("Broken Kids"), a feel for bowel-bending momentum shifts ("Jealous Sea" and "Glass Act"), and an off-kilter streak that brings to mind Cali hardcore legends BATTALION OF SAINTS ("Shark Bait"). HOUR OF THE WOLF do nothing wrong on their end of the split, but LEWD ACTS simply pulverize the competition. Gimme, gimme, gimme more! - PastePunk.com TOP Very deserving of the coveted title "must have CD of the month," this seven song split packs more punch than most 14 song full lengths. Hour of the Wolf play fierce hardcore with just the slightest hint of later Misfits thrown in. The three songs presented on this disc are fast and harsh. The speedy delivery coupled with gritty vocals make for a killer combo. Lewd Acts is a tear-the-place-down, set it on fire, and piss out the flames band. They make good use of screaming chaos yet they keep it just concise enough to make it memorable. Keep these two bands on your radar. Look them up on myspace and go see them live. - Prick Magazine / EvilNeedes.com TOP Who? A split CD between Arizona rockers Hour Of The Wolf and chaotic San Diego residents Lewd Acts (who recorded their half with Kurt Ballou). Sounds like? HOTW are more along the lines of The Bronx, whereas Lewd Acts sound like what Black Flag would probably play in 2008-melodic, heavy, fast, and progressive. How is it? Lewd Acts' four songs easily win the day on this split, but HOTW's three contributions are no slouches, either. Rocks like? The Bronx, Gallows, Black Flag - Alternative Press TOP Significant Findings: This is both as raw and fresh-sounding a split as you will come across this year, and it comes as no surprise that the most promising true punk/hardcore label around, Think Fast! Records, was keen enough to release it. This EP between two young and driven acts from the west coast, Hour Of The Wolf and Lewd Acts, packs more pleasant surprises than a still-functioning porn password. With the post-millenial 80's revival in hardcore having recently run its course, and 90's nostalgia only now beginning, an astute follower of the hardcore scene's recent evolution would predict that most young bands would be trying to take a stab at either of the two eras' styles. But these two sets of dudes fall into neither trap, instead concocting much more scarce hybrids of old punk and hardcore with a slight modern flair, enough to launch this already much talked-about split EP to the tops of many playlists, regardless of the listener's stylistic preference. Hour Of The Wolf breaks out of the gate with such classic punk rock attitude mixed with rock'n'roll swagger that you'd have to check out their Myspace profile photos to believe they haven't been doing this for 20+ years already. The guitars hum and stutter along dirtily but with such precision that it takes no more than one listen for these upbeat, blazing anthems to be embedded in your skull like a broken beer bottle. Once Hour Of The Wolf's side is done though, so are any feelings of joy or unity, as Lewd Acts rain on the parade as only a bunch of young kids who have seen way too much in their years can. Guitars careen along unpredictably but with a flow that suggests an impressive input of time into songwriting. Tempo shifts that cut fast parts into half-times mean this stuff will go over extremely well on the east coast, where it already did once earlier this year. And as the band's recent signing to Deathwish Inc. implies, we will be seeing much more of these dedicated kids of the core. Possible Diagnosis: Think Fast! Records is a label that refuses to be pinned down, and this split EP between Hour Of The Wolf and Lewd Acts only further derails any efforts to do so. There are young bands who imitate a style, and then there are those who are inspired by one or more, and somewhere in the process end up creating their own. This split is a rare textbook example of the latter. These are honest kids playing from the heart, and every song melts out of the speakers like butter. Scary to think how far these bands will go provided they stay on track. Recomendation: You'd have to have a stick wedged a bit too far up your ass to not enjoy what either Hour Of The Wolf or Lewd Acts bring to the table on this EP. Fans of true rock'n'roll, punk, and old hardcore will be spoiled by these songs. Unique and essential. - HardTimes.ca TOP Smartbomb "Chaos And Lawlessness" Punk rock is best played speedy, snotty and gritty with tons of pissed-off discontent, and that's exactly how Smartbomb does it. There are no crooning poppy lyrics, no scenester boys in tight pants and no soaring melodies here. These guys are too busy playing real punk to worry about being pretty and poppy. - EvilNeedles.com TOP Proto-punk and hardcore kids from Massachusetts, Smartbomb like to employ extremely fast tempos and pit-fillers. They succeed with that sort of youth crew sound that all the punk kids are craving these days. I just remember when all the kids were donning 7 Seconds gear and climbing the walls to the Descendents. The new generation still looks back but don’t know what the hell a 7-inch is. Regardless I’m glad that newer groups like this exist with intelligent messages and an urge to play as fast as good old school trash-y punk did. - Smother.net TOP Members of No Trigger and Shock Nagasaki playing melodic hardcore in the vein of Kid Dynamite, Descendents, and 7 Seconds? Sign me the hell up! Heck, it really doesn't matter what bands these guys also play in when you write songs like these. Chaos and Lawlessness is Smartbomb's debut EP, an eight-song effort that tracks in at just over twelve minutes. What you get is fast-paced melodic hardcore with some of that traditional pop-punk flavor. The music is really energetic and upbeat; there aren't any really slow parts - kind of reminds me of the early Epitaph and Fat Wreck catalogs. An added note, Ryan Eyestone's artwork for this release is quite rad. He's done awesome work for loads of bands - Outbreak, Trash Talk, The Carrier, and more. Check it out. Bottom-line; this is one of the better EP's I've heard in a long time. Pick up a copy immediately. - ScenePointBlank.com TOP Once again I find myself loving a record and absolutely hating it's artwork. Smartbomb's new EP, Chaos and Lawlessness, should definitely win the worst artwork of the year award and it was only just released this past February. Other than that though, this is an amazing record. Smartbomb seem to pick up where Kid Dynamite left off and throw in some East Bay influence. The sound doesn't come as too much of a surprise considering that two of the members are formerly of No Trigger. This is one of those records that really makes you believe in punk rock again. It's so rare that you hear a record in this vein anymore where the band doesn't feel like it's just going through the motions to push out another release. That passion really comes through on Chaos and Lawlessness and is what will hopefully save this record and band from falling into obscurity. If you love real, honest punk rock and miss the days when the bands that populate said genre were still passionate about what they do, then give this record a chance. - PunkBands.com TOP Between The Wars "Death And The Sea" It seems these guys have had a strong buzz surrounding them (by hardcore standards anyway) over the last couple of weeks, and I've heard nothing but good things from people who know what's up. You would actually think these guys would be getting more exposure considering they feature Ensign's Tim Shaw on vocals and Bill Henderson who founded and played guitar in Thursday, as well as the lesser known NJ band Purpose, which featured other notable members that went on to join/play in Saves The Day and Ensign. You would think it'd be difficult considering most of the guys in the band all have other bands that they are in, but I guess it helps that they are all from NJ. Before this, the band released the "Less We Believe" EP, which was released in 2006 on Think Fast! And this is another interesting thing, I'm not 100% sure, but I think these guys got their name from a Billy Bragg song, I believe it was from the "Life's A Riot Between The Wars" album. This full length contains 16 tracks of metallically tinged hardcore/punk that has no shortage of variety in both the dynamics of the song writing, as well as the tempos that are used herein. And man, I don't recall Bill Henderson laying down licks as sweet as this on anything he did with Thursday. And Tim Shaw's raspy, desperate yells just seep into your mind as he vehemently chastises everything from religion, the government, and it's mindless followers. These guys have no bass player, so Bill and Joe Tarella both share the duties on this record, and they both do a fantastic job of throwing some intricate basslines. It's crazy how consistent this album sounds even with the minor stylistic changes that are thrown in. Some songs have a straight up thrash song complete with sweet soloing. Then you have a song like "Clenched Fist" that has an almost 108 feel to it. There are also moments of the straight forward punk. And I can't forget to mention the wonderful drum work provided by Paul Colucci, who does a masterful job of complimenting everything the guitarist throw his way. He can be simple when need be but can throw in some sick fills too. Even before the music grew on me, I was really feeling the lyrics (which also kept me listening to this over and over). The song "Keep Laughing" seems to be about believing in religion only for it not help you out when you really needed it the most, or it could just be about a friend but with all of the other songs that have a religious undertone I would assume it to be the prior. "Sore Throat" is about how even though you're not doing the killing in the war, you're still guilty for not standing up and screaming out "No More!". "For Nothing" tells its listener to "defy [y]our masters" and that we owe our government nothing because this country was built on our backs while the top 2% collect all the money, we crawl for pennies to the dollar trying to make ends meet. "No Obligation" is one of my favorite songs lyrically as it talks about how kids shouldn't be forced into religion until they can form their own opinion. "The Last Drop" is Tim Shaw letting you know that hardcore/punk music has given him so much and he will give everything he can back to it. "The Meek Will Inherit Nothing" is about how unless you fight for something with courage you will just "...fade to dust." "Clenched Fist" is about how religions have used war and bloodshed to gain followers rather than a peaceful, respectful way. That's some of the songs that really stood out to me, and I'm sure by after reading that and my other reviews that I really have a disdain for organized religion. The recording job on this is unreal. It comes through your speakers crystal clear, every plucked note resonates beautifully. Bill Henderson did a wonderful job producing this. The guitar tone is versatile as hell, it sounds great whether it's during a metal-esque solo or acoustic interlude. The bass tone is equally good, the tone is warm with just the right amount of twang to help it cut through the mix a bit. Tim Shaw's raspy screams sound great with just the slightest effects added in certain spots. Couldn't have for a better drum tone for this recording. Kudos and them some. Now this is one hell of a layout! The high quality gloss layout is full of awesome metallic gold ink with plenty of blue to accent it. The front cover design is aweeeesome, the water in the middle looks realistic as hell while the waves that are about to crash over the ship are cartoony looking. The map that is placed in the background was a really nice touch (this is also done in the booklet). The booklet is 6 pages, and were really well designed. Each page has the lyrics displayed over a piece of yellow paper with band photos and images that tie into the theme and color scheme contrasted into the background. Really good shit here. 4/5 - SicZine.com TOP Ensign’s frontman Tim Shaw mans the mic while the guitars are handled by former Thursday member Bill Henderson. But beside the hardcore creds, Between the Wars is a post-hardcore indie rock juggernaut that juggles manic visceral proto-punk with hardcore anthems and indie rock harmonies. I love how “Death and the Sea” was recorded—it sounds like they’re playing right behind you with a definite attention to sounding like it was recorded completely live. Raw throaty vocals, vicious flaming frets, and frenetic drumming combine to construct Between the Wars as a group who may just have escaped the local prison, asylum, or fast food joint hellhole. - Smother.net TOP Fans of the unique, metallic hardcore punk to be found on Between the Wars' Less We Believe EP shouldn't be terribly disappointed with their first full-length, Death and the Sea, but hopefully they'll be wary of the changes. Initial listens seem to reveal little difference between the two, but there are plenty of improvements and progressions heard upon repeat spins that help to mark Death and the Sea as a definite improvement on its predecessor. Between the Wars still feature the angry, high-pitched, raspy yell of Ensign's Tim Shaw and the intricate, metal-influenced riffs from Bill Henderson, an early guitarist for Thursday. Combined, the two help put forth a sound that's, at times, sort of like the middle ground between Rise Against and Snapcase, if there was one to be found. The band throw in a boatload of tempo changes, as well as complex leads that help Death and the Sea sound more like an early `90s release than standard youth-crew revival. "Death" even closes with dueling, straight-up metal riffs that avoid sounding out of place due to the already metallic tint set in place throughout the album's course. While Death and the Sea is very solid front to back, a lot of the standouts come right in its midsection. The militantly anti-authoritarian "For Nothing" tears off some serious soloing in its early goings before Shaw chimes in with a wild, punctual vocal flow along with pumping riffs. "No Obligation," about the misgivings and forgiving of children's thoughts, crushes the listener with a pretty pulverizing breakdown, while the band pick it up quickly with an active, energetic tempo in much of the next track, "Beneath the Dead Sky." Stop-start instrumentation makes for a dynamic, attention-grabbing piece in "The Last Drop." But there's also great moments later on, like the groove-oriented "Clenched Fist" and the bold "Cold War" with some of the most insane riffing you'll hear all album. Death and the Sea strikes a perfect balance -- much of it should please fans of either alum (at least, Ensign fans and fans of Thursday during Henderson's stint that is), but it certainly sounds different enough to understand why its members stepped out of their respective outfits (Henderson also plays in the Procedure and X One Way X) to create this. As a project consisting of some rather busy lads, Between the Wars may not even live out to see the reality of its own namesake, but they've certainly marked their territory with Death and the Sea. - PunkNews.org TOP Being a newbie to the world of punk and hardcore, I’m not the one to ask about the reputations of labels like Think Fast! Records. But I’m beginning to think that, whatever their reputation is, they’re at least well-deserving of a good one. I just got done reviewing an enjoyable new offering from Boston’s Far From Finished, and now comes this one from New Jersey hopefuls Between The Wars featuring current Ensign frontman Tim Shaw and ex-Thursday guitarist Bill Henderson. No doubt this gorgeous cover art and Ernest Hemingway-like album title will do the trick when it comes to drawing in at least some curious listeners, but it’s the energy and creativity of the music itself that will keep ‘em coming back for more. To be clear, Death And The Sea has a blood-red marrow of hardcore punk all the way. The political and moral overtones, for instance, ooze out of “No Obligation” and its ending refrain of “give them a voice!” (in reference to children), and musically, breakdowns are aplenty. But this is also a CD put together by mature musicians who can flat-out PLAY. To stay with “No Obligation” as an example, it manages to open up with a familiar riff that I just knew from somewhere, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Until, that is, I realized it was Megadeth’s “Back In The Day.” I’m not suggesting that Between The Wars copied it but rather trying to make the point that this isn’t your normal hardcore act. Much as they did with the most recent release from Avenged Sevenfold, punk aficionados may find this guitar work to be a case of unseemly wankery. (Check out the crazed interplay between guitar and bass during the hidden track at the end of the CD.) However, fans of compact, aggressive songwriting with a healthy dose of the guitarist’s hero-worship will enjoy what Between The Wars puts down on Death And The Sea. Yeah, maybe screamer Tim Shaw does sound a little too weak at times for the overall production, almost like he’s straining to meet the demands of his bandmates. But he certainly doesn’t lack the necessary conviction when it comes to these heady lyrics, and indeed while he doesn’t provide as strong an assault as some of his rivals, he does have a uniqueness all his own. And for that, it’s easy to be won over. 5/5 - Pivotal Rage TOP This is the debut full length release from this New Jersey based band. These guys play some very cool, highly aggressive Punk/Hardcore styled music. The music is mostly planted in the Hardcore genre, but there are lots of flavorings of Punk all through out. I liked the rough intense & fast paced Hardcore beats mixed with the more upbeat & grooved Punk sounds. The music is full of adrenaline that just knocks you all over the place. I liked the old school styled New York sounding Hardcore scream vocals a lot. It reminded me of BLACK FLAG, AGNOSTIC FRONT & SHEER TERROR a lot. If your a fan of this style of music this CD must be in your collection!!! - Treats From The Underground TOP I can’t remember the last time I reviewed a hardcore album I could actually imagine listening to on my own time. Maybe it was Malady, and that was three years ago. Between the Wars have a much more typically hardcore sound than Malady, but they do have a, dare I say, emo tinge. The vocals are fierce and gristly, but not your usual hardcore growl/chant. The singing and music fit together much better than most breakdown-based hardcore. This skilled approach can ignite a rousing pit and appeal to the stolid, arms crossed crowd. Great debut LP, can’t wait to hear more. - Skratch Magazine TOP If any band breathes new life into the idea of a punk metal hybrid-after a several year flood of second rate metalcore acts-it'll be Between the Wars. Every aspect of the band's vein popping sound captured on Death and the Sea, makes it stand out from the pack. For starters there's vocalist Tim Shaw, at first blush the band's weak spot. He has a thin, hoarse, and unprofessional hardcore scream, but after listening to him for a few minutes it's impossible not to enjoy his energy and passion. Then there are the guitars, which instead of sticking to thrash riffs, work with the drums to often favor an epic Viking feel. They pile intricate riff upon intricate riff, adding in plenty of variety without letting up on the metal intensity. Then there's the remarkably concise, don't waste a second songwriting-only six of the 16 tracks break the three minute mark, yet the musicians manage to work in loads of tempo and mood shifts. And finally, beautiful acoustic instrumentals commence and conclude the record. It's arguable they should have been placed in the middle somewhere, just to break up the nonstop rage onslaught, but they prove the band's talent and versatility. This is a perfect record for the fan of raw and angry, but at the same time, technical, music. 9/10 - Outburn TOP Once, there was a little band called Ensign. They were one of the greatest New Jersey hardcore bands that ever existed. They were fast, catchy, loads of fun and completely free of the lunkhead bullshit that came to plague hardcore. Youth crew kids and skinheads alike would pack venues and just rock out to them. If you grew up in the suburbs, this was salvation. To hear Ensign’s frontman Tim Shaw singing in a new band, well, it’s hard for this Jerseyite to suppress the nostalgia that inevitably wells. But after 10 seconds of hearing Death and the Sea, it’s clear that the Garden State–bred Between the Wars are not Ensign 2.0. BTW are more massive-sounding, thanks largely in part to technical proficiency—the chord styling of ex-Thursday guitarist Bill Henderson scale the walls like jittery five-pound spiders. But it’s the dark drama that envelops tunes such as “Uno Mas” and “No Obligation” that stick to one’s ribs. Lyrically, Shaw paints a bleak picture, which is at odds with his positive-hardcore days of yore, but at least he’s colorful. “Can’t you taste the desperation? It hangs in the air, thick with the stench of broken dreams,” he yowls on the title track. Political themes are tossed in to round out the display of pissy angst. “Clenched Fist” and “Cold War” attack white-collar zealots with irate energy. Death and the Sea is a heady listen, a little overblown at times, but it keeps the creative momentum going. The natives would call that “Jersey fresh.” - Decibel TOP First off, greatest opening to a hardcore CD ever. Nice, happy, pretty acoustic riffage breaks into some serious, in-your-fucking-face HARDCORE! Man! So good! As much as I love this CD - and I love it a lot - I wish Tim would go back and make another ENSIGN record, too. Can't we find a way to have both of these bands exist at once? Please? Ok, well aside from that - this band stands on it's own merits. No "ex-and-current members-of" bullshit needed. This is a seriously fucking stellar CD from start to finish. You have to use ENSIGN as a point of reference since it's the same vocalist, and they do share some of the same traits on the more upbeat, somewhat poppy parts of each song, but these guys also bring a heaviness with them that ENSIGN has never really gone for with any regularity. I'm not saying ENSIGN can't bring it with the best of them, because they can - it's just not their style. So anyway, pretty technical, brutal hardcore with some seriously intense musicianship and heartfelt lyrics with a passionate approach to delivering the words makes this band the real deal. - AMP Magazine TOP Between the Wars are a bonfide hit, which they should be. Featuring Bill Henderson, formerly of Thursday, and Tim Shaw, the excellent vocalist of Ensign, anything less than stellar would be a letdown. I must say that this band is quite far from a letdown. They are definitely a hardcore band, but they fuse different hardcore styles. They have melodic guitar lines and some off kilter parts. There is plenty of sing along parts, and they even through in some Spanish influenced acoustic numbers for good measure. They remind me of a mixture of Bane, Burn, 108 and Ensign. The style mixtures are quite smooth, with not much about this album sounding awkward. The vocals are top notch here, as I've always been a huge fan of Shaw's voice and the way he uses it. There is plenty to like about this album, and I'm sure that popularity will follow suit. These are catchy and well crafted hardcore numbers, different in styles and high in quality. - The Playlist.net TOP Angry hardcore vocals connect with some fast heavy metal music. This is what between the wars’ latest CD, “death and the sea” offers in spades. Tim Shaw’s (ENSIGN) ripping vocals lead these New Jersey natives through 15 unstoppable tracks on their full-length debut. The more I listen to this record the more I like it, a lot! Metal air guitar riffs and jumping up and down raging hardcore vocals, what’s not to love? The old blokes from Iron Maiden should hear this record because this is what Iron Maiden should have attained to. But their loss is our gain as, between the wars covers hardcore/metal territory that few bands can only dream of reaching. If you have an appreciation for classic metal, come on you know you do, and you feed off the anger and energy of really good hardcore, then look no further then picking up a copy of “death and the sea.” Give it a few spins, played loudly, to let it sink in and then… hardcore/metal bliss. - RebelNoise.com TOP Far From Finished "Living In The Fallout" Having never heard of the band before I didn't really expect a great deal out of it based on the cover art or anything, but by far one of the most impressive albums I've encountered as of late is "Living in the Fallout", the sophomore full-length from Boston's Far From Finished on Think Fast! Records. I'm a huge fan of being taken by surprise like this by an awesome album that comes out of nowhere and really hits the spot, and that hasn't really been happening very much lately, so I'm glad this disc randomly showed up in the mail a few weeks ago. Stylistically the band sounds quite a fucking lot like The Ducky Boys with a hint more polish 'n' punk amidst all the heartfelt rock 'n' roll, so there's plenty of energy and just enough of an edge in addition to the punchy songwriting and gruff yet catchy vocal melodies and such. As often seems to be the case these days it's nothing I haven't heard before, but I simply can't argue with songwriting this strong. I hate to be keeping these write-ups so damn short, but shit, what else can I say? Just check out the tunes and let the music do the talking… - Aversion TOP More beer-raising, sing-a-long punk rock coming out of Bean-town. It's been done, yes, but like California pop-punk and British pop some formulas are just too good to alter. Far From Finished, with the help of producer Jim Siegel (Dropkick Murphys, The Unseen), has put together one of the catchiest street punk records of the summer in Living In The Fallout. A follow-up to their 2005 debut release, the album was written after the band members defied death when their tour van took them tumbling down a cliff somewhere in the middle of Pennsylvania. Their brush with the end seems to have instilled, within the band, a certain bittersweet gratefulness for the simple things that can be heard in lyrics like, "And it's like roses and razor blades/ there are scars in this world that are never gonna fade away/ and it's these moments that make us realize/ maybe life ain't so fucking bad/ better be grateful for what you have" (from "Roses and Razorblades"). Between the accessible vocals of Steve Neary and the highly contagious power chord choruses, FFF has similar appeal to melodic street punkers like Bad Religion, Face to Face and the incomparable Social Distortion. Their Boston roots poke through, and this will inevitably bring comparisons to Dropkick Murphys, but they don't seem to be waving the Irish flag. If anyone they'd be closer in sound to The Street Dogs, but with more of an awareness of pop appeal. Song highlights? Really the whole damn album is single worthy, but if I had to choose a handful: "Rose and Razorblades," "A New Tune," "Disaster" and "Heroes and Ghosts." It's always a good day when I discover a new punk band to throw into my repertoire. - Ink19.com TOP Talk about a cursed band: Boston’s Far From Finished survived a major van accident last year and managed to record a phenomenal second album, just to watch their label fall apart before they could put out the record. A year later, these guys may have finally stepped out from under the dark cloud that had been following them around. Living in the Fallout, the follow-up to 2005’s East Side of Nowhere, is a brilliant mix of 20-something angst and punk rock guitars. Sounding a bit like the best parts of scenemates the Ducky Boys and the Explosion, Living in the Fallout is a remarkable snapshot of a band finding their sound and hitting their stride. Their debut showed strong potential, but this record shows a band that has matured greatly, both musically and lyrically, in less than two years. There are too many stand out tracks to list. Though it was technically recorded last year, Living in the Fallout is easily one of the strongest punk rock records released this year. (A-) - InSite Magazine / Innocent Words Magazine / AMP Magazine TOP Responses to various comments from the thread concerning the website's stream of Far from Finished's Living in the Fallout: Re: Far From Finished: 'Living in the Fallout' by Someone on 2007-07-21 14:21:50 first p.s your mother Wow, good response time being first there. I can imagine far From Finished would have liked to have been as timely in their release of Living in the Fallout, which was set for release last November before the band left Sailor’s Grave Records. However, the time in between has allowed for the record to radiate noticeable buzz and wind up a highly anticipated release. Re: Far From Finished: 'Living in the Fallout' by Someone on 2007-07-21 14:24:23 amazing album It is a great album, and definitely one of the best straight-ahead punk records of the year. There must be something in the water over in Beantown, because the city has become a hotbed for catchy street-influenced punk. There’s Darkbuster, Street Dogs, Dropkick Murphys, the Unseen, and the Ducky Boys just to name a few and Far from Finished is a worthy addition, with punked up rock and roll tempos, unique but comfortable riffs, and enough hooks to open up a bait shop down on the dock. Re: Far From Finished: 'Living in the Fallout' by 1234go on 2007-07-21 19:25:59 These guys need to take it easy in the studio. I got a copy of their record for review and it's one of the most over polished records I've heard in forever. Entirely ruins it for me. The production on Living in the Fallout is of very high quality, but I personally don’t think it detracts at all from the record’s sound. Far from Finished is talented enough to pull off slick accompaniments to diversify their sound with organs, saxophones, and pianos, like the loungey rockabilly bridge of “Just Us Kids,” the ska interlude of “Roses and Razorblades” or the unexpected ivory balladry planted in the middle of “The Imposter.” If a band as capable as Far from Finished has the budget, at least it ensures that they won’t be left with a final product whose production resembles the Lucky Stiffs’ unfortunate Gold in Peace, Iron in War. Re: Far From Finished: 'Living in the Fallout' by Someone on 2007-07-21 22:11:1 This band is great, i'll wager a fourth of my right testicle that they will blow up soon enough. I don’t generally trust the tastes of the mainstream, but Far from Finished has a catchy enough sound to appeal to almost anyone. And who knows, with Dropkick Murphys signing a major label distribution deal, the time may soon come for more of Boston’s punk darlings to grab the limelight. Be careful with wagers like that though, it's not easy to pick up chicks when you have one and 3/4 testicles. Re: Far From Finished: 'Living in the Fallout' by Someone on 2007-07-22 08:20:53 a lot of their songs sound good but are ruined by being too long or the high school quality lyrics Valid criticism on both accounts, but the song lengths are not so unbearable when each track is as fantastic as those on Living in the Fallout. Lyrically, the album shows progress, after the band’s debut suffered a bit from clichés like “A Destination Nowhere” and “9 Lives.” Too many Social Distortion influences gnaw frustratingly throughout, and songs spattered with unnecessary expletives like in “Disaster” come off as a tad immature, but for the most part, the lyricism has improved. “Twenty-One Guns” sounds like the Street Dogs, which of course is a compliment: "Jimmy’s going off to war tomorrow / Trading his shovel for a big old gun / Time to stand up and time to be a man / Putting the trigger in his right hand / […] / Another family that‘s torn by war / Another soldier that‘s face down in the dirt." “Just Us Kids” boasts the album’s best lyrics despite being a total downer: "Bringing flowers to the graveyard ain't no fun / When you're there to see the ones you love / Another friend is dead and gone / And all the friends we tried to save / We watch the grass grow 'round their graves / Whatever happened to all our better days?" Re: Far From Finished: 'Living in the Fallout' by die_die_die on 2007-07-21 19:01:40 I like this record. As do I. So far it’s a top contender for this year’s quintessential summer album. Last year’s was without a doubt the Bouncing Souls' The Gold Record, and Living in the Fallout has all the energy, hooks, and good vibes to match it. Re: Far From Finished: 'Living in the Fallout' by MadCow on 2007-07-21 14:21:57 Word Word. 4/5 - PunkNews.org TOP Living in the Fallout is the latest effort from Far from Finished. I can say with all honesty I was almost shocked to see how fucking good this disc really is. The sound has definitely matured and feels more rounded than before. Living in the Fallout takes Far From Finished's punk rockabilly style to the next level in both content and form. From start to finish everything on Living in the Fallout is tight. From the vox to the drums, bass and guitars the whole album is pretty killer. Especially Just Us Kids, where it switches into a very 50's almost doo wop sound ( complete with Sax!) that when the vox hit will give you fuckin shivers. While the title track, well that's just a killer song. So Kudos to Far from Finished for a job very well done! 5/5 - EctoMag TOP Opening track "Disaster," with its radio- unfriendly refrain about being a "fucked up boy in a fucked up world," sets the tone for this decidedly upbeat-sounding spree of anthemic punk rock from Boston's Far From Finished. Rest assured, if you don't like this initial track, you won't like any of the others either. From a musical standpoint, Living In The Fallout finds these guys rarely straying from a familiar style of pop punk similar to that played by Green Day, Good Charlotte, or Blink 182, albeit with the added blessing of some hellaciously rippin' solos from lead guitarist Paul Christian. But then again...what the hell's wrong with you if you don't like this stuff!!! After all, this album is all about good times and fun, played by a band with style, charisma, and heaps of talent. Well actually, no it isn't. While the style and talent are certainly there, it's not all about good times and fun as much as it merely sounds like it is. Lyrically, this stuff's chock-full of obscenities and even kinda morose ("bringing flowers to the graveyard ain't no fun when you're there to see the one's you love," et al.). True enough, while these tunes are catchy as hell and sometimes barely distinguishable from the music produced by several of the top-selling bands, it can also keep you on your toes. Just when you think you've heard it all, Far From Finished change things up with a metal barnburner that sounds like a Chrome Division song ("Watch Your Back"); "Wanna Be A Catastrophe" would seem right at home on a Sex Pistols tribute (complete with the obligatory "you fucking cunt!" to close the song); a surprisingly inspired foray into the blues (the second half of "Just Us Kids"); and the whole album is rounded-out with a brief flurry from an organ. I know you saw this coming from a mile away, but I'll say it anyway. I liked this CD, and I for one hope that this band truly is "far from finished." 5/5 - Pivotal Rage TOP I was in love with this album from the first note, and the enjoyment only grows with each new listen. Its so fresh to hear an actual new punk band taking the scene (or at least my ears) by storm. I am completely blown away by the gruff punk rock that Far From Finished play, and I'm already eager to pick up their older album (East Side of Nowhere, which was released in 2005) to add to my collection. Far From Finished have a very sincere sound to them, a band reeking with integrity and honesty. Forget the fact that these songs are instantly memorable and catchy enough to sing along to by the second chorus, they sound like they are playing music for all the right reasons. Picture a mixture between Swingin' Utters and The Ducky Boys, and you'll have a pretty good idea of what this band sounds like, only with more sing along parts. Far From Finished easily surpassed any expectations that I had of them. Living in the Fallout has become one of, if not THE, Album of the Year, in my opinion, and Far From Finished are climbing their way up my favorite band list. I'll be listening to this album for a long time to come. - ThePlaylist.net TOP Looking at the cover of this record tells you pretty much everything you need to know about what you’re going to hear, a few dudes sitting down, obviously punk rock kids, in front of a busted old TV in a trailer. Right away you know you’re going to get pure punk rock from some honest, hard working dudes who really are pushing to release a great album. That’s what you get with this. It took me back a few years, stirring up thoughts of Bouncing Souls, Bad Religion, as well as The Loved Ones, Strike Anywhere, and others. Living In The Fallout is a great display of melodic punk rock, as well as a testament to the shit they went through to release this album. Going into the studio with Jim Siegel was an excellent pairing for Far From Finished, as he’s worked with Dropkick Murphey’s, Give Up The Ghost (American Nightmare), among countless other punk rock and hardcore heavyweights. When they stepped out, they had a record that is on par (if not above) most of what punk rock bands are doing these days. My biggest complaint about punk rock today has been that it’s split in two directions, either bands want to attempt to get famous and change their sound or they refuse to alter what they’re doing to create something new. Far From Finished is a new breed, blending the sounds of classic punk rock with melody and an infusion of hardcore to create something like a more melodic Strike Anywhere or a heavier Bad Religion. It’s really just somewhere in between. If you are any kind of punk rock fan, you’ll love this record. Far From Finished hasn’t had the easiest road to the success they’ve seen thus far, they have earned everything they’ve gotten, working their asses off and bleeding on their guitar strings. If you can’t respect that, then we’ve got a problem. This Boston punk rock band is really going in the right direction, and this is a great album to help boost them further into the spotlight. 88/100 - RiseandRevolt.com TOP This was a great change from the majority of the stuff I get. These guys play Punk Rock music & play it very well. They have a very cool Skate Punk sound that i got into big time back in the 80's when i first started skating. The music is very upbeat fast paced & driven all the way. They have a California Punk style with a little bit of gritty D.C. Punk tossed inside. The music kept me pumped the whole time! The vocals are done in a cross of old school & new school Punk styles! These guys are going to blaze a path to the top of the Punk Rock heap if they keep going this way!!! Oi! Oi! Oi! - Treats From The Underground TOP Punk rock that is not afraid to have a good time and be wary of the trends that so many of their mall brethren fall into. Far From Finished delves into the ska-punk territory that other groups tackle though they have more in common with a Dropkick Murphy than a Less than Jake. Produced by none other than Jim Siegel (Dropkick Murphys, Give Up the Ghost, the Unseen), “Living In the Fallout” is a fun-filled entertaining punk lifter-upper. - Smother.net TOP Far From Finished plays melodic punk rock that's got everything from classic pop-punk catchiness to modern-day songwriting polish to gritty, real-life sincerity. What else does a punk rock listener really need? Living in the Fallout , the band's latest full length, echoes with enthusiasm and authenticity, and all along maintains an accessible, melodic edge. It's feel-good, summer-y punk rock -- even when the tone takes a decidedly serious or pissed-off angle -- that's had my head bobbing and embarrassingly bad voice singing along for weeks. I don't think I need to say more, so take a listen: Far From Finished - Heroes and Ghosts. The whole album's rock solid, catchy and fun. Do yourself a favor and pick up what could be my pick for this year's summer record from Think Fast! Records. Sweet. - GeekBurger.com TOP It was very uncertain if the second album from these Boston punk rockers would ever see the light of day. Their last label Sailor Grave Records became bankrupt and they had to shop for a new label. Luckily there were two labels (Think Fast Records for the States and People Like You for Europe) who released Far From Finished second album. Living In The Fallout is a big step forward for Far From Finished. The band released a good debut two years ago, but with their newest effort they show us that they`re another big band from Boston (the band has got some roots from New York, but now they are located in Boston). Their second album is full of happy punk rock songs in the line of another Boston band Dropkick Murphy’s. From the first song on this album rocks as Boston punk rock should, sing a longs with a few folk influences. The highlights are Disaster, Rozes And Razorblades, Broken and the last song on the album Living In The Fall Out. When this band isn’t far from finished allready, than we can expect a superior their third album, hopefully that’s possible. When you’re into the Boston punk rock music you definitely need to check out this album and their live performance at their upcoming US and European tours. 8.5/10 - Rockezine.com TOP Far From Finished are not that new to the game. They've already released “Eastside of Nowhere” and did US and European tours, in one of which they survived a dangerous van accident! But what about the music? Well the music is well sounding street punk, more pop than most aggressive bands out there but not in the bad sense. They have the street vibe but catchy enough for no tuff people while they prove that can also succeed in the swing side of bands like Royal Crown Revue and Cherry Poppin' Daddies. Lyrics are interesting, expressing the “anger of alienated youth and the sorrow of a troubled soul”. Artwork is pretty straight and cool while the production is done by Jim Siegel that has also produced bands like Dropkick Murphy's, The Unseen and Give Up The Ghost. If you want something as a soundtrack for your summer vacation that still will shout out the scene you come from then you should check this album. - SaveYourScene.com TOP New York City? Boston? East Coast? I still can’t believe it after listening this entire afternoon to the new album from Far From Finished. Living In The Fallout feels so West Coast and still has its own signature sound that makes it now already the punk album of the year. Maybe that’s because the five-piece looks like a bunch of normal guys. You don’t get any punk outfit here, no fashionable design or any other gimmick that so many newcomers think they cannot live without. Far From Finished are just regular people full of anguish which they vent through their melodic punk rock songs, that at times can slow the pace and feel like superior power pop, or they can add some steam and come across like a purely bred rock’n’roll band. It’s been more than ten years since a punk rock album has convinced me that much, and that was Rancid’s ...And Out Come the Wolves which eventually went platinum. Far From Finished may not yet have reached that level, but from the opener Disaster, you hear that this is a band that combines strong language with fast moving punk and background choirs that could have come from Bad Religion. The following Plague even pushes this concept further. The slightly longer Broken shows the band from a more leisurely side, but they still have more steam than the majority of newcomer punk bands. And to show that they have enough talent to fill the entire album with hits, some of their best material has been placed towards the end of the CD: Heroes And Ghosts, Twenty-One Guns and Living In The Fall Out. Normally I reserve the maximum rating only for bands that innovate a genre or who are truly progressive or interestingly avant-garde. Far From Finished are the exception. There is nothing new about their music, but the way the combine the mentality of singer/songwriter with crunchy punk rock, driving rock’n’roll and catchy power pop makes Living In The Fallout a rare delight that deserves to be checked out by every punk and rock fan. - Disagreement.net TOP Who? Boston punks who weathered label troubles en route to releasing this, their sophomore album. Sounds Like? Working-class punk like The Explosion with a hint of ska and some classic oozin’ aahs a la Bad Religion. How Is It? It’s a remarkably polished recording for a gritty punk band, but FFF make it work. Check out “Plague” immediately. Rocks Like? The Explosion, Bad Religion, Hudson Falcons. - Alternative Press TOP I just have to start out with this note: this is an absolutely brilliant album from start to finish! "Living In The Fallout" is filled with anger, aggression and alienation. There are not many bands around today with albums wrapped in so much passion that it makes it difficult to shut them off. Although this is only their sophomore release on a record label, the guys from Far From Finished have been around for a long time in bands like The Street Dogs and The Ducky Boys. This is pure, honest punk rock: a hot commodity with so many crappy bands out there. "Living In The Fallout" is the kind of music that gets my heart pounding. The songs are packed with catchy, heavy guitar riffs backed by an incredible rhythm section and tremendous vocals. My favorite tracks on this album include "Disaster" ("I'm a fucking saint; you think I'm a bum"), "Roses and Razorblades" ("What kind of fuck would I be if I took shit for being me"), and "Heroes and Ghosts" ("One more time, screaming from the rafters, get out of my life, get out of my head"). The whole album is stuffed with awe-inspiring songs and lyrics that show the world in a dark yet truthful manner. A group like this is so hard to find amongst the amount of shit that is released today that you should go out and buy this album immediately! You won't be disappointed. They are one of the best groups around today. - BurningAngel.com TOP From word go on opener “Disaster” it is clear that Far From Finished are out to kick ass, throw f-bombs, and rock your little punk baby. With their latest full-length, this Boston punk outfit channels the prowess of citymates Dropkick Murphys splicing it up with more pop and catchiness. At heart, Far From Finished has a classic northeast punk sound that reminds you of dozens that have come before, but they still manage to maintain their own distinctive sound. Though the band did a split with Left Alone (Hellcat Records), the obvious question is why aren’t these guys a million times bigger? Though my ear varies on the music grindstone, I’m fairly shocked that FFF hadn’t come through my province over the past couple of years. With that in mind check out ass kicking songs like the aforementioned, “Roses & Razors Blades,” “Living in the Fallout,” “Watch Your Back,” the hard hitting “Broken,” “A New Tune,” and “Twenty-One Guns.” You are now armed with a new album full of punk anthems – so get set to launch! A-/B+ - ExoDuster TOP Goddamn. This is so good. These chaps are from Boston, but sound like they grew up (at least the punk years) in Southern California. They combine the driving layered (guitars and vocals) harmonies and melodies of a BAD RELIGION, PENNYWISE or FACE TO FACE, with the pop (in that punk sense of the word) sensibilities of FALL OUT BOY. This reminds me alot of NO USE FOR A NAME's epic "Leche Con Carne." It's that good, probably better. Their second full length. - AMP Magazine TOP Significant Findings: It's rare to find a surging, accessible punk rock band in this modern era that retains maverick values. Boston's Far From Finished, whose latest release is the epic "Living In The Fallout" on Think Fast! Records, is that band. It is said that a band's honesty is only as good as its intentions, a rule that makes it easier than ever for a true underground music fan to notice the fakes posing as real street rockers. When a band looks pretty and has dreams of coke parties, energy drink endorsements, sex parties, and pretty much every other self-indulgent form of skirting reality that one can think of, there are no shortage of labels eager to invest in a big-budget studio to make any group in question sound half-competent and look half-credible. But we know better. It doesn't take ten grand to make an album memorable, nor does it take a marketing department to make rich California kids into true punk rockers for a year...oh wait, yes it does. Luckily for the ever-versatile Think Fast! Records, who like any actual indie label likely has real budgetary limitations, Far From Finished are the opposite of fake. So they don't need to be dolled up to appear real. They are real. And instead of being fueled by money like so many of the punk rock bands of today, both littering the mainstream and swimming in the underground alike, these Boston boys seem to be driven by one thing: Writing music from the heart, inspired by the influences they love, for others to have something to hold onto, to identify with. And they succeed in this goal. With influences you can actually distinguish like Social Distortion, The Replacements, The Pogues, Bad Religion, Rose Tattoo and more leather-skinned survivors of punk rock's halcyon days, the songs on "Living In The Fallout" are built to last and accompany kids growing up in tough times for longer than just the usual lifespan of a top-10 hit. Songs like "Heroes and Ghosts," "Just Us Kids (November)," "Disaster," and "The Imposter" will still be remembered five, ten years from now as kids try to recall something from their youth that was actually built from hard work and not some sad corporate youth target-marketing agenda. Possible Diagnosis: Bands these days tend to oddly appear with full sleeves of tattoos, which often begs the question of where they came from; a question that proves itself a quite difficult, if impossible one to answer. With a name like Far From Finished one would think they are a bunch of 40 year-old punk rockers still hanging on for that last bit of stage time before they become to old to perform, but instead these are a few youngsters who know exactly who pushed the envelope of punk before them, and that is inspiring. They aren't without current credibility either, as electric bass on "Living In The Fallout" was performed by Mark Lind, one-half of Boston's favorite sons The Ducky Boys, whose other half, Rob Lind, is someone many may better know as White Trash Rob, frontman for Blood For Blood, Ramallah, and Saints & Sinners. To make matters even more Bostonian, "Living In The Fallout" was produced at The Outpost by Jim Siegel, a legendary producer and studio which has produced punchy, timeless records by bands like American Nightmare (Give Up The Ghost), Blood For Blood, Death Threat, Dropkick Murphy's, Death Threat, Ramallah, The Unseen, and more. And, of course, the album comes out sounding better than any major label-funded big budget studio job would have. Far From Finished are clearly not only plugged into the true roots of punk, but are also already interwoven into the fabric of Boston's rich punk rock legacy. You can't go wrong with these guys. Recomendation: Why do people keep going back to artists like The Replacements, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, and Billy Bragg when they need to feel something real? Because they just don't make 'em like they used to. With all the focus on superficiality, the emphasis on hard day-to-day life has been forgotten, or worse, trivialized by kids who never lived it and don't truly feel the tension. Far From Finished couldn't hide their honest roots if they tried. "Living In The Fallout" is one of the few albums of timeless punk rock that will last for years to come. - HardTimes.ca TOP Only Crime "Split with Outbreak" First vinyl purchase since getting a turntable: sweet. Arriving in my mailbox 5 days before official release: sweet.  Tie-dyed vinyl: sweet.  Mistakenly believing that all 7” records are best played at 45 RPM: not sweet. (Russ Rankin, I dub you an honorary member of the Chipmunks while spinning at anything greater than 33 revolutions per minute.)  Punk rock supergroup Only Crime and Maine's Outbreak convened at the Blasting Room in Ft. Collins, CO a few months ago to record what would soon become one of the most ass-kicking and face-bludgeoning split EPs in recent memory. And while both bands deliver in their limited capacity, the two songs each artist provides will barely satiate the fix needed after getting hooked on the authentic hardcore of Only Crime and Outbreak.  Side A belongs to Only Crime, commonly known for boasting veterans of Good Riddance, Black Flag, Bane, and GWAR. Their unique brand of heavy hardcore is intense and powerful without being metallic, a sharp way of updating their roots, instead of going “metalcore” like most hardcore bands trying to outdo their elders. “Brand New Scene” is dispensed in traditional Only Crime form, with melodic verses that seem to reflect on the state of hardcore, particularly in relation to the passing of vocalist Russ Rankin’s former band Good Riddance: "Just push around while I’m running away from / I see myself inside you / Leaving trails and the blood you ignore / Leave lies behind you / […] / Like all the other perversions / Leaving time for the versions of that sound / […] / I’ve seen enough to drive it all away / This time it’s done so take it all away." The second half of Only Crime’s offering is “Revisionistic,” the obvious standout of the EP. Light, teaser riffage gives way to melodic hardcore that with an extremely catchy tune and slightly less heavy approach sounds like Good Riddance in the prime of their existence. Side A score: 4.5/5  Outbreak’s three minutes of the split don’t exactly give a full introduction to the novice listener, but they do offer a glimpse of what a typical Outbreak composition might entail. Lyrically, Outbreak closely resembles the forefathers of East Coast `80s hardcore: simple, angry, and concise. If you’re thinking about playing Side B around your parents because there aren’t any expletives in the liner notes, you can forget it. Even though they don’t appear in the written lyrics, Outbreak drops the F-bomb in both of their tracks. The band’s approach to songwriting is interesting in that their songs are essentially composed of one big verse with some lyrics repeated to form a quasi-chorus. As the first song “Single File” bleeds right into “Deaf and Blind,” the somewhat convulsive drumming gives Outbreak more of a D.R.I. or Suicidal Tendencies feel than that of fellow East Coasters like Agnostic Front or Madball. Outbreak shows promise here, but their contribution is over right as they begin to pick up pace. Side B score: 3.5/5 Overall Score: 4/5 - PunkNews.org TOP At first glance, ONLY CRIME and OUTBREAK seem like an odd pairing. The former band is a bi-coastal assembly of well-known hardcore figures that plays straight-up, coarse 80s hardcore-punk. The latter offers a thrashy attack of skatepunk with a heaping of pissed-off vocals and snot-rag attitude. OK - so maybe ONLY CRIME and OUTBREAK aren't so far apart. Each band on here carries two new songs with ONLY CRIME's material coming from the recording sessions of their recent full-length Virulence. Not surprisingly, ONLY CRIME are instantly definable by the eternally distinctive vocal style of frontman Russ Rankin. Tuneful, yet potted with plenty of anger, Rankin remains the ultimate focus of ONLY CRIME (despite having punk rock legend Bill Stevenson on drums!). Lest one think these are mere throwaways from Virulence, the band's second track, "Revisionistic" is a standout through and through. OUTBREAK's half of the release is of more intrigue because the band is without the musical and historical baggage that Rankin and company bring with them. Slowed down a dab from the band's raging material on Failure (Bridge Nine), OUTBREAK seemingly have room to breathe. That's sort of an odd statement to make considering that the band's three songs clock in at a combined three minutes! OUTBREAK let 'er rip with a neck-snapping guitar lead on "Deaf and Blind," and plow through you on the 80 second romp "Single File," which incidentally still manages to cram in a tightly wound breakdown. To recap: More! More! I want more! - PastePunk TOP Remember vinyl? Remember splits? Remember when punk rock and hardcore was relevant, dangerous and sweaty? All of this was in the day before digital downloading, before MTV and the Warped Tour sucked the saturation right out of aggressive music and diluted it for distribution at Hot Topic. These were the days before gloss punk. Think Fast! Records has not forgotten these bygone years, but they have embraced the future by sending out a first for me (as a reviewer): an advanced copy of their vinyl release of the Only Crime/Outbreak split arrived in my mailbox as a credit card with a web address and a special code -- it's also available to the public as a digital download at Downloadpunk.com). This is the future of independent labels looking to promote their releases with less risk of financial loss. While I already would have been excited to get a fresh new batch of traditional hardcore punk, the environmentally friendly way in which it arrived broadened my interest tenfold. So what of the music? At 4 songs, clocking in well under 10 minutes, the simple teaser release is a dirty appetizer that has found me replaying it again and again. The first half of the release offers Only Crime's punk friendly melodies (band members include former mates of Black Flag, Descendants and Good Riddance), while the last half is 3 minutes of Outbreak's metal-tinged fist-fight hardcore. It's short enough for even the most television-torn attention span. - Ink19.com TOP Hour Of The Wolf "Waste Makes Waste" Hour of the Wolf are one of the best punk bands in America—trust me. It's a familiar story, kind of a Zen thing (like the tree falling in a vacant forest), but The World Is Different Now: thanks to the Internet, the local band you always knew to be better than any national contenders can now play in the big leagues, gathering converts online as well as on tour. And they will; they already have. Hour of the Wolf has already begun to amass a following outside of their native Arizona - a following that can only grow, leaving us Arizonans to nod like proud parents at native sons who hit home runs. Born in Prescott, Hour of the Wolf - who may or may not be named after an episode of the television show Babylon 5, an Ingmar Bergman movie, or a concept akin to “The Witching Hour” -play a kind of punk that zine ad copy might bill as “rock and roll influenced hardcore,” which usually just means that the guitar parts sound less like “Out of Step” and more like “Do You No Wrong.” But Hour of the Wolf are anything but formulaic, and they succeed where so many others have failed: on the strength of their songs. A dirty secret: songwriting makes hardcore. To a large extent songwriting makes any form of music, but we all know the truth: many doom metallers can scrape by with the right pastiche of vintage gear, and a lot of noise artists fall back on a battery of exotic effects pedals rather than any actual aesthetic merit. Repeat ad nauseam with the genre of your choice. Minor Threat weren't just an innovative punk band; they were first-rate songwriters. And one of the big reasons why Hour of the Wolf is so special is that they can actually write a tune. This band channels the back-alley, fire-breathing menace of Poison Idea, mixed with a whoa'd hookiness gene-spliced from Danzig's hair follicles or even the fingernails of an hungry young A.F.I., plus just a dash of Billy Zoom's silver-flaked glitter guitar—but under duress, like he'd been kidnapped and forced to supply his Chuck Berry-isms at gunpoint. The guitars actually have a nervous, amphetamine-addled edge that almost conjures up the ghost of Drive Like Jehu. It's a potent mix. Instead of coming off like empty placeholders for something mercurial that's gone tepid, Hour of the Wolf molest some of rock and roll's stale signifiers until they actually sound dangerous again. Waste Makes Waste diverges a bit from the band's first recording, Power of the Wolf: the band sounds rougher, sharper, and even nastier than before, a shift signaled most by how singer Lance dials back his golden-throated “Last Caress”-isms slightly, favoring a more kerosene-gargling bark. Don't fret, there are still opportunities to get your whoa on—but as the liner notes promise/threaten, “no Pro Tools or nothin' . . . In other words, what we shit is what you get.” Thank God/Satan The last record offered a cover of Black Flag's “Fix Me” as a hidden track; this time they do an even more inspired and scorched take of Mission of Burma's “That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate,” further cementing the fact that this punk ain't boilerplate. And Hour of the Wolf's covers sound the way they should: tossed off like a pinch of salt over the shoulder, an afterthought compared to their original jams. There's not too much else to say. Too few bands today are playing inspired, ferocious punk rock. The downside of having more and more punk records available than ever is that too many would-be connoisseurs spend their time valorizing second-rate bullshit in an attempt to seem like dumpster-diving aesthetes. Don't fall into this trap. Hour of the Wolf play punk the way it should be: raw and unapologetic. I don't say this very often, so take note: buy now or fucking pose. 9/10 - ScenePointBlank.com TOP If you're a fan of THE BRONX, but would prefer a little less Los Angeles sleaze in your music, look no further than Arizona's HOUR OF THE WOLF, a punk rock band that likens itself to THE MISFITS and MOTORHEAD, and doesn't look like chumps because of that. On this Waste Makes Waste EP, a follow-up to 2005's Power of the Wolf MCD, the band hones in their sharp sound with compact, 2 and a half minute-or-less tunes, busy bass lines, and raw, screaming guitars. Vocalist Lance Miller is a snarlin' beast throughout the EP's 15 minutes, but he doesn't garble his lyrics, and the lucidness of it all is pleasantly comforting. Waste Makes Waste was recorded entirely in analog with producer Bob Hoag and mastered by the folks at the Blasting Room. The end result is something that feels decidedly gritty but warm, especially in the lead guitars on opener "Taking Out The Trash," and the blitzin' three-chord thrashin' follow-up "Black Blood." If there was a word opposite to sterile that wasn't as cliche as "dirty" for punk rock, I'd be using it right here. Great stuff! - PastePunk.com TOP With their roots planted in the early days of punk and garage, Hour of the Wolf spits out tunes that are just fucking catchy as hell, that you can't help but want to blast as loud as your ears can stand as you drive down the street. Tunes like Black Blood with its infectious shout a long pieces and Animals Hot in Heat with its layered sound are the kind of songs that will amp you up for whatever mischief may be on the days menu. - EctoMag.com TOP I've been sitting on this EP for a while, and it's finally time I give it some print. Hour of the Wolf dishes out seven ragers in a familiar fashion. Imagine The Bronx getting trashed and pulling an all nighter to write an EP in their basement and you have the breeding grounds for Hour of the Wolf. This is the soundtrack for driving like an absolute idiot, or anything else deemed sketchy. Waste Makes Waste is a conglomeration of rock and hardcore glistening in sweat, with a few surf riffs for good measure (like the one that opens the CD). The live energy translates 100% on record, but these fellas from Arizona also have substance to offer. Even though you may not be able to understand all the words, the hoarse chorus from "Taking Out the Trash" is catchy as hell, but be forewarned: it will get stuck in your head. "Heavy Living" bears that chunky guitar sound of the Cro-Mags, yet another selling point. From the liner notes: "This was recorded completely analog, no Pro Tools or nothin'. In other words, what we shit is what you get." I wouldn't want it any other way. - Adequacy.net TOP Arizona’s Hour Of The Wolf deliver up a big slab of raw, old school sounding hardcore punk. Imagine The Explosion mixed with a bit of Black Flag and a spoonful of Street Dogs and you get a decent idea of Hour Of The Wolf’s heavy but catchy songs. I liked Set The Trash On Fire, Blue Recluse and Heavy Living the best. Waste Makes Waste is an powerful blast to the head and singer Lance's vocals have a Henry Rollins quality to them. There’s even a hidden track bringing the total to eight. - ECRomper.com TOP Anyone craving a fix of uproarious, rampaging rock ‘n’ roll –- and who isn’t? -– need look no further than Arizona’s Hour of the Wolf. Their Think Fast! debut, Waste Makes Waste, is dirty coffin-core at its finest, a carnage-spilling glee-fest from the possessed recesses of mania. And, fitting for punk-rock that sounds straight from the boarded-up garage of the neighborhood’s mysterious residents, Hour of the Wolf hacks away inexhaustibly. Screams, shouts, howls and crazed exultations rev and roar like a garbage disposal disintegrating bone, while guitars rip and grind like rusted chainsaws; but the panicked rock-‘n’-riffing, short and stellar, is uncommonly addictive, with the right balance of clean-toned excursions countering the distortion. The pummeling percussion is blunt force trauma of the highest order, while the bass quakes like a horde of stampeding zombies. With a knack for incorporating earlier-era rock ‘n’ roll into a grimy, modern punk rock package –- “Taking Out the Trash” opens the album with a breath of the Beach Boys surf-rock before melting into screams and distortion –- Hour of the Wolf not only channels but tops The Bronx, and justifies mentions of the Misfits. I couldn’t be happier to report Waste Makes Waste -- albeit lean at 20 minutes of actual music -- is nothing but fist-pumping, scream-along filth. Though a thick wall of crust covers this Blasting Room mastered masterpiece, it’s as memorable as the most finely tuned pop-punk. For the sake of sanitation, it’s a good thing all garbage isn’t so indispensable. 8/10 - GeekBurger.com TOP DIRTY ROUGH AND NASTY: Somewhere between Social Distortion, Rocket from the Crypt minus the horn section, and Give 'Em Enough Rope-era Clash lies Hour Of The Wolf's new release on Think Fast! Records. Waste Makes Waste is a fast and furious seven song set that, from the last note of the roaring closer "Heavy Living," fairly begs to be spun again. The only real knock against this short blast punk 'n' roll is-despite how proficient and galvanizing the songs may be-there really isn't anything new under this particular sun. The more boldly abrasive tracks begin to touch upon something a bit more original, but Hour Of The Wolf-a fivesome from Prescott, Arizona-is not quite there yet. Still, there is much to be admired in a band that can marry a punk sneer with fist pumping anthems as capably as Hour Of The Wolf has on Waste Makes Waste. Reinventing the wheel would definitely take some steam out of the engine. No fan of this style of music wants that or, indeed, would be likely to accept it. They want the power and the glory, and on Waste Makes Waste, they'll find it. It is not difficult to imagine Hour Of The Wolf blowing the doors off your local rock club when that live show comes to town. - Outburn TOP These dudes play a melodic style of hardcore punk. Think Strike Anywhere with less clapping (not that I don't love Strike Anywhere. But I'm not so keen on the fast clap that is popping up at shows. I'll pass on that, thank you). This cd comes in with 7 songs topping 24 minutes. Now you're thinking, "That's over 3 minutes a track. That's not punk rock." BUT, the last track is 11 minutes with probably 8 of filler and then there is a bonus track. Plus some weird glass breaking or bubble wrap popping. That was actually a little creepy sounding. An enjoyable cd overall. I'm a little disappointed they weren't on the Bane/The Geeks/DTN/Ambitions leg of the tour I saw recently. Perhaps, next time. If you live in Phoenix or Tucson, you are in luck. The record release for this album is this weekend. Quit sleeping. - HowsYourEdge.com TOP Significant Findings: Imagine, as difficult as it may be, just for a moment that the 90’s never happened. Or at least not the way they did, having been consumed like a human hand in a tank full of piranhas by the heavy metal genre born a decade earlier. Listening to the Arizona punk’n’roll throwback outfit, Hour Of The Wolf, anyone cognizant of what the punk and hardcore scenes were brewing up in the underground prior to the turn of the decade would recognize these guys as the natural progression of the 80’s that should have been. It’s no wonder throngs of kids new to the underground these days are constantly jocking bands like The Misfits, Poison Idea, Minor Threat, The Descendents, Black Flag, and The Ramones with a kind of sincere admiration they simply could not fake if they tried. Prior to the old-school revival chipping away at the metal veneer cast over the hardcore scene, the aforementioned bands would seldom get the credit or respect earned in decades past because kids were too busy chugging their guitars and dancing like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. While this humble writer was not one to dance with any degree of regularity, metal was the style-du-jour and, much like hardcore has always been, the scene during those years was a take-it-or-leave-it affair. Easily one of the tightest, catchiest, most studied, and most passionate of the new wave of punk/hardcore bands, Hour Of The Wolf make it sound so easy on “Waste Makes Waste,” a full-length that has been out for a good while already but will not be forgotten anytime soon. They are naturals much in the sense Motorhead were and still are. The word “timeless” could definitely be used to describe the material on “Waste Makes Haste” as the songs do not particularly relate to the now, nor necessarily to the past, but instead to the realities of life. Things that everybody with some degree of self-respect can relate to (and even those people seem to be shrinking in number), like calling out cheaters and hypocrites, dealing with depression, living in the slums, and the co-dependency of need. Guitar leads hum along frantically like they used to among real punk bands, with strained, howled vocals punctuating epic passages atop them, moving the listener every step of the way. Possible Diagnosis: This is an album of old-time rock’n’roll on speed, which was essentially the original formula for the punk that people of all generations are finding it impossible to shake from their collections. A recent split CD with arguably the biggest hope for hardcore, California’s Lewd Acts, only solidifies that Hour Of The Wolf are on the cusp of something real, and something pure. Kids will definitely be getting Hour Of The Wolf tattoos in no time, as will kids 20 years from now. Recomendation: Maybe if more bands made the effort to be authentic like Hour Of The Wolf succeed at doing, there would be more attention to the current punk scene and less spent on the old. - HardTimes.ca TOP The Geeks "Every Time We Fall" Hardcore punk in the vein of the old school youth crew bands like Judge, Youth of Today and Gorilla Biscuits! “Every Time We Fall” is The Geeks debut full-length. Yeah I know, right?! If you’re into this style of positive uplifting youth crew hardcore, you’ve already heard of them, with their inclusion on many compilations as well as their incredible EP “What’s Inside”. But if not, this South Korean band will win you over with their brand of positive hardcore mayhem. Outbreak’s singer Ryan O’Conner guests on the album and the group has already toured alongside such greats as Kill Your Idols, Champion, Ensign, Outbreak, and Down to Nothing. - Smother.net TOP In the same way that Jordan Baker said that HAVE HEART are for the believers in his 2006 year end list, I can very safely say the same thing about Seoul, Korea's THE GEEKS' record Every Time We Fall. Paying attention now? Good. The same positivity through adversity runs through both releases. Jordan described the disc as an Asian YOUTH OF TODAY, and the label is well-fitting. The songs usually don't break 3 minutes (only 4 break 90 seconds, and 2 of those are 1:33 and 1:36), and from the thunderous opening salvo of "Open Your Eyes", there's no metal to be found, just pure, unfiltered youth crew hardcore. Super fast drumming? Check. Yelled or screamed vocals? Check. Epic gang vocals? Of course. Guitars that cut like saw blades? Hell yeah. Two step parts? There's a couple.  Make no mistake, if you're familiar with youth crew and you know what to expect from it, then this release will sound instantly familiar. But, hell, that just means you can sing and mosh along to the songs on the first listen. Much like Rivalry's THE FIRST STEP, conviction is something THE GEEKS have in spades, and if you ever went to a VFW and saw a youth crew band, listening to Every Time We Fall's positive, conviction filled lyrics should bring you back to those days faster than you could blink. It's not a time warp, but the lyrical topics are familiar. South Korean society seems fairly heavily stacked against rock and roll bands, and straight edge hardcore bands fall into that category, so the sincerity can't be faked. "I know it's been said before, but it means more than I can say", Ki Seok Seo says in "My Foundation", and after the final gang vocals are finished at the end of the 12 song, 18 minute disc, there's no question that Every Time We Fall creates a foundation that - like the Battlecruiser in South Korea's favorite electronic pastime, Starcraft - is built to last. - PastePunk.com TOP These guys are from Seoul, South Korea and billed as South Korea’s only straight-edge band. Their sincerity is a throwback to the hardcore glory days of old. They tackle important topics the way an intelligent and talented hardcore band should. Influenced by the sing-along anthems of 80’s American hardcore such as Youth Of Today and Uniform Choice they stay true to the tried and tested formula but don’t take that in a bad way. They do great, positive hardcore that I’m sure have the crowds singing along to every word. The Geeks have toured with the likes of Kill Your Idols, Ensign, Champion, Down To Nothing, Outbreak, and The First Step. Ryan O’Connor from Outbreak also does guest vocals on “Every Time We Fall”. “The greatest thing in life does not lie in never falling,” proclaims vocalist Ki, “but in rising every time we fall.” - RebelNoise.com TOP Straight from Korea, The Geeks play traditional, youth crew hardcore with enough energy and heart to make their power chords, sloppy shouts and sing-alongs just as riveting as -- if not more riveting than -- complex arrangements and inhuman musical ability. Every Time We Fall doesn't revolutionize hardcore in the slightest; instead, the band pens quick, feisty chord progressions, and slathers them over ripping, high-speed drumming and tasty bass lines. It's all familiar and it's been done before, but it's a year-2007 reminder that hardcore can stay the same -- not to mention simple -- and still sound urgent and enthused. The shouted, throaty vocals too fit the mold of just about any youth crew hardcore act, but they far exceed the norm, conveying the fervent energy and sweaty, vein-popping passion of a live performance. When I close my eyes and throw Every Time We Fall on a pair of headphones, it's seriously close to being there. Subtle tinges of heaviness and melody add a bit of texture to Every Time We Fall, but it's hardly in need of any bells and whistles. And that's because The Geeks are one of the few hardcore acts that have "it" -- a special something that makes them tower above the horde of nearly identical bands. 8/10 - GeekBurger.com TOP While the geeks latest effort, Every Time We Fall, follows the Straight Edge formula of fast, hard, short and loud, it may not be the best album you'll buy in your lifetime. Still it will definitely work if you just need a quick dose of aggression to get you through the day. At least that is until you get to the eighth track, As We Speak. Sung in Korean, As We Speak takes The Geeks standard hardcore sound to an entirely different level. Maybe because its done in the band native language, who knows. Still this is the track that helps set Every Time We Fall and The Geeks from the rest of the pack. - EctoMag.com TOP The Geeks may be from Korea but have their American style straight edge h/c down to a tee. Hell, if this CD came in a plain white promo sleeve I’d have sure thought they were a U.S. band. Give Every Time We Fall a spin and you’ll see what I mean. This is pretty much but the numbers stuff with lots of energy and while I’ve heard a ton of bands doing this style over the years, I never seem to tire of it. The Geeks rip shit up- check ‘em out. - ECRomper.com TOP The Geeks: Korean straight edge hardcore with a youth crew twist. I know what you're thinking; the first time I heard it I didn't believe it either. After hearing mention of The Geeks, my first inclination was to write them off as a novelty band. But then I heard The Geeks' debut 7” What's Inside and I knew they were for real. Two years later now, the band returns with their debut full-length Every Time We Fall, twelve tracks of positive hardcore done right. Every Time We Fall starts things off with “Open Your Eyes” and immediately it as though you have been transported back in time to when bands like Youth of Today, Insted, and Side By Side ruled the scene. The Geeks deliver fast-paced and aggressive hardcore, but with a melodic tone and those oh-so-stereotypical youth crew vocals. The Geeks blaze threw song after song of hardcore punk - no beefed up metal riffs here - that usually clock it below the minute and a half mark. Each song is comprised of the well-skilled guitar duo of Jun-sung Kang and Jun-chul Lee. Over the course of the twelve songs they demonstrate their dexterity and ferocity. Im-young Choi's matches the intensity equally. And what of Bong-kyu Jung's bass playing? Well, it is actually noticeable in the mix, which is a nice change of pace for a hardcore band. Lyrically, vocalist Ki primarily concerns himself with the topic of overcoming adversity. “Let it Fade” is one of my favorites, “I haven't lost / You just can't see what I see / Try to blame it on me? / But it can't get in the fucking way / I won't let it fade,” which is promptly followed by gang-vocals chanting the title over and over. “Pushed Aside” is another favorite of mine, “You keep talking your shit but I don't give a fuck / I've been pushed aside but you will be soon out of luck / I won't listen to your lies and won't change the way I live / I've got nothing in return. I will just walk away.” On an interesting lyrical note, the song “As We Speak” is actually sung entirely in Korean (save for the last verse). You've got to admire a band conveying their thoughts and feelings so well in their second language when so many bands here in the U.S. can't write good lyrics in their only language. Where Every Time We Fall loses points is that the music is lacking in originality. The sound is deeply rooted in the '88 era of hardcore, so it's been done before. However, to The Geeks' credit, they do it particularly well. The only other gripe I have with these songs is that they tend to run by really quickly. The solution here is simple: just push play once the CD has finished spinning. At the end of the day, The Geeks and their debut full-length Every Time We Fall are much more than a novelty affair. The album is filled with superb music and heartfelt lyrical content. If you're lucky enough to see The Geeks live, be prepared to stagedive your ass off and scream your lungs out. - ScenePointBlank.com TOP What can be said about The Geeks that hasn't already been said? You know they are from Korea. You know they are super positive dudes. You know they rock. What else is there to say? This release, Every Time We Fall, comes out of the Think Fast Records camp. Larry and Ryan have their fingers on the pulse of modern hardcore. The Geeks live up to that challenge with this release. 12 positive hardcore tracks, plenty of sing alongs, finger pointing opportunities and lots of ear to ear smiles all around. Keep your eyes peeled for the vinyl coming from Get Outta Town Records. And check those inserts. So many chill pics with "solid dudes." Gotta love solid dudes. Gotta love The Geeks. - HowsYourEdge.com TOP Bullet Treatment "The Mistake" Carrying the name of such highly respected punk acts such as Suicidal Tendencies and The Drips on their shoulders as well as the more recently famed hardcore phenomenon The Bronx, It's safe to say the stakes are already set pretty high for Bullet Treatment's Think Fast Records debut "The Mistake". Although this band follows a "create at convenience" mentality, the extra time taken to creat these tunes have truly made the outcome of this disc a charm to be adored by any punk rock fan out there. Although the band is mostly just a side-project, I think with any effort and the proper publicity, Bullet Treatment could bring punk music back to the state it was years ago before the pop punk craze hit the mainstream. When popping in this disc I honestly couldn't believe the sounds I was hearing was merely a side project for a couple of dudes in other bands. With the short length that is pretty typical of older punk and the raw sound that not only recreates the genre as it was before, but also redefines and stretches the guidlines of the music style as it is today, it's safe to say that this clever sounding band influenced by the likes of Black Flag, The Descendents (older), Sick of it All, and Minor Threat could be here to stay for a very long time. Some tracks that really shocked me on this disc were "Coke Nose," "Spread My Legs," "Grindstone," "A Hundred Faces," and "Father and Son". Although mostly very simplistic, the overall shock factor of this disc really hit hard for me, and proved that punk music could still be pretty simple and yet fun. The track "Grindstone" turned over a new page for me in the punk sound, with the inclusion of various vocal harmonies, not to mention the expression of making music for nobody but themselves. Not only does that prove that Bullet Treatment is not trying to just make a copycat sound of the past, but it also shows that they are willing to venture mostly uncharted territory to the genre and express their enjoyment in creating the music they are displaying on the disc. Although the glory days of the Dead Kennedies, the Sex Pistols, Black Flag, and Minor Threat are kind of far past, Bullet Treatment has made a generous and very respectable effort in bringing back that hype around punk that once existed as well as redefine the sound. Basic may be a word tossed around when it comes to the guitar work, but I think it helps show that something doesn't have to be overly technical to still shock crowds. The vocals are displayed very free-lance and outgoing in a perfect punk intonation that honestly would be a nice addition to more of The Bronx's work and as for the drumming, I would say that the speed of the beats used are perfectly in tuned and hardly ever out of line, which helps create a fast-paced background that makes you want to circle pit. Bullet Treatment's debut "The Mistake" did for me exactly what New Bruises most recent release did. It brought back feelings of the past and made me remember how strong the punk community used to be. But this time around Bullet Treatment takes away the past tense usage of greatness and brings it back in full force the way it was years ago. 8.5/10 - SkylinePress.net TOP Inspired by the sounds of earlier hardcore / punk rock bands like Bad Religion, Minor Threat, Descendents, Ramones, 7 Seconds, Bad Brains & Dead Kennedys. You get exactly what you expect... musically that is. That's pretty much all you need to know about BULLET TREATMENT - ultra fast hardcore/punk like they made it 20 something years ago, with Matt Caughthran from THE BRONX handling lead vocal duties. Half of the album's 16 songs are played at a clip just under grind speeds, while the remaining songs follow through with a more bombastic, swagger-dragging beat. "Grindstone," dabbles in both, starting off with bar rock sensibilities, and then igniting into a clusterfuck of ludicrous speed guitars and drumming. This Mistake is the audio equivalent of watching a power washer destroy grime and dirt particles from a piece of decking. Songs like "Touch Us," "Trapped Inside," and "Already Dead" are the epitome of punk and hardcore at its most caustic ceiling. Caughthran's vocal style consists mainly of agonized howling and the type of screaming usually associated with self-performed surgery, with brief interludes of mild-tempered singing, not unlike the fella that used to front FROM ASHES RISE. At only 22 minutes in length, This Mistake is ruthlessly efficient and shreds without interruption. Give your music collection a kick in the pants - This Mistake is a jaw-dislocating kind of release - PastePunk.com TOP What can be said about BULLET TREATMENT that hasn't already been said, and probably already said by me? They rule. This punk rock-version of MENUDO (rotating lineup – get it?) is back with Matt from THE BRONX kicking teeth in on lead vocals once again. Fucking tight, fucking fast, and FUCKING GOOD. Definitely one of the better CDs I've heard this year. If for some reason you have yet to check these dudes out, stop being stupid and get this right away. If you are at all let down, if you don't think this is some seriously balls-to-the-wall first-rate shit, you're fucked. It doesn't get much faster or much louder than this. Oh, and they thanked me in the CD – that right there guaranteed a good review. Just kidding. Kind of. - AMP Magazine TOP Once again, Matt Caughthran of The Bronx is providing vocal duties for the ever changing lineup on Bullet Treatment. I can't help but look for similarities with Matt's other band, but they are not that closely related. Sure its his voice, but with Bullet Treatment, he's even grittier with a more in your face delivery. But lets not focus simply on vocals. This is simply no nonsense straightforward punk rock. Nothing pretty, nothing whiney, nothing too slow, nothing too catchy, just intense pure punk on every track. This is the band's first full length release which now finds them on Think Fast! Records. The band proves to have great chops on this release. If anything, whether you like this or not, The Mistake gives the listener a reminder of real hardcore; back when the kids were doing it rather than the majors. Best tracks here include track 5, "Grindstone", but I'm really diggin' track 10, "Friday Night". If you're lucky, you might actually see them do a rare live West Coast show. - PunkRockParents.com TOP True to form Bullet Treatment's "The Mistake" is Punk played loud fast and hard. While this disc may be a bit more polished than some of their other work, it doesn't distract from their sound at all. "The Mistake" has the same driving drums and blistering guitar work. In fact smoothing out some of the rough edges has probably made this their sharpest disc to date. Trax like "A Reason For Violence" and "Friday Night" are just flat out awesome fucking songs and this may be the best Bullet Treatment album to date. - EctoMag.com TOP What started out as a band that would record some covers for a couple of comps, turned into something a bit different. To date Bullet Treatment has released split albums, 7"s, EPs and now with "The Mistake", a full-length. With its revolving door policy it's not easy to keep track of who's in the band but at the time of recording Bullet Treatment was founding member DC, Matt from The Bronx and the Hidalgo brothers who have previously played in Suicidal Tendencies. Other than that not a whole lot has changed since I heard the "What More Do You Want?" EP... Bullet Treatment plays fast, brutal and in your face pissed off hardcore punk that takes cues from seminal acts such as Black Flag, 7 Seconds and Minor Threat. But it's a lot more than paying a tribute to the old days. Song like "Grindstone" or 'Friday Night" will set you immediately straight if that's what you think! 8.5/10 - PunkRockTheory.com TOP When four guys who have experience in such bands as Suicidal Tendencies and The Bronx come together to play traditional hardcore with a modern aesthetic, something good is likely to result. The Mistake proves that it does. While this act is a self-proclaimed side project and doesn't get its members undivided attention, their latest work has me wishing the band could do some nation-wide treks and play the world's dingiest clubs. Sixteen songs of straightforward, high-speed chord progressions, blazing drumming, throat-shredding screams and a healthy dose of accessible tempos in about 23 minutes -- what's not to like? - GeekBurger.com TOP The Dischord and SST Records hardcore ethos collide via savage synchronicity on East L.A.-based Bullet Treatment's latest effort. A fabulously furious assault of both East and West Coast punchy punk adolescence, Bullet Treatment isn't just a mere throwback to the halcyon days of circle pits at CBGB. Sporting an experienced roster — including Bronx vocalist Matt Caughthran — and an album that tears through its track listing at a largely blistering pace ("Hand in Hand"), Bullet Treatment proves there's simply no mistake to be found. A- - Mean Street Magazine TOP California has alot to be proud of. Miles of beautiful scenery, months of warm weather and now, thanks to their album hitting the streets, Bullet Treatment. Here's the story (in a nutshell): Punk rock music has become stale. What was once was, now isn't. Everything is "punk". Nothing really shocks or breaks ground like it used to.  So, I get this record in the mail called, "The Mistake". I have listened to these guys before but I don't recognize the vocals. You see this band's line-up isn't set in stone. Whomever has the time comes in helps out and then goes back to working on other projects. Cool! Anyways, I start to listen to this record and I am absolutely blown away. Every song is short, fast and pure. No filler and no garbage. Now this is what I call "punk rock"! Prepare yourself. In closing: You really got to hear this album! - MutinyZine.com TOP Bullet Treatment is a band I've been wanting to check for a while now simply based on the fact that the band features members of The Bronx and Suicidal Tendencies. I'm certainly glad I did because this CD rips. 16 songs of fast and short punk rock. Each song is short and to the point with extra crap being thrown in. While this record is pissed, it's also very catchy which is a pretty tough thing to do. Check out the song "Grindstone", it cooks. This record is highly recommended. - Status Magazine TOP BULLET TREATMENT is a band with a lot of "punk" background. Members have been or are in bands such as THE BRONX, SEXYTIME EXPLOSION, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, & MOTHER NATURES REVENGE. They have a revolving door when it comes to the lineup and this time around they got 2 of the founding members back. I'm normally not too into hardcore or punk (that is such a wide range of music by today's standards so i wouldn't really call it punk) albums. This one however i'm into. I don't know why, but it sits a little easier with me than other stuff that my fellow co-workers play in the store. There is a little more song structure and with Matt from THE BRONX singing that may be it. I put the album on while on my way home from work and noticed i got home a bit quicker. The album is only 25 minutes long with 16 tracks. Stand out track for me is "Grindstone" cause i like the lyrics "I don't make music for you". You can preview the album on one of the listening stations in the store for the month of November. - San Diego Music TOP Bullet Treatment = Inside Out + Kill Your Idols. The problem with most new hardcore records, be they metal or punk tinged, how reigned in they are by the production quality. Bullet Treatment's newest release, their first true full length, can be summed up in one word: unbridled. The damage of shredding screams can be heard in Matt Caughthran's (The Bronx) vocals. None of the washed over reigned in vocals that are present on so many releases are on this album. It's most apparent in the fleeting moments of sung vocals. The damage is there, the vocals are dirty, messy, and slightly out of tune, and it's what makes this throwback shine. They are exactly the kick in the pants that's needed. There isn't too much punk rock chords can do, sort of like food at the Olive Garden; 2 sauces and 4 pastas doesn't allow for much originality, but if waiters started catapulting meals at unsuspecting customers it would be a different story. So, even though the music isn't terribly original the vocal shredding keeps it together. The Mistake feels like a live show that's crammed into a stereo and doesn't disappoint in its homage to the early 1980's of hardcore punk rock. - Slug Magazine TOP This is BULLET TREATMENT’S official debut full-length ("What More Do You Want?" is considered a mini-album due to it’s shortness). ‘The Mistake’ delivers 16 cuts in 20 minutes- so they’re not slowing things down too much!!! Which is good news!! Their sound is straightforward, old school hardcore punk. No bullshit, no useless embellishment- just throat ripping, fast and stylish. Never metallic which wins massive points from me! The closest comparison I can make is a blend of early BLACK FLAG, MINOR THREAT, ANGRY SAMOANS, BAD BRAINS and ADOLESCENTS. This incarnation of BULLET TREATMENT (for those of you who don’t know, the band members are ever-changing) marks the return of founder DC (Chuck from Basement Records) on guitar as well as the return of Matt Caughthran (The BRONX) on vocals with Vince and Dave from SUICIDAL TENDENICES, MOTHER NATURE’S REVENGE, THE DRIPS etc. This is a wild, wild record that represents everything great about the early hardcore sound- nobody else comes close to this and it always sounds so natural with BULLET TREATEMNT and maybe that’s all down to their trademark member-rotation that keeps things so fresh. This band is unstoppable and this full-length is fucking sick. Out of control and just what we need as we approach 2008 as I’m certain a whole strew of meaningless so-called punk rock shit will be released next year so I’ll just get absorbed in this thank you very much and lose myself;f yet again in the wonder that is BULLET TREATMENT. The vinyl version of ‘the Mistake’ is on Basement Records and the CD version is on Think Fast Records. Get them both – I have. - No Front Teeth TOP LA PUNK SUPERGROUP HIT THE BULLSEYE WITH FULL LENGTH. Using a revolving line-up for the seven years since their inception, Bullet Treatment - counting members of Suicidal Tendencies and The Drips among their 20 plus contributors - only record during the rare windows of time when their day jobs permit. For their latest outing, The Bronx's frontman Matt Caughthran has been called forward to carry out vocal duties and his bile-spitting howls provide the vicious edge to a sound that leans further towards Black Flag's breakneck hardcore then the Bronx's rock n' roll swagger. Highlights like Pointless Conversation and Grindstone are masterful slabs of no frills punk at its most exhilarating. KKKK - Kerrang TOP Ambitions "Question" The truly great hardcore bands are the ones that make you feel like you're watching them front and center when in reality, you're glued to your headphones, caught up in some mundane function of human existence. Three bands that have consistently done this for me over the years have been H2O (even during the Go years), BANE, and IGNITE. I haven't had the good fortune of seeing AMBITIONS live yet, but with their debut release, Question, I know for sure that with their sharp music and fantastic lyrics, they will fit into this grouping with total ease. To backtrack for a moment, AMBITIONS is a bit a of a strange project. Comprised on record of a line-up that is entirely made up of members of WITH HONOR, the group stylistically reverts back to WITH HONOR's harder direction on Heart Means Everything, and away from the more punk rock edge that predominates the band's most recent release This Is Our Revenge. If you wanted to know where the "core" went on Revenge, perhaps Question is the late-coming answer. Notably, AMBITIONS plays live as a five piece, sometimes including the illustrious Matts of SHAI HULUD, Matt Fox and Matt Fletcher. Question is seven songs of absolutely blazin' melodic hardcore that is rife with every necessary songwriting device out there -- gang vocals, two-step dance parts, and crucial breakdowns. Momentum and energy just burst from the EP and every vocal hook sung by Jay Aust sounds strikingly familiar. Aust's vocals come close to the range of IGNITE's Zoli Teglas, but without the operatic flair. His voice immediately takes root and it's practically impossible hold out from singing along. AMBITIONS may not toiling or tinkering with a new formula for hardcore, but they have certainly perfected matters of execution. While the entire Question EP is a total blast, the first two tracks together form a rather amazing pairing. "Uphill Battle" finishes with huge shouts of IT'S IN OUR HANDS / IT'S WHERE WE STAND, and as your catching your breath, "Neon Lights," woos you with a mid-paced, dark intro, before breaking apart into a frenzied song about self-doubt, regret, and figuring out how to move on. Lyrics are an extremely solid part of AMBITIONS, and the band offers up a mission statement in the insert sheet that sets up the tone for Question -- "It's so easy to get caught up in routine that you don't realize how quickly the time is passing. At a time in our lives where we are supposed to be settling into a direction, it feels like we're still searching... I think hardcore, and music in general, should be about pushing your boundaries. About putting a piece of yourself out in the open for the world to see. About not being afraid to own up to your feelings, aspirations, and failures." It's hard to make a bold statement in a mere 16 minutes of music, but AMBITIONS does just that -- and the title track, sums it up beautifully -- "If you have a little faith in yourself, before you listen to someone else, you're entitled to your own say, and the right to live your own way.". A must own. - PastePunk.com TOP Ambitions' music is electrifying, exciting, explosive and energizing. And what less would one expect from a melodic hardcore band that features Jay Aust, Jeff Aust and John Ross of With Honor and (since recording Question) Matt Fox and Matt Fletcher of Shai Hulud? Add to the experienced lineup a killer vocal presence and it's hardly a surprise that such a powerful repository of "e" words describes Ambitions' sound. The band pens ultra precise, ultra concise melodic hardcore that, although reminiscent of With Honor's first pair of releases, has enough distinguishing qualities to make confusing the two groups nearly impossible. Jay Aust is a truly impressive vocalist -- as both a fuming screamer and more collected singer -- and he bellows loads of liveliness and sincerity into Question. His soaring, clean singing is comparable to that of Ignite's Zoli Teglas, but Aust exchanges note-for-note perfection for a slightly rougher performance. It renders Question an immediately recognizable record and makes for some unforgettable hooks. While Question's seven songs generally clock in between one and three minutes, the Aust brothers brave the brevity and tightly pack each track with carefully layered guitar parts. Sure, there are traditional, racing chord progressions, but the duo stays downright busy by incorporating melodic picking arrangements and frequently weaving in and out of different parts. The rhythm section warrants praise for its precision and subtle technicalities, and rounds out Ambitions' rather complex musicianship. Ambitions goes above and beyond. The band muscles their way out of the standard hardcore mold but, at the same time, maintains a focus on the genre's traditional elements. Question may last a painfully short 16 minutes, but it's a mountainous showing of promise, tact and hopeful thinking. 8/10 - GeekBurger.com TOP When most people think Hardcore, they usually think of something that's just brutal and pounding, and to some extent I suppose that's true, but Ambitions debut disc Question is may very well change the face of Hardcore as we know it. Questions is a disc that rocks with unbridled fury, with great lyrics on top of it. And to top it all off its catchy as fuck! Summer is coming to a fast end, but Ambitions is living up to their name and making sure the fall season is off to great start. I doubt this will be last we hear from these guys and if this disc is any indication we are in for one hell of a ride in the years to come! Kudos boys! - EctoMag.com TOP It's difficult to write a review that heaps praise onto a CD without it sounding like the sugar-coated gilded one sheets I get with the albums I receive. I must say though, that Ambitions effort on Think Fast! is superb. 3/5 of the members of Ambitions have full time gigs in With Honor, but to call this a side project would be a misnomer. Ambitions stands on its own two feet. The guitar work is obviously Jay and Jeffrey Aust, but they are more solid and less hurried than they are in With Honor, which makes the songs not only more accessible, but better songs period. Complexity is sometimes the thorn in the side of good songwriting. There are seven songs and 15 minutes of rock on this bad boy – which only leaves you wanting more. The vocals are mostly sung in a Ray Cappo/Zoli sort of way. No whining here. There's an occasional yell thrown in here and there, but not in an effort to feign intensity. It's funny how you can tell when a band really cares and feels what they're doing. This is honest and unlike most things being released these days. No open chord breakdowns, no tough guy stances, no AP endorsement here, just good punk/hardcore. - Slug Magazine TOP Ambitions are indeed living up to their moniker—three members are of With Honor infamy while they have used lineups in live settings that have included multiple members of the revered Shai Hulud. Melodic hardcore punk vocals with breakdowns that blister and bubble to the surface with abrasive agony. Fast and furious drum parts that are interspersed with sparse guitar crunches and agonizing hooks that are incredibly catchy. But perhaps their best assault is via the percussion which just drops big bombs of snare riddling hits and tons of cymbal crashes amid a torrential downpour of awesome agonizing hardcore punk. - Smother.net TOP Ambitions is a brand new band from CT. I believe they may have EX members of With Honor but you wouldn't belive me if I told you. This is the first cd I've gotten this year that I go out of my way to recommend to friends. There is a level of songwriting and musical depth that is evident immediately. Taken a page from bands like Turning Point, Ignite, H20,Champion and other melodic bands, yet with a sense of character that gives it more substance then your average "melodic hardcore" band. The key to this ep is their catchy choruses and hooks that live in your head long after you turn the music off. With enough rock sensibilties that make this almost too good to be true Ambitions mesh the catchy tunes with some serious force without going over the top or coming too harsh. You have a perfect balance here and its honestly the catchiest fucking thing I've heard in forever. Now please don't mistake these guys for being another Set Your Goals, they have a sound that doesn't reek of pop culture garbage, its more or less a progression of today's hardcore with some of the best elements of the post hardcore sound of yesterday. Its impossible to discredit their writing abilities and the recording flawlessly backs up the hard work. I can see this band getting huge or falling upon deaf ears, I just can't tell which it will be. Its hard for me to be so gung ho about a record but this is seriously a mind blowing masterpiece. One of the many great surprises this year and certainly one that may expand your musical tastes.  - Centerfuse.net TOP When I first caught word that Ambitions was a side project involving members of With Honor and Shai Hulud, I figured their release would end up coming off like Heart Means Everything and That Within Blood Ill Tempered thrown into a blender. Man was I wrong, and I’m glad that I was. It turns out that Ambitions consist of the Aust brothers and John Ross of With Honor fame. Apparently some of the guys from Shai Hulud lend their skills as members of Ambitions when they perform live. Musically, Question sounds like a stripped down version of the sound With Honor had on their last release This Is Our Revenge. The EP is completely devoid of unnecessary breakdowns, but still manages to mix up tempos quite a bit. For its duration it really straddles the line between punk and hardcore. There are plenty of old-school push-mosh songs chocked full of appropriate, well-integrated breakdowns, but there are just as many mid-tempo songs that are almost reminiscent of Fugazi, or even Rival Schools. While the instrumentation and general sound was surprising enough for me, the vocals were a definite shock; Jay Aust is holding the mic on this album, and you have no idea what you’re in for. The opening track “Uphill Battle” opens up with some pretty high-end mediocre shout/screams... but then, what’s this? Oh dear lord, he’s singing…and it’s…really, really good. Seriously, the only thing I can compare Aust’s singing voice to is that of Shawn Stern on the Youth Brigade album To Sell the Truth. Again, the shouts are a little weak, but the singing is so good that it hurts to think that With Honor had a more impressive option to fill their former vocal void all along. Ambitions may not be what I signed up for when I picked up Question, but I don’t care, I want more. This EP is a boon to hardcore in general. It’s raw, unpolished, and honest. It’s the kind of material that makes you want to crawl over kids to get closer to the mic. It’s a nice break from the standard swing-your-arms-like-a-propeller-during-the-eleventh-breakdown-in-the-first-song type of hardcore. Here's to hoping these guys put out a full-length like you (and I) wouldn’t believe. 4/5 - PunkNews.org TOP AMBITIONS is a fitting name for a band that promotes ambition in the purist of senses. Their vehicle, of course is DIY hardcore that harkens back to the most influential time of hardcore…the 80’s. Not just the overall 80’s hardcore/punk days but more of the D.C. variety that laid the groundwork for everything we know about hardcore/punk. AMBITIONS aren’t just a hardcore band going though the motions of hammering out breakdown after breakdown they instead focused on the progressive side hardcore with course riffs that abhor melody and grace. The tonal coating was gruff and sonically deviant while the a tonal naturalistic vocals spew forth lyrics about overcoming your fears, standing up and becoming the person you were meant to be. If it was at all viable for you to mesh together DAG NASTY and MINOR THREAT you would have what AMBITIONS has accomplished in this blazing hardcore CD. From second one to the bitter end your ears are being assaulted with cunning guitar hooks and splashy, technical drumming. Throughout the disc you are invited to indulge in what many would state as being a true representative of hardcore punk. They did it right, they did it well and lastly, they did with style and intelligence. - ECromper.com TOP Here's an oddly coincidental story. Stop me if you've heard it. I went to the End of School Jam in Lawrence, MA the other day. I was really psyched to see Betrayed and Have Heart. Verse is always a plus in my book too. So I'm just chilling around when I see Jeff from With Honor. I had met him a while back during one of the Bane/With Honor tours. A really stand up dude. Always chill and up front getting down. He then hits the stage and starts setting up his gear. I ask around a little, "With Honor is playing this show? ..." Nope, turns out he is also in the little band called Ambitions on Think Fast! Records. I just never knew. So the band plays a great set. 6-8 songs. I was really impressed. Later, I start talking to Jeff about the band. He is psyched that I was psyched, and he offers to grab me a cd. I say, "yeah, that's awesome." But since we weren't standing next to the merch table, I didn't want to be that guy who approaches the band for a "free cd." Not my style. My head is not swelled enough for that. Mitch picks up the cd, and we listen to it the whole ride home. It sounds so good. We try and come up with comparisons. Ignite is thrown around, Dischord era harDCore is mentioned. We even bat around Dag Nasty and Swiz. In my head, it still comes off as a cross between Ignite's Past Our Means and H2O's F.T.T.W. Whatever comparison you want to make, just know that the album is dope. Anyway, the work day on Monday comes and goes. Another day of debugging code before our big release. When I get home, I greeted by a welcome surprise. A Think Fast! package. And in that package? Why, it's ONE cd. Ambitions - Question. DOPE. Maybe it's karma? I don't know. This album comes out on September 19, 2006. You may want to consider camping out at your local merch table. Lines will probably start forming soon. - HowsYourEdge.com TOP Ambitions takes the classic stripped-down and streamlined punk rush and adds a little texture and melody to the mix. It makes for a CD that has the raw appeal of punk and old school hardcore while also having a dash of audio color to up the interest factor for listeners. Ambitions grafts some songwriting sensibilities onto its punk-rooted sound, creating something that is punk yet more than punk. In the end, it's simply some melody-tinged rock-and-roll. Pure and powerful. - CoraZine.com TOP Even before the release of their debut EP “Question” there was a big buzz surrounding CT‘s AMBITIONS. Formed by three current WITH HONOR members, there is no doubt this band is up to something special. And yes, the 7 songs on “Question” are a true revelation! Even though AMBITIONS have their own soup cooking, “Question” should instantly grab the ears of everyone who enjoyed the more melodic approach of WITH HONOR’s last album. For all a song like “Neon Lights” could’ve easily been on “This Is Our Revenge”, still AMBITIONS stick to a way more traditional hardcore sound, not unlike UNITY, UNIFORM CHOICE, NO FOR AN ANSWER and other old melodic hardcore-peers. The main trademarks of AMBITIONS’ music are fast beats, extremely melodic dual guitars and Jay Aust’s stellar voice. Much like IGNITE’s Zoli Teglas Aust accompanies the powerful music on here for most parts with real singing and the result is amazing in every aspect. The few parts where he delivers his vocals in a more classic shouting-style aren’t less gripping and only add to the already boiling energy-level of this disc. Still I’d say the most outstanding about this EP is the fantastic guitar-work, that comes along with a crazy amount of catchy leads (a lot like THE KILLING FLAME). Pretty much every song on here features an irresistible melody or a hook to die for, no matter if “Uphill Battle”, “Still Dreaming” or “About Face”. The latter also includes a HIGH HOPES-like middle-part, but this very short trip into pop-punkish grounds fits absolutely well. The smart lyrics and the extremely appropriate production (Greg Thomas/Silver Bullet Studios) complete the already impressive picture - it’s impossible to find just one negative spot. As mentioned the members of AMBITIONS are no strangers to the hardcore-community, still the overall-quality of “Question” is more than surprising. Armed with great music and hardcore-spirit AMBITIONS will soon become one of the most measuring acts around. Can’t wait for a full-length! - TakeTheRisk.net TOP Outbreak "Failure" The first time I saw Outbreak was at the "last" Suicide File at the ICC Church in Boston during the baseball playoffs of '03. I had no clue whom Outbreak was except the fact that they were from Maine of all places and the kids went absolutely ape shit for them. After that show they were quickly signed to Bridge Nine Records and the EP You Make Us Sick was released and some tours were made and the next thing we know everyone across the nation was fighting for the mic screaming, "No one likes you! No one cares!" Now here we are midway through 2006 and Outbreak drops their full length, Failure onto the hardcore world and the primary reports weren't good. I saw way too many threads on messageboards on how Outbreak has slowed down and lost their touch and gosh darn it they just weren't as pissed off as they were on You Make Us Sick. My hopes were shattered. So here am I at 9:23 in the AM in my boxers listening to Failure and I'm starting to think I should never read another thread from anymore armchair Soulseek loving critics, because they obviously have no clue on what the fuck they are talking about. Failure rips from opening track "Down Not Out" to the ender "Square One". If anything Outbreak has gotten more proficient with their pissed snotty hardcore attack with more solid drumming, a bit of NYHC hardcore influence, and just better song writing. Outbreak is still pissed as all hell but they now deliver it in a more concise attack ripe with thunderous breakdowns, squealing guitars, and tons of sing along parts. What else do you kids need from a hardcore album? What the hell is with all you naysayer and shit-talkers? You wouldn't know a good album if one downloaded itself and put it on repeat on your iPod. Oh I see what the problem is; some of the "wrong kids" are getting into Outbreak so they can't be cool anymore. Yeah that happens a lot in hardcore these days as everyone tries to out-cool each other with hearing the new bands first and then hating on them next year when people start liking them too. I call this the "Terror was Awesome in 2002 Syndrome". It's a disease that's hurting hardcore with holier than thou attitudes, lunchroom cliques, and other too scene snobbery. Well I hate to tell you kids, you weren't exactly born with the SOIA "S/T" EP sticking out your ass so put up with the n00bs listening to great hardcore or drop out already. I for one don't need your elitist attitude. Yeah buddy you're only as cool as what you get to download first. Thanks for supporting hardcore, asshole. Anyhow, sorry got a bit off track there, Failure is solid, great hardcore album that still shows that Outbreak is still as fucking pissed as there were when they were playing basements and VFWs in Maine. If you love hardcore get Failure and then go run around your neighborhood giving everyone the finger and tell the world to "fuck off". Failure shall provide you with the soundtrack. 8.5/10 - ScenePointBlank.com TOP I’ve always liked OUTBREAK’s carefree hardcore/punk offerings, even though the simplistic music of their debut “You Make Us Sick” didn’t exactly spray with awe-inspiring creativity. However, with their second full-length the quintet from Maine takes things to the next level and the result is a stirring album from start to finish. Holy shit, “Failure” features 16 tracks in only 20 minutes of music and every single one shreds like there was no tomorrow. The band still sounds like KID DYNAMITE would cover old FLOORPUNCH material, but OUTBREAK’s song-writing skills have grown impressively. Not that “Failure” is a diverse album (at least every song sticks to ridiculously fast beats), but the band added a whole lot more catchiness to their simplistic offerings. Ryan O’ Connor’s raspy vocals still come along as aggressive and pissed-off as it gets, while the guitars race though the songs with cutting energy. The trashy guitar-solos of “Test Of Time” and “Losing Streak” kill massively, whereas the various two-step parts and sing-a-longs invite for a good bedroom-mosh and uncontrolled finger-pointing. “Built To Break” reminds me a lot of the ingenuity of early SUICIDAL TENDENCIES material, while the unbridled all-out angriness of “Failure” brings back the spirit of Boston’s hardcore-peers SLAPSHOT. The concluding “Square One” features a nice vocal-battle between Ryan O’ Connor and former COMEBACK KID singer Scott Wade, what makes a totally awesome final track. Additionally, Jim Siegel (Outpost Studios) produced “Failure” with plenty of gusto. The entire album sounds supremely powerful, crisp, yet never too polished, what only adds to the driving character of OUTBREAK’s material. Armed with 16 relentless hardcore-tunes, truly angry lyrics and a rad-looking artwork “Failure” is a must for every fan of stripped-down hardcore. Get into it! - TakeTheRisk.net TOP Knowing them since their last EP, I was happy to get a hand on this full length. Outbreak a a pure hardcore-punk band. Avoiding clichés, this is pissed and sincere old school hardcore as it once was made. Mixing 80ies influences from Negative Approach and Black Flag when speaking about the pure sound and hostility as well as some nice melodies from later HC from NY, all wrapped in a total state of the art production (done by Jim Siegel), not too much can go wrong with this one. One of the biggest benefits of this band is their vocalist. Being pissed as hell, he is screaming in a classic and uncheesy way, and adds a lot to their sound with that. His sometime stakkato-like voice fits perfectly to their sound – just listen to tracks like „voices in my head“ to see this perfect symbiosis. A choir supports him here and there, offering more diversity and energy. Musically, Outbreak concentrate on fast parts mostly, with a solid rythm section and nice yet of course not too new riffing. Danceable breakdowns are in their place and offered as well, again in a nice sincere and honest way, avoiding them sounding like „okay, we need danceable parts, what to do?“. A nice addition are those superfast solos from the guitars, bringing a smile to our face. All this is presented precise and to the point – 16 tracks in 20 minutes of course keep up the level of energy quite easy. That said, tracks are mostly around a minute long, underlining the pure character of their music and songwriting. No gimmicks here, no trends, everything is reduced to the necessary minimum, and with that, these songs work really great. A nice guest appearance of the Comeback singer in the final track rounds this up. After I was not able to get into the old school hype of the past months or years, this is the 2nd great old school release of this summer after Betrayeds full length a few weeks ago. - PoisonFree.com TOP Outbreak pretty much get it. This Maine-based five piece band is one of those quintessential Radiobeat bands because they get it. What do they get? They get that punk and hardcore don’t always have to be two separate things, and they bridge that widening gap with get-off-your-ass ferocity, speed, and a little misanthropy thrown in for good measure.Having a tight and pissed off hardcore-punk sound may not be that notable in the era of Paint It Black and This Is Hell, who do it just as well. But what is notable about Outbreak is the more specific stuff. How about the fact that the average age of the guys in the band is a mere 20 years, which puts them at about the fetus-stage when Black Flag, their clear primary influence, was still plugging away? Or what about the fact that Failure, the band’s new full-length out on Boston’s own Bridge Nine label (vinyl on Think Fast!), is made up of 16 kick-you-in-face hardcore-rock n’ roll anthems that play for a total of just over 20 minutes? Or how could I forget the occasional yet completely bitchin’ guitar solos in songs like “Lessons Learned” and “Test of Time”? Yes, the artist and the album pretty much have it all because they understand what makes it work. There’s no designated “parts” of songs (melodic mid-tempo part here, brutal breakdown there) because the songs last exactly as long as they should, and there’s just no time to hold them back. The lyrical content is about what you’d expect if you’ve ever listened to Black Flag’s Damaged, but Ryan O’Conner’s passionate and pissed-off delivery make it worthwhile. After relentless touring with the likes of Agnostic Front and Comeback Kid, Outbreak has arrived at a good place with this album. They just plain get it right. And if that’s not enough to fully recommend the album, then the Demon cover art should be worth the asking price alone. - WERS.org TOP What do Comeback Kid and Agnostic Front have in common? Both have been graced with Outbreak’s presence on tours. Soon This Is Hell, Modern Life Is War, and Bane will also share that honor. Old school hardcore tenacity with beat-downs for drumming take Outbreak back to the days when hardcore wasn’t a cliché or fashion. Jim Siegel lends his expertise in recording this album—you’d know him if you’ve heard Dropkick Murphys, Blood For Blood, or American Nightmare before. Punked up rhythms with shout-outs, stirring frenetic guitars that chugga-chugga away, and a lack of that breakdown reliance that so many “hardcore” bands have been leaning on the last few years—but that’s not to say there aren’t some breakdowns, in fact the ones that exist on “Failure” are so devastating that they’ll break your legs. Brutal! - Smother.net TOP Much like their last record, Outbreak's latest, "Failure" is a quick blast of 16 tracks in about 20 minutes – taking a slightly different twist to the straight up hardcore for which the label is known through adding in a punk rock influence that seeps into the speedy power chords via some rocked out lead breaks and catchier arrangements. And, of course, those raging vocal sneers, which have more of a bitter and lightly sarcastic edge to 'em that reminds me a lot of Grimple and that kind of thing. Very cool, indeed. Every single track is less than two minutes long, so these kids pretty much cut to the chase and tear right through. "You Make Us Sick" sort of wore out its welcome with me after awhile, and while there's nothing about "Failure" that really hits me over the head or whatnot, this is a better looking/sounding album across the board, so I certainly have no complaints. I can't say enough good things about the vocal delivery, and I dig the general energy of the tunes as well, so… it's a pretty consistent listen through and through, and the fact that it's so short works in its favor. They definitely don't leave much breathing room for getting bored, and that's cool… so I can hang with this shit, for sure. - Aversion TOP There's something to be said for hardcore acts more interested in blowing the listener away with their sheer intensity than blowing anyone's mind with technical prowess or style. Outbreak is definitely one of these bands and their latest album Failure is an unrelenting twenty-minute hardcore tour-de-force. Unlike many of their irrepressibly positive contemporaries, Outbreak have consistently focused on the negative side of things and this time have created a concept album of sorts dealing with failure (obviously), resignation and hopelessness. It's not a new concept musically or lyrically, but it's just so well done, I can't help enjoying it. Fans of fast, pissed-off traditional hardcore will definitely want to check out Outbreak if they haven't already. They play the style exceptionally well and provide all the necessary sing-alongs and mosh parts to assure both a fun listen on CD and suitably wild live show. Ryan O'Connor's vocals should be a drawing point to most listeners, as they are fairly unique for the style, sounding a bit like a cross between Kid Dyamite's Jason Shevchuk and a hardcore version of Joey Vindictive. The relatively high-pitched, sneering delivery could turn off some listeners, but I loved it. The Kid Dynamite comparison spreads into the music a bit too, but more in delivery than songwriting, as there is precious little melody in these sixteen tracks. Despite my previous statement that failure was no groundbreaking subject for a hardcore band, I think it is interesting to see an active band speak so candidly about the relative futility of what they're doing. It's as if they understand that their hard work and dedication can never truly be rewarded financially, but the album itself is a testament to their endurance in the face of that adversity. Interestingly though, the disc's closer features guest vocals from former Comeback Kid vocalist Scott Wade, who split with his band during the same period he recorded this guest spot. It's a fitting final note for Wade as well as for the album, giving a final concrete example of the sort of resignation the album itself deals with. Bottom Line: This is a rock solid hardcore record with more than enough listenability to make up for any lapses in innovation. Outbreak have delivered consistently since their debut EP and Failure is no exception. Again, while this record probably won't hold much appeal to someone without a strong inclination towards hardcore, it should definitely satisfy any fan of the genre. - LambGoat.com TOP Ok, hear me out. Now this likely only makes sense to me, but when I listen to this album, I am constantly reminded of Kid Dynamite. Of course, a super fast and pissed KD, but still Kid Dynamite. Add a ton of riffage to that comparison and you have Outbreak. At least, in my head. In your head, you are probably thinking, "who gave this guy the right to review anything?" Let me take this comparison a little further to see if I can sway any opinions. When I listen to Kid Dynamite, I hear a raw intensity that not many bands pull off. Plenty of bands attempt to achieve this sound, but fall VERY short. Outbreak doesn't fall short. They hit the mark and actually, surpass it. Ryan gives 110% all the time. The rest of the guys, too. Nobody in that band is slacking when they play out live. And coming from Middle O Nowhere, Maine for most of these shows must take a toll. But you don't see them slacking or playing it safe. It's either all or nothing with these dudes. That attitude comes across in this release. The vibe is just right. - HowsYourEdge.com TOP Outbreak is one of the most bitter and blunt bands in contemporary hardcore, and they've got a pair of records to prove it. The band's self-explanatory debut, You Make Us Sick, was brief, but long enough for the band to unleash a continuous verbal assault on anything they didn't like. The album's follow-up, Failure, does close to the same thing. Fueled by a relentless, spit-flinging vocal attack, precise drumming and a dependency on simple, scathing chord progressions, Outbreak's music is modern, by-the-books hardcore. It's in your face and fast, and doesn't break for anything but the occasional mid-paced sing-along, rocked-out guitar riff and fiery guitar solo. Singer Ryan O'Connor, whose throat-grating, rapid-fire shouts bring out the band's character, has a sneering, disgusted vocal tone that snugly fits the blazing music, tasteful gang vocals and lyrics. Not surprisingly, then, the lyrics are often bitingly cynical. There's not an overwhelming sense of positivism or encouragement or perseverance to Failure. Outbreak puts their effort into the opposite end of the spectrum, fuming about personal demons and broad social ills. Without any bloated metaphors or deep topics, O'Connor writes his lyrics in a plain, conversational manner, and it's a pretty effective technique. Outbreak isn't about experiments and surprises (although former Comeback Kid vocalist Scott Wade's guest appearance in "Square One" is unexpected). There's nothing overtly flawed about Failure; if you want little more than bitterness and 20 minutes of ripping hardcore, Failure is one of you're best bets. - GeekBurger.com TOP I'll admit, I didn't think I'd be into this. After a couple listens I wasn't feeling it. But then I took one more listen (it's not hard to do when the 16 tracks on here add up to only 20 some-odd minutes) and I realized that I was definitely into this new Outbreak record. Whereas older stuff tended to be incredibly short, fast, and ridiculously to the point (which I'm definitely a fan of) this new record offers a little bit more in the songwriting department. They aren't afraid to repeat a verse or a chorus every now and again. Some songs have bridges, and a solo here and there... holy shit! Either they discovered more songwriting devices or they demo'ed all these songs, realized their full length was probably 15 minutes long, and went back to re-work songs and tack on parts. Whatever the case, it worked for them and I have to say that this new Outbreak stuff is the best so far. Lots of sing-alongs, lots of negativity, and no song longer than 1:45 in length. - HangingHex.com TOP I attended a "continuing legal education" seminar a couple of days ago about professionalism and balance in one's legal career, and one of the guest speakers said eloquently, "Avoid eating lunch with Eeyore. Eat with Eeyore, become Eeyore." The character that the speaker was referring to was of course, the famously depressed donkey from Winnie Pooh, and the point was pretty clear - spending time with people who wallow in their own sacks of sadness can be contagious. In the case of OUTBREAK, it may be damn near fatal. Titled Failure, OUTBREAK take a baseball bat to life's pleasantries and aim for knocking out the sun. Mostly. There's a bit of a see-saw battle to the band's smokin' hot hardcore style with some hesitation in truly staying within the despondent. Songs like "Lost for Words," "Giving Up, Giving In," "Built to Break," "Losing Streak," and "Wasting Away," connote days of darkness, while "Down Not Out," "Lessons Learned," "New Beginning," and "Test of Time," at least offer a ray of hope. While OUTBREAK may be on the fence concerning their "positive" mental outlook, at least the group's musical direction falls into a neat hard and fast rule. Sixteen songs, 20 minutes, and with only a few pauses in the action to account for some cirlce pits, drum fills, and mild breakdowns. Imagine THE CASUALTIES reared in the hardcore scene (as opposed to that of ye'ole gutterpunk) and committed to writing songs that terrorize for less than two minutes. With no frills, no cheap tricks, and no big-mosh-padding, Failure is a lean, mean, fire-spitting machine. - PastePunk.com TOP These guys have put Maine on the map, and although they are barely out of their 20's, they have already released 2 buzzworthy EP's and have toured relentlessly around the US and abroad over the last 5 years. And here we are present day with their latest offering of driving old school influenced hardcore... As the old saying goes, "Don't fix what isn't broke". The 16 tracks of blazing punk influenced hardcore range from 30 seconds to 1:45, and clocks out just over 20 minutes. These guys do a great job of keeping things from getting boring, which is usually a problem for this brand of hardcore halfway through a full length. The lyrics are still pissed off, but there isn't as much venom in the words as there was on "You Make Us Sick." Don't get me wrong, they're still plenty pissed, but their isn't any of the fuck you anthems, but I guess you can't regurgitate the same shit over and over. Things are a bit more introspective this time around. Ryan shows us a little more of what makes him tick. One thing I always liked about his lyrics was that he focused on quality rather than filler, he keeps shit short and to the point. This was recorded and produced at the Outpost by Jim Siegal, who is arguably the biggest recording name in hardcore. And as you would expect, he did good with "Failure". Even though, "You Make Us Sick," (recorded by Don Fury) sounded good it was a bit to dry and lacked the much needed kick in the balls. This time around however, things sound a lot more full, most notably the bass, which really gets the proper attention. And hell if the recording doesn't showcase Ryan's balls out vocals. He did a wonderful job of capturing the bands intense live sound. Very good. Holy shit is the layout on this one awesome. I always preferred the actual drawing as opposed to the photoshop stuff, and this is a great example of why. The cover art is a great drawing that shows a guy dressed in his corporate attire with a knife in hand surrounded by some super bad ass demons, and there's also a lantern filled with trapped souls which only adds to the awesomeness. I couldn't have asked for a better layout for the booklet. You get all of the lyrics with a full page picture of each member besides the lyrics, and right in the middle there is dual page picture of the crowd piling onto the singer for a sing along. And CD face layout looks fucking sick as shit with the three eyed demon on it. Good shit. And just look at those colors, I couldn't have asked for more. Thesis: This is definitely be one of the more talked about releases of the summer, and rightfully so. These guys churn out 16 tracks of blazing hardcore fury, with some of the most pissed off vocals you'll ever hear, and on top of that the packaging is tight as hell. Make sure to add this one to your collections if you haven't already. 4/5 - SicZine.com TOP Outbreak finally follows up to their “You Make Us Sick” Bridge 9 debut. I have been anticipating this album for so long. So you bet I was excited to get it. “Failure” is an amazing follow up to “You Make Us Sick”. It is still fast and chaotic. The only difference is that not all of the songs sound the same like they did in “You Make Us Sick”. One thing I wanted to note is that this band has evolved musically since their last release. I think its great and I always hope to see bands do that and still be good. A lot of bands that do that end up sucking. Outbreak is still on the top in my eyes and my ears. I can’t see why they would lose fans by this release. There should be more fast/chaotic hardcore bands. If you get a chance, pick this up for real. - The Rule Reporter TOP Outbreak return with "Failure" and it doesn't get any dirtier than this as Outbreak continue their anger with a release that lets you know that the older forms of hardcore and punk are still pushing their way into the new day. "Failure" like the other Outbreak albums you fancy, gives circle pitters another reason to go around the loop one more time. Outbreak really sticks to its "roots", those roots being quite obvious, and the album does its best to fulfill those days of yore in the now. Outbreak have never been one to compromise their integrity for what is called new hardcore these days, instead they offer a slightly more abrasive sound to their radical ways. There's not much more you can ask for from a band like Outbreak as the band has never failed to put out something intense in the most enjoyable way with as many gang vocals as you can sing along to. "Failure" will heighten your enjoyment of this band as they tend to be one of the better punk hardcore acts to push a better sound these days. They came from what every other HC band did only they, like few others, know how to carry the torch along. - TheHXC.com TOP Furious hardcore, hooky punk rhythms, anger-to-insanity vocals and some kick-ass metal guitar solos. This Maine mob of five's newest release (first being the self-released Eaten Alive EP and later the Bridge Nine backed, You Make Me Sick EP) has similar sounds to the New England school of 80s hardcore - try Poison Idea and Gang Green, but punkier at times. All delivered in sixteen tracks, rounding out to twenty minutes of snotty, 300 beat-per-minute drums, hyper-riff guitars and gnarly vocals. Love the layout, with it's high use of red, and Japanese tattoo art. The photos inside, as well as the music blasting from my speakers tell me that these kids know how to jump around and get a crowd going. Let's go, and get it goin' down here. - Feast of Hate and Fear TOP Call it punk, hardcore or anything else you want to, but this is the kind of fast and pissed off music that's ideally suited for live shows. 16 songs in less that twenty minutes that go right for the jugular in a hit-and-run style almost lost to most bands today, who seem to try and dress things up to the point of losing all momentum and honesty. There is a good variation in pace, with some great breakdowns but, thankfully, no over-done chugging neo-core garbage. "Lost for Words" brings DRI to mind in its nostalgic structure, while "Square One" closes things off with the catchiness of an instant classic. Old school sensibilities dominate here. - DeadTide.com TOP What the fuck? Damn, being stoked by a record featuring 16 tracks in 20 minutes is not usual for me at all. I was expecting something cool when I was first listening to two of the new tracks on a Bridge Nine promo CD but not such a record. Fast, fuckin fast, pissed, loud, dirty, bad and damn true Hardcore/ Punk like I love. It made me really smile. No posi trendy stuff, Hardcore like Black Flag, the Bad Brains, the Circle Jerks, Raw Deal, or even SS Decontrol once did it. Sixteen times a hit straight into your face. With personal pissed lyrics sung by a crazy, insane and angry voice that show’s “this is no image, this is realty”. “Failure” was recorded by Jim Siegel and also features a great artwork. Not bad at all from a band which average age is around the twenties and which has been running for four years now. Hopefully they don’t break up now like many others do after their fist full- length and first European tour. 9/10 - TrueSideMusic.de TOP I'm not going to lie to you... I don't spend hours on the internet listening to music anymore. I don't download album after album in search of new or different music these days. Every now and then I hear a band that a lot of people have been talking about and I wish I had listened to all those people a lot sooner. Outbreak falls into that category. The music is fast and fun. This is kind of like the first time I heard Minor Threat, seriously. The difference is that when I first heard Minor Threat, I was just discovering punk rock. Years later I get the same sense of anger and importance in how the music is played and what is being said from Outbreak. They don't subscribe to the standard hardcore formula by playing fast then playing a breakdown in every song and they don't ever let up or slow down - This is good hardcore punk rock. The more I listen to this the more I want to stop writing this review and just read all the lyrics. I'm not kidding. It's 7:14 in the morning and I'm pumped for the day. I have to wait until noon to practice with my band and I want to go right now. This is so good. - CoraZine.com TOP Wow, this is a rager. It's an outbreak (arrgh!) of blazing fast hardcore punk with breakdowns that, thankfully, don't break out the chug. That's right, PUNK. The production is clean and gives it a modern ambiance, yet Outbreak do a good job of combining early 80s and late 80s hardcore influences. I'd still rather hear a rougher/raw production for hardcore, but the band's power comes blasting through. The best band from Maine since, uh, the Pinkerton Thugs? - AMP Magazine TOP I spend a lot of the 20 minute duration of Failure trying to figure out why I never listened to these guys before. This album is chock full of speedy, angry hardcore with crazy screamed vocals that remind me of the screaming in Choking Victim. No song hits the two minute mark, which really keeps things moving, as they don't get caried away in their own song writing, even though the do find time to toss in a solo every now and then. The gang vocals are great, and I absolutely love their fast as a race horse tempos. With their songs being so fast and short, they tend to blend in with each other, making tracks harder to stand out, but this album is awesome as a whole. - ThePlaylist.net TOP Maine is probably best known as the US state where most of Stephen King’s novels take place. I doubt that attracts a lot of tourists but those that do venture into Maine will quickly turn around once they hear Oubtreak’s pissed off hardcore. These Maine natives churn out 16 snotty songs on their debut full-length that are done just as fast as a guy with premature ejaculation issues. Raspy screams, a more than proficient rhythm section and some awesome breakdowns are sometimes all you need to make a great album. And “Failure” is that album. Wanna give everyone you meet the finger? Let Outbreak’s “Failure” serve as the soundtrack. 8/10 - PunkRockTheory.com TOP Sick Of It All "Death To Tyrants" SICK OF IT ALL confidently can be called old warhorses of the New Yorker Hardcore scene as they celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2006 and that with an album which utterly can be called the highlight of their career. “Death To Tyrants” oozes relentlessness and power that it rattles and the sensational production of Dean Baltulonis (MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, GIVE UP THE GHOST, ...) overtops all expectations and shows SICK OF IT ALL of their best side. Furthermore, the new masterpiece was laid into the veteran hands of Tue Madsen (BORN FROM PAIN, MNEMIC, THE PSYKE PROJECT, ILLDISPOSED, ...) who provided the mix for all in all 15 tracks and so refined the superb sound even a little more.   And that these New Yorkers don't belong to the old scrap not for a long time yet in 2006 becomes explicit already during the first song “Take The Night Off”. Straight and heavy to the puss, just the way they always did but even a bit more vehement and brutal. Such lyrics like “Let's celebrate that we don't give a fuck, with the middle finger high in the air” alone point out one time and another that this band goes its way hard as bone and without compromise and they ever will. For many newcomers such (commonplace) phrases sound factitious and untrustworthy, for SICK OF IT ALL even those verbal statements are authentic and in no way embarrassing. Honesty, revealing of social evils and political commitment have always been important cornerstones in the work of this formation and that they loyally continue going on this path “Death To Tyrants” also shows impressively. Just listen to the powerful “Uprising Nation” or “Always War” which is a little reminiscent of SLAYER, initially. One acoustic granade follows the next one and looking for a failure will be in vain, as much be affirmed. No matter if “Die Alone”, “Make A Mark” or “Sodom”, the result is identical each time and so you get a bit more than half an hour of rock-hard New York Hardcore which even puts such much-lauded and terrific bad guys like TERROR, FULL BLOWN CHAOS or FIRST BLOOD in their place. Who had thought that SICK OF IT ALL would blast in such an extent in 2006. Magnificent, honestly! Moreover, “Death To Tyrants” provides that you browse your collection for older works like “Just Look Around”, “Scratch The Surface” or “Built To Last” and let rotate those milestones in your CD player, once again. Everything else than the highest score would be a devaluation of this effort and that's why you can, yeah you must congratulate this Hardcore institution to an album which just couldn't have been better. Hell yeah! 10/10 - Metal-Observer.com TOP This year is the 20th anniversary of Sick of It All as a band. This is also the 9th full length album in as many years that the band has released. When a band has been around successfully for that improbable length of time and has released that many records, is there anything left to say either musically or lyrically? The release of their newest offering Death to Tyrants is a furious, resounding YES!!! To anyone that has spent any minute amount of time in or around the hardcore scene, Sick of It All is a household name. As true pioneers of the genre, along with a select few other bands, they helped shape a style of music and a community that supported it that has remarkably continued to exist to this day. For that reason alone Sick of It All should be praised. Going one step further, the band should be praised for releasing yet another quality album that is arguably more so, if not equally as strong, angry, intense, and well crafted as all of their previous records. Death to Tyrants will be immediately welcomed by the long-time fans who now all probably have regular jobs and families, as well as the uninitiated youth who are just now discovering this legendary band and their tremendous, respectable back catalog. If one didn't know of Sick of It All or their weathered history prior to listening to Death to Tyrants for the first time, it would be easy to think this record was made by angry teenagers who happened to be gifted at good songwriting. That's because Sick of It All still undeniably have a passion that most bands never had from the start, and this is abundantly clear from the first track of Death to Tyrants, with the memorable chorus, "Let's celebrate that we don't give a fuck!" As a metaphor, it's dead on; as an accurate statement of the band's beliefs, it couldn't be further from the truth. Both lyrically (much of which is overtly political on Death to Tyrants) and musically, the band is deadly serious about presenting an output that is able to not only stand its own ground in today's scene, but break new ground at the same time. The songs on Death to Tyrants sound as if they were written with a certain wisdom that could only be imparted by years of experience. The playing is perfectly on target and very tight. At the same time, Death to Tyrants has a modern sound to it that makes it clear the songs are designed to be on a new record in 2006 as opposed to a good old days throwback album. The songs are still crushingly heavy; they are still fast; they are still energized; but most importantly, they are the epitome of mature songwriting by four men who know what they are doing. Every track is memorable in its own right, with many subtle stylistic elements combined, yet the album as a whole is distinctly and recognizably Sick of It All in sound and spirit. Bottom Line: The members of Sick of It All are all well versed in their craft, and the experiences of being in a working band, including the writing process of an album, are all old hat now. This is clearly shown on Death to Tyrants. This release is a healthy dose of songs that get in the listener's head and beg to be played again and again. This album stands as a testament to what Sick of It All helped start, and to where the scene as a whole should strive to go. 9/10 - LambGoat.com TOP Reviewing a new Sick Of It All record is always a treat. Through 20 years of releases, they've yet to really let me down. There were a few albums that I wasn't as hyped about as others, but they weren't bad albums at all. Sick Of It All have a consistency to them that is unbridled in hardcore. They've had one line up change since their inception, they play a few hundred times a year and still manage to make good records. Death To Tyrants is no exception at all. Coming right out with the opening track, Take The Night Off you can tell that SOIA is unleashing yet another fast and furious album that doesn't rely on cheap tricks like palm muted breakdowns in every song and instead use what they know about their instruments to create a sonic maelstrom. The singalongs are all there and are sounding better than ever, with some new flavors like that on the song, Die Alone which shows their love for The Misfits. There is a general theme running through the album. I could go for the easy pun of "hehe, they're SICK OF IT ALL" but I won't. They're discontent with the current state of the nation and are showing it in a more constructive state than some bands. There's no "fuck the government" rhetoric. Instead they're showing solutions as well. If you're looking for some flavor of the week bullshit, don't buy this record. It's not for you. If you appreciate good hardcore (which maybe an hundredth of the current people on this site do) then this will be something you're rocking to all summer long. - StereoKiller.com TOP "Let's celebrate that we don't give a fuck!". You said it Lou. Sick of It All has never given a fuck what people think. But not in an annoying way. More of a “let’s make music we love for 2 decades and not give a shit what anyone says or thinks" way. And that is exactly what Death to Tyrants exemplifies. A spirit of hardcore that has yet to be tainted, despite odds that would make the hardest of the hard turn soft (*cough* *cough* *H20*). First, a major label outing that created some classic albums, but did not appease the radio-friendly masses. Now, their first outing since a peculiar affiliation with Fat Wreck Chords, Sick of It All are still doing just what they want: making aggressive music with insightful lyrics that can draw in almost any fan of punk or hardcore. And by peculiar I mean three AMAZING records that for one reason or another did not receive a fraction of the rightful respect and admiration they deserved. Call to Arms represented Sick of It All’s approach to a brand of melodic hardcore that in many ways was ahead of its time. Yours Truly, which I will sternly declare the band’s best work ever, created a severe rift between those who had stuck with the band for so many years and were unwilling to accept this progression towards melody, and those just finding their level of comfort with this abrasive, yet highly accessible brand of classic hardcore. Followed by Life on the Ropes, SOIA seemed like a band trying to recapture something that was never lost. It was almost like they were trying to prove “we’re still hard, we can still kick your ass.” I’d never doubt they could. But the melody was gone, and the record seemed forced. Fast forward to the now. I don’t think anyone knew what to expect. Some thought Fat was clearly responsible for changing SOIA to a poppy, watered-down hardcore outfit, then dropped them when sales didn’t meet criteria. Furthest from the truth. Fact of the matter is, Sick of It All makes records they want to make. You either love them or you don’t. Which brings me to actually discussing Death to Tyrants… A rebirth. A flame rekindled. Use any metaphor you want, but it's back, and if you aren’t careful, it’ll kick your ass. For those that love the epic era of Scratch the Surface and Built to Last, but found the recent harmonies offered in later albums refreshing, this is your new favorite Sick of It All album. The brutal opener, “Take the Night Off,” sets the pace for an outing set to display the aggressiveness, the melody and the sincerity that so many have come to expect from these legends. With a breakneck tempo to start, Lou’s incredible ability to scream through the speakers -- right into the listener’s ear, the classic gang choruses, and breakdowns that make me proud to actually dig the breakdown -- the words “instant set list addition” come to mind. Personally, the album’s pinnacle comes during the “Preamble” instrumental that leads right into what has quickly become one of my favorite SOIA tunes ever, “Uprising Nation.” Bouncy call-and-answer vocals, combined with thunderous bass-lines create a chaotic bliss that only a Sick of It All fan could love. “Die Alone” sounds like it could easily been written during the Call to Arms sessions, with its harmonic delivery and well-timed choruses, again, another one that seems it could be right-at-home performed at any show. Which is where this wayward review has led me… This is a testament to Sick of It All, who had always somewhat failed to display in their studio recordings. NOTHING has ever captured the ferocity of their live show. Until now. Every song you find yourself singing -- no, make that SHOUTING -- along to; as if you’ve been there in front of the stage pumping your fist for years. Hardcore has always been about the live experience, and the kings of the genre have always seemed to falter when trying to match up to the high expectations they have given fans themselves. Death to Tyrants finally delivers the seemingly undeliverable. 4/5 - PunkNews.org TOP To commemorate their twentieth anniversary, one of the longest standing bands in New York hardcore, Sick Of It All, proudly released their ninth full-length album 'Death To Tyrants'. The CD was recorded with Dean Baltulonis (Give Up The Ghost and Most Precious Blood) at Atomic Studios and mixed by the one and only Tue Madsen. Does the man ever sleep or what? The band still does have a distressed worldview I understand, because the majority of the songs are filled with political concerns in tracks such as 'Always War', 'Uprising Nation' and 'Fred Army'. Sick Of It All's worries providentially made a strong and influential hardcore album. Subsequent to such a long period as recording artists and after playing so many gigs worldwide, of course it ain't necessary to tell these giants how to make a proper album and they did! Strong musicians, Lou Koller's muscular vocals, a great sound and unbeatable songs make 'Death To Tyrants' another milestone in New York hardcore. Consequently, the new album keeps the S.O.I.A.'s status immaculate and celebrated and shows us the real classification of hardcore. 92/100 - LordsOfMetal.NL TOP Ignite "Our Darkest Days" Some people argue that writing a review about a band you love is a conflict of interest; I'm not sure why that would be, after all, the biggest fans are usually the harshest critics, but nonetheless, it should be clear that your humble writer is a fan; not just of their last, TVT release, A Place Called Home, but of their triumphant Revelation-era releases, and even beyond that. Ignite is a band that has managed to write increasingly memorable releases and over a lengthy career, to define themselves as a band of both ethical and music integrity and overwhelming talent, and these are scarce and valuable resources. The band has jumped from label to label, previously landing on TVT in the post-Dookie signing frenzy and being overlooked by a label without the capacity to understand their music; thankfully, the recent signing to upstart hardcore/rock label Abacus seems as good a place as any for them because Ignite is -- despite Zoli's operatic range and the band's technical proficiency -- a passionate hardcore band, and one of a the best around. The album opens with a one-minute intro, something that can be a little unnecessary but works rather well as a lead-in to “Bleeding,” a track that manages to thoughtfully attack one of the dominant themes of the album: fear and freedom. Accompanied by full gang vocals, Zoli tackles the issue with a lyrical nuance and restraint not usually expected from this music. The second track, “Fear Is Our Tradition” continues to look at the subject matter, and acts as a real showcase for Zoli's talents, with intricately layered vocal harmonies and the other “theme” of the record: hooks. Ignite may be an angry, powerful band, but they want you singing along. Interestingly, the band's opening few tracks are more mid-tempo, while the band hits full speed for the second half; the positively ripping “Are You Listening?” takes a few seconds to get going, but when it does, it's not just relentlessly catchy, but a showcase for the incredible amount of musical talent throughout this band. The next track, “Three Years” actually had my jaw drop at one point, when Zoli really stretches his range and while I can't imagine he's going to be signing it live, the bridge in the track is quite spectacular. The most “traditional” Ignite track is perhaps, “Know Your History,” which -- aside from Cameron Webb's production -- could have appeared on the best of the band's Revelation catalog; just straightforward, fast, metal-free hardcore. The final two tracks on the album may be a surprise to some, the first: a tasteful and aggressive cover of U2's “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” which is a live favorite and for good reason. The last is the risky, but occaisonally great acoustic closer; while Zoli occaisonally sounds like a slightly more adept Eddie Vedder, the track works in the context of the album. After tracks that consistently up the ante for speed and vitriol, the hopeful closer acts as a nice bookend to the album and resonates even after the CD stops spinning. Was it not for the earnestness of the performance and the integrity of the band, it might not have worked, but as expected, Ignite pulls it off. With Our Darkest Days, Ignite has ended a nearly six-year absence from recording, and has delivered a record worthy of the wait. This is hardcore and it is great. 4.5/5 - PunkNews.org TOP There was not much going around IGNITE in the last years but now they are back and if you always liked this exceptional band, you will also love their new masterpiece. So if you adored works like “Call On My Brothers”, “In My Time” or the followers “Past Out Means” and “A Place Called Home”, you have to have “Our Darkest Days”, too. One could also easily say that only few bands managed it to create records with such an amount of high class ear-candies. IGNITE were always famous for their mixture of melodic Hardcore, Rock and Punk and “Our Darkest Days” is another unmatchable masterpiece. The unique quintet from Orange County is still a class for its own. Their music is amazing and it is completed by the moving and distinctive vocals of the Hungarian Zoli Teglas; these are the basic elements for IGNITE, which are a ten years long guarantee for highly intelligent stuff. This is not only limited to the music itself, it also affects their dedicated and politically influenced lyrics. And there’s another element, which makes this band that irresistible and important as well: IGNITE stood always true to their roots and their new album comes up with absolutely no hint of being commercially. Of course, “Our Darkest Days” is highly melodic and quite accessible but it’s always natural and never trendy. Don’t worry, heaviness and power are always given but they luckily don’t find it necessary to interrupt the music by breakdowns or mosh parts. Their way is different and it works fine and if you always wanted to know if one can simultaneously bang your head and sing along to a song, you will find the answer short after the intro. “Bleeding” is then the starter of this series of catchy tunes, “Fear Is Our Tradition” follows in the same direction and the album delivers more of such highlights in form of the hit “Let It Burn” or the up bea t “Poverty For All”. Another advantage of them is that they keep their songs mostly under the three minutes mark. IGNITE come always straight to the point and there’s no neverending repeating of melodies. So why lengthen a song up to five minutes or more when creating the best effect with such shortness. Hats off! But the journey goes on and the number of highlights won’t end; there comes “My Judgement Day” or “Slowdown”, which is a murderously catchy song. The speed grenade “Save Yourself”, “Are You Listening” or “Three Years” keep the tension high and intensity and joy are always present. “Know Your Enemy” and “Strength” are no exceptions, of course. A nice bonus comes with the U2 cover song “Sunday Bloody Sunday”; a well often covered song but these guys do it the best. Last but least, closing “Live For Better Days” comes around with some acoustic guitars and a female voice until Zoli Teglas starts to sing in his mother tongue. This is a gorgeous final and a strong contrast to the other songs. And if you’re a bit confused after all this, you should better press the repeat button and travel again through the darkest days of IGNITE. But be assured, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and as dark the days may be, this album makes the sun shine the whole day. Of course, the sound production is top notch as well and with Cameron Webb (e.g. MOTÖRHEAD, SOCIAL DISTORTION, SUM 41 or SILVERSTEIN), they engaged a genius as producer. After all, I can only give the highest rating, there’s no other possibility. Still having questions? 10/10 - Metal-Observer.com TOP Exhilarating. In one word, Our Darkest Days is simply exhilarating. With six years between full-length albums, an eternity by hardcore standards, IGNITE makes up for lost time in a hurry on this fourteen song outing. As one of the few truly global hardcore bands, IGNITE haven’t exactly been idly twiddling their thumbs over the past half-decade, choosing rather to tour Europe and South America often, where the band draws crowds in the thousands at nearly every show. With IGNITE's ill-fated days on TVT Records (at least in the U.S.) behind them, Our Darkest Days marks a rebirth of sorts, including a new record deal with Century Media/Abacus Recordings (vinyl on Think Fast! Records), that finally gives the band the unified worldwide platform that they have so long been seeking. IGNITE are a fascinating band for a number of reasons, the most obvious being the incredible presence of lead vocalist Zoli Teglas, owner of the best voice in hardcore. Not only can Teglas absolutely wail, no one merges vocal aggression, melody, and command better than him, and it’s been that way practically since the band released their first full-length, Call On My Brothers in 1995. Teglas is a special force – his vocals are instantly memorable, and catchy doesn’t even describe half of the matter. In the same way that BAD RELIGION’s Greg Graffin or GOOD RIDDANCE’s Russ Rankin rule with an omnipresent lead, Teglas is always front and center. As IGNITE are oft to mention, the band is determined to carry forth the torch of Orange County hardcore in the manner that was set forth by genre-groundbreakers UNITY and UNIFORM CHOICE, though by now, it can safely be said that IGNITE really only sounds like themselves. The songwriting formula here is pretty simple in theory – racing tempos, supercharged guitars and bass, and sing-along out loud vocals. This is metal-free hardcore and the closest thing you’ll get to a breakdown is a brief pause before an ensuing finger-point fiesta. Our Darkest Days surges with the pissed-off opener “Bleeding” (only Teglas can work the name “Halliburton” so gracefully into lyrics and keep it tuneful) and then brings the house down, on only the third track “Fear Is Our Tradition” with a staggering blast of towering rhythms and an unreal chorus and multi-tracked backing vocals. For the first twelve songs on this album, IGNITE is boiling hot. With serious but not overbearing lyrics, and with a positive message always lurking somewhere, the band skillfully discusses the perils and tragic nature of drunk-driving (“Let It Burn”); a political administration with a 'shoot first, ask questions later' attitude ("Bleeding"); and a surprising focus on Teglas’ Hungarian background, with the mesmerizing songs “Poverty for All” (excorciating 50 years of socialist rule) and “Know Your History,” the latter of which possesses a frightening amount of pure adrenaline. The tag-team of “Save Yourself” and “Are You Listening,” respectively, is roughly three minutes of go-for-broke catharsis. The gang vocals in the “Listening” will have you screaming, “I’M SORRY… YOU’RE NOT THE ONE” until your throat bleeds. It’s not until the final two tracks - a freshly recorded cover of U2’s “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (a song the band previously covered for a European release a number of years ago), and the acoustic “Live For Better Days,” that IGNITE’s tremendous racket comes to a cool. While Our Darkest Days doesn’t see the band depart terribly much from their previous recordings, the band is far more flashy in its rhythm section than on 2000’s A Place Called Home. Drummer Craig Anderson is practically a machine on this album, especially on the unique beats that drive “Poverty For All,” and the dramatic bridge that fuels the epic sing-along in “Save Yourself.” I’ve cherished listening to IGNITE over the years because in blunt terms, this band gets me pumped. More than just the sonically brilliant sound that the band has weaved repeatedly, their dedicated focus to socially relevant and personally inspiring lyrics solidifies the group’s purpose and conviction. IGNITE are an elite and enthused hardcore band and Our Darkest Days satisfies beyond the most extravagant of expectations. - PastePunk.com TOP Years ago (too many to think about) a punk rock compilation landed in my hands and launched an obsession. Cinema Beer Nuts was the title, and though I ended up purchasing many of the records by many of the bands, Ignite was not one of them. Today I am kicking myself. So hard. If only I had purchased the Past Our Means EP then this would be a glorious recounting of Ignite’s noble career. Instead, this is a holy fuck! I’ve been sleeping on this band for no good reason! Our Darkest Days is the best album so far in 2006, and I feel like I should have seen it coming since I was 13.   From the building and swelling of Intro (Our Darkest Days), Ignite lets melodic hardcore ring out with passion and sincerity. Zoli Teglas’ voice resounds with an intimacy and a vulnerability that may surprise, seeing as it has been six years since he last put it to tape. Zoli’s voice engages, but it his lyrics that ensnare. I didn’t get a lyric sheet, but at one point in Fear Is Our Tradition we start getting into the details of Russian history. An overwhelming desire to understand permeates the album, a desire to improve, and a genuineness that makes it all so beautiful. Cheap gimmicks? None. There’s just no time for them when a band has this much to say.   Ignite remains political and inspirational and always strikes the perfect balances between melody and rhythm, high-pitched singing and gruff backing vocals, endearing personal songs with great lyrics “Budapest, Los Angeles/ I drank a river to forget,” and evocative songs with great lyrics, “Lead the boys off to war just to throw them away.”  The second quote is from an amazing song called Bleeding, and if there was an ounce of justice in this world, that would be the song of the summer, not AFI’s craptacular Miss Murder which seems destined for the title. Our Darkest Days is the album that AFI always should have made, but never did: beautiful and nuanced but without sacrificing the hard edge which drew so many to them in their early incarnations.   Complaints? Well, lacking the booklet gives me no room to critique the art so I’ll have to stick with criticizing U2. Ignite covers U2, a band I hate, and the choose to cover Sunday Bloody Sunday, a song that Evergreen Terrace covers on every single release they put out, and that frankly, I am just sick of. Luckily, that’s not the last track on the album so the bad taste doesn’t remain in your mouth for too long. Our Darkest Days closes out with a terrific rousing acoustic song Live For Better Days, which in turn fades out into erethral singing and finally Zoli singing a dirge in what I can only assume is Hungarian.   This record is amazing start to finish: no easy feat considering just how much is packed into each of the fourteen songs. A must buy. 5/5 - PunkBands.com TOP The first thing I have to say about this record is simply "wow". Zoli Teglas has a set of chords on him that can be outdone by no other vocalists in hardcore past or present as far as I am concerned. His range is absolutely amazing as always and there is no debate about that after his performance on this album. From the minute the it starts with the Intro you can tell the band has returned with their unique brand of politically charged hardcore punk. A practically seamless transition into the first track and it is on its way. Not once in my opinion does this disc lose its hold in anyway. Standout tracks such as "Bleeding," "Poverty For All," "Save Yourself," and my personal favourite a cover of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday," (although many bands have beaten this song to death, I am rather pleased with the way it came out.) prove that the bands long awaited return has not been in vain, they have not lost any steam. The songwriting is solid, although it is not overtly technical and anything that hasn't been done before it still spotlights the bands talent to stand as leaders in the forefront of their genre. Melodic, energetic and genuine I strongly recommend any previous fans of this band or anyone new to the genre pick up this disc. You can stream it online in its entirety. - StereoKiller.com TOP Between The Wars "Less We Believe" Holy fucking shit this is good!  Mark my words - these guys are the new face of hardcore. Featuring ENSIGN front man Tim Shaw and ex-THURSDAY member Bill Henderson, they definitely don't lack the talent, experience or drive to become the best, and if this EP is any indication, they're gonna be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. Definitely of the best new hardcore bands I've heard in quite a while, and if you dig ENSIGN, or bands like 108 and BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, you'd be diggin on this too. Seriously good shit here, for sure.   - AMP Magazine TOP Less We Believe marks the return of ENSIGN vocalist Tim Shaw, alongside THE PROCEDURE's Bill Henderson. Although ENSIGN has been quiet for a handful of years now, it's clear that Shaw hasn't strayed too far from his vision of what a hardcore band should sound like. This eight song EP is a throttling exhibition in powerful metallic hardcore with thunderous guitars and Shaw's instantly gripping bellicose yell. BETWEEN THE WARS are a bit more technical and nuanced in their approach than most hardcore bands and that can be chalked up to Henderson's plentiful source of talent (see THE PROCEDURE's Shift Pacific) and the band's status as a collection of seasoned veterans. This isn't your typical blueprint of verse/verse/breakdown/verse hardcore. While Less We Believe isn't lacking in breakdowns, the song's aren't committed to mundane structures, and as a whole, the EP's 18 minutes swell together to form an unflappable pose. ENSIGN always reminded me of what early SICK OF IT ALL would have sounded like if mated with the dynamics and thoughtfulness of SNAPCASE, and Less We Believe takes that a step further. Like ENSIGN's stellar full-length Cast The First Stone, BETWEEN THE WARS pushes for a sound and energy that simply knows no limits. - PastePunk.com TOP Between the Wars hails from New Jersey, boasts Ensign’s lead singer and an ex-Thursday guitarist in its ranks, and makes the kind of urgent metallic hardcore that picks up where the legacy of Snapcase left off, with scatterings of newer mindful yet utterly scalding bands like Modern Life is War and Bleeding Kansas strewn about. This eight-track release unleashes a tumultuous hardcore trajectory whose post-hardcore fretwork and metallic foundations found on tracks like “In A Perfect World, You’d Be Dead” and the malevolent “American Mutiny” sound best when cranked to 11. Intricate enough for the tech head (especially guitar-wise), yet charged with the same scolding intent as old school hardcore, LESS WE BELIEVE is a masterful album awaiting fans of dense hardcore. 8/10 - PunkRockTheory.com TOP i normally hate wanking guitars, but every once in a while it suits the band's needs. this is just such an occasion. back to the guitar work (courtesy of bill henderson, ex-thursday), the only way i could describe this is epic (maybe not the right word, but it's the first that comes to mind) hardcore. i mean, it feels like you're standing in front of some fucker giving his big "i'm trying not to make you scared of getting dead" speech and you're eating up every word. think if william wallace was a hardcore band. the pace of the music shifts tempos, but is overall steady. solo after solo and it doesn't get old, it actually accents the whole thing pretty well. tim shaw is still in top form screaming the anthem that might even remind some people why we even started listening to hardcore in the first place. call me a dickrider, i'll show you my ticket. the bass is the one thing besides shaw that reminded me of ensign. subtle, but easily distinguishable (spelling has nothign to do with the internet) off in the background. brasstacks, it's nothing mind blowingly original. it's also, not ensign reborn. it's just a good hardcore (with a some metallic persuasion in there for good measure) record that isn't grossly dumbed down and flexing it's muscles or attempting to be some pretentious art school drop out's "sensitive" version of agression. it's just straight the fuck up awesome music played well and delivered with fed ex precision. buy this album and i can guarantee a lack of anything like dissapointment. - StereoKiller.com TOP Apparently the sum result of one member of Ensign and one member of Thursday is one of the most promising hardcore acts from New Jersey in recent memory. Ensign vocalist Tim Shaw and former Thursday guitarist Bill Henderson (Waiting) is apparently a formidable combination, as they team up with a few others in Between the Wars, a refreshing act playing Bane-styled, tempo-varied hardcore punk. Both of the notable members here provide influence from their resumés; Shaw's scratchy yell and the general punk leanings recall the Ensign tag, while Henderson can be found tucking neat post-hardcore riffs that recall his early work into songs like "Mankind Is a Timebomb" and the instrumental "In Darkness." Between the Wars is a band who manage to cleanly integrate their influences as well, which include 108 and Quicksand. Sure, there's breakdowns, like in "In a Perfect World, You'd Be Dead" and "Slaves and Masters," but they're not heavy for the sake of heavy -- barely at all, in fact, which is actually easy to get behind. Sure, there's metal riffs, like in "Grinding Axes" and "Mankind Is a Timebomb," but hardly necessitating the labelling of a word loathed by many. Less We Believe is quite solid, but that shouldn't be surprising considering the pedigree. Between the Wars take from a number of genres to write some rousing, creative hardcore punk songs; the eventual full set of them should be a treat, no question. - PunkNews.org TOP In the mid to late 90's in Southern California you couldn't go to a show and not see something to do with Ensign. They were either playing a show in the upcoming weeks, or people were wearing their shirt and/or speaking about how they just saw them a few weeks prior. Unfortunately when Ensign signed with Nitro it marked the beginning of the end. Regardless, Ensign holds a special place in my own heart and when the impassioned vocals of Tim Shaw came blaring out of my speakers on the way to work in the morning, it was going to be a good day. Between The Wars features Tim and sounds like a modernized Ensign. Metallic and passionate, this is easily one of the better debuts I have heard in a while. It's a must have, plain and simple.  - Status Magazine TOP Wake Up Call "One Eye Open" It's like '88 all over again; the sweat is pouring, the pit is swirling and X marks the spot on the back of a well-worn hand. Not sure if Think Fast is a straight-edge label or not; frankly I don't really give a shit. But Wake Up Call...Now they are something that matters. Great no-nonsense HC with a Revelation circa '88 sound, 'One Eye Open' is a full frontal assault on the genre of yore. Their album info references Warzone and Underdog; not too far from the tree I say, though I think the vocals have a taste of So. Cal harmony to them. Best of both world, damn them. Great "Outro"; a doom-laden swath of "Wake the fuck up" yammering that whipped my ass out of the chair and into a low-pit crouch. "Under Their Control" (with a great "get some common fuckin' sense" kind of spoken-word breakdown) is top shelf. And the melodic progressions of "Avoiding the Storm" are head-bobbing material in their own right. Splitting 6 new tracks with 5 demo tracks from '04, 'One Eye Open' is a short affair. Hot production on both levels make this baby pump smooth to the end. And don't think the demo shit is anything sub-par; "Know Your Limits" sounds like early L.A. and "Big Shots" just plain throttles with raw aggression (nice bass riff). All in all, this is a ripper and an ultimately rewarding, though sadly short, blast of hardcore done right. Raw, powerful and full of conviction, Wake Up Call are surely a band worth catching should they stumble into your neck of the woods. Fans of Indecision, old Revelation and early Victory take note. Some hot shit here, and a big plus in the play book for the folks at Think Fast Records. Killer. - PunkRocks.net TOP Maine hardcore? I hadn’t heard much from that scene in ages. But now Wake Up Call is here to change all of that with their old school hardcore sound. Taking a cue from Warzone or Undertow, Wake Up Call brandishes traditional breakdowns, circle pit heaviness, and great singalongs. With bands like Comeback Kid making hardcore kids remember the good ole days, Wake Up Call is a fresh and poignant look back at what started it all. I know I’m being all revisionist here but I’m telling you, the hardcore scene has become saturated with pretenders lately and bands that couldn’t name a single Youth of Today song, so it’s awesome to hear a band that brings us back so well. - Smother.net TOP Here we go, here we go, another straight ahead hardcore effort from Maine, following on the heels of their native Maine brothers, On The Outside (Thorp Records), who recently released their full length not too far back. This CDEP includes six new jams with their 5 song 2005 demo, which got a nice re-mastered touch. These guys have the 88' Revelation Records sound down pact, you can definitely hear the Underdog influence seeping through their sound. They play it short and sweet, with no filler necessary. Out of the 11 tracks herein, only one breaks the 2 minute mark, some songs get close to 2 minutes while others rage short of a minute. These guys aren’t trying to reinvent the book, rather they throw in a few plays of their own. They opt to use a bare bones framework making sure to throw in plenty of sped up verses, plenty of gang shouts and strong use of soaring solo leads. The singer definitely has that old school bounce to his voice, most notably on the demo part of the album. While musically I would prefer the 6 new tracks to the demo, vocally, however I really dug the demo. For what ever reason when I was listening to the closing track, "It Ain’t Worth It" at about the 1:12 break, it was like I was listening to CIV’s big brother singing, it sent chills down my spine. Either way this guy nails everything he shouts on, the spoken part in the Wake Up outro is like some straight Judge type shit. I wish half the bands today paying homage to the old school brand of hardcore had a singer like this guy. Now in regards to the production aspects of the release, it is about as good as it gets for this type of music. It walks the line between a raw late 80's sound with the advantages of modern day recording. The feedback and ringing out of the intro leads sounds fucking good as shit. The artwork definitely enhances this release, it’s some nasty shit actually. It’s got a disfigured cartoon dude getting his eyelid bitten and pulled on by a rat while his rat buddy feasts on his scalp and brain, by the time you get to the back cover the rats have pretty much devoured all but the guys one eye. The colors are dark, bold and earthly, much more fitting than if it was some happy colorful rats. 4/5 - SicZine.com TOP I have been stoked about this band ever since I got their demo cassette March of last year. I have gotten to see them in Athens and it was a good time. Wake Up Call is an exciting and promising band coming from Maine. Maine seems to be putting out a good amount of hardcore bands recently (Outbreak, On The Outside, Cruel Hand) even if two of them also have members of Outbreak. I was stoked when I heard they joined Think Fast Records and was stoked when I got it. After hearing the song they have on Think fast’s website I knew it would be good. It didn’t disappoint. They follow an old school feel but turning it into a sound they can call their own. Containing plenty of sweet bass solos and sick guitar solo hooks, and sing alongs to keep you listening. Aaron Billion’s vocals don’t sound like every other singer which also helps give them a original sound. His vocals have been compared to bands like Warzone and Underdog. Wake Up Call doesn’t just have songs about hardcore. They have songs about stuck up people, not being held down by the man, and how people are brainwashed by the system. Which makes them stick out cause how many hardcore bands sing about getting brainwashed by the system? He also has some sweet lyrics. Also on the CD version is Wake Up Call’s demo. So anybody who got the demo finally has the songs on CD. This band just makes me want to listen to more. This debut in my mind is an amazing debut release. It is real catchy. I’m looking to hear more from them in the future. Artwork by Agenda Suicide (Comeback Kid and No Warning) - NeoHC.com TOP Expired Youth "Where We Stand" This band knocked my dick in the dirt a year ago at Chicago Fest '05. Expired Youth got a room full of crusties and jaded old heads to mosh and sing along; it was astounding. Now finally a proper release... "Where We Stand" doesn't disappoint in the least. You should know what the deal is: FAST '88 style hardcore with plenty of opportunities to skank, punch the floor, or sing along. Think Floorpunch meets Uniform Choice. Usually straight edge bands don't know how to fit in a good singing part, but Expired Youth pulled it off several times. If you can't get down to "Walking Tall," then you don't have a heart beat. I'm going to go ahead and say that this is the best Chicago band since Get it Away and the best straight edge band to come out in the US since The First Step and Desperate Measures. Another solid hit from Think Fast! Records. - Centerfuse.net TOP Last year I received Expired Youth’s demo in the mail from Ronnie Little and gave it an above average review. All I have to say is what a difference a year makes…for the better. This Chicago area Straight Edge hardcore band ups the ante in the posi style arena. The first thing I noticed was the great drumming. Not to take away from the rest of the band but that is was perked my ears up. Everything about the recording and the performance is genuine. Check this one out. - Hardware Media & Radio TOP People who are critical of straight-edge youth crew bands come from either one of two camps: stinky ripoff or "the next best thing since Floorpunch". I usually hail from the latter, seeing as how straight-edge hardcore is the only style that stuck with me through the years and I always appreciate something new. But so-called critics from the first group should understand that we already know this sound is more-or-less a ripoff of what's been done. We don't care, this is what we like. With that said, here comes Chicago's Expired Youth with their latest CD/7" "Where We Stand". If you liked The First Step and Desperate Measures, you'll LOVE this band (and of course the opposite also stands true). EY carefully took their time and crafted a record that will appeal to all kinds of hardcore lovers, but without neglecting a strong and positive drug-free message. It should also be noted that I saw them live a couple of times and was really into it; though not as much as them on stage, wow! Talk about energy. I hear the pundits a million miles away: Will they break up (or break edge) next week, next month, next year? Who cares. This is great music for the moment, and if you're not able to live today, you might as well call it quits. Thanks to EY for making such great music and giving me a bit of a soapbox! Get this record, out since January 2006 courtesy of the irreplaceable Think Fast! Records. - QCHC.com TOP These kids got heart. No doubt. I think they hail from Chicago, but I can't be positive of that. You should probably try and see them live if you can. If you enjoy fast, hardcore with balls, look into them. This CD is their EP with the demo tacked onto the end. You can hear a real difference between the EP and the demo. It really sounds like they were growing into their style, becoming more comfortable with their sound. The song Looking Glass has a great little intro. I was going to make a Snapcase reference, but it's not relevant at all. This band is Snapcase free. Look into these guys. They are down with the straight edge. That's a bonus in my book. Check Think Fast! Records for more information. Word. - HowsYourEdge.com TOP Youth crew kids will love this band. Expired Youth is every bit what you loved about Youth of Today, Agnostic Front, Ignite, and Shelter. Old school breakdowns and singalongs are strewn throughout “Where We Stand”. It’s nice to see that the straightedge hardcore scene is still vibrant and producing new and great bands like Expired Youth to follow. Great melodic youth crew that you haven’t heard done right in a while. - Smother.net TOP Well, what we have here is some windy city straight edge hardcore. These guys were/are in great chi-town bands like Sidewalk, Haunted Life and most notably Plan of Attack (RIP), if you haven’t heard of those guys do yourself a favor and check out their material, all of which is quality. Where We Stand is the bands debut effort, featuring five new tracks and the bands 2004 demo, totaling nine tracks in all. These guys do a good job of incorporating various sounds of hardcore into their sound, from punk rock, hardcore to youth crew hardcore. They sound like a cross between Ignite, Desperate Measures (Youngblood) and Youth of Today with nods to former hometown heroes, Life Sentence. In my review for Wake Up Call, I mentioned how they are straight edge but don’t alienate any of the non straight edge kids and welcome anyone willing to listen into the fold, well Expired Youth exhibit the same thing, which gets a thumbs up from me. Their five new tracks compared to their demo really show the band coming into their own and tightening up their sound. Their approach to song writing improved exponentially with their newer stuff, there’s more subtle change ups that keep things from getting trite. The demo tracks are little more straight ahead and rely heavily on pure speed, the new songs change tempos more. Sure it’s only between fast and mid paced but they change it up more coupled with the cues and bridges that also spice up the songs. The vocalist also grew into his style more, he sounds a lot more natural whereas on the demo it came off a little more contrived and forced. While the lyrics have a strong straight edge undertone, mostly they deal with the everyday struggles of life and emotion battles with yourself and friends. I’m on board with the production, it’s got a nice gritty tone to it with the vocals right in the thick of things. I’m down with the artwork and layout. It’s a mostly blue based layout with a illustrated train track scene of the guys in the band standing around with X’s painted on their hands. The booklet features pictures of the band members with the expired youth logo silhouetted in the background of the thank you’s. Good shit. - SicZine.com TOP The Distance "If You Lived Here You'd Be Home Already" A retrospective, compilation thing of sorts for this outstanding Connecticut hardcore unit, 'If You Lived Here...' is made up of 2 new tracks, 3 live tracks, their original demo and 7" tracks, all remastered into one fucking brilliant sounding hardcore record that never loses step, and oddly enough, seems pretty damn focused. Having enjoyed their Bridge 9 disc, this was my second exposure to these guys, and I must say, I am quite blown away. Imagine the vocalist for Strike Anywhere singing for Carry On or Count Me Out. It's an incredibly powerful stroke of passionate delivery and execution. Even the re-interpretation of Dramarama's awesome "Anything, Anything" grew on me. "Phase Two Is About To Be Implemented" is absolute gem; intense and frenzied as tour-mates Comeback Kid. At times ("Stolen Hearts Die") you get a bit of that N.Y./East Coast riff-raging in the mix; breakdowns and downtunes and the like, and eschewing the tough-guy bullshit repetitions. Melody is in place, shout-outs rival tension, and the whole ball of wax ends up as its own sound. "Filler" is anything but; "Holding The Match" drops a key or two into doom-melody world; "It's A Love Hate Thing" thrives on some great tempo changes, and the live tracks (culled from CBGB's) make one wish they were experience the festivities first hand. When it's all over, you realize you just spent 23 minutes in hardcore heaven, and the Distance are one of the few house bands deserving of a multiple trips to the stage. An excellent introduction to a great band, and another winner for Think Fast Records. (You guys really do have your shit together...). Awesome. - PunkNews.org TOP Never underestimate the importance of a quality mastering job, especially on a "collection" release that compiles a band's previous efforts into one full-length. If You Lived Here You'd Be Home Already puts together five different recording sessions from THE DISTANCE, including two new songs, and three live songs recorded at CBGB's. The heart of this disc contains music from splits and 7"s on such labels as Bridge 9, Good News Records and Old Guard/Takeover Records. As hinted at, the great mastering job fuses together all of the seperate recordings into one molten 13 song disc that spills its insides in all of 23 minutes. THE DISTANCE's style makes me think of what early DC hardcore would sound like today with the assistance of modern recording technology. The songs on here are blindingly fast but not without strong lines of melody. The galloping drums and searing guitars have a natural, linear feeling that has a start and an endpoint. No senseless, repetitive chugging, no metallic squeals - just a torrent of distorted, but well contained noise. The pinnacle of all this comes on the sixth track, the band's jaw-dropping cover of MINOR THREAT's "Filler." Already one of my favorite songs of all-time, THE DISTANCE's version of the tune is arguably better than the original. Vocalist Jay Reason (formerly of VOICE OF REASON) has a headstrong, semi-nasal style that resonates perfectly with the unbridled fury and gutsy spirit that's draped all across the MINOR THREAT recording. The other highlights on here are the two new songs, "Drowning in Details," and obscenely catchy, "Phase Two Is About To Be Implemented." There's definitely a shift going on with the new material, taking steps away from the old-school (sounding somewhat like CARRY ON at times), and moving towards a melodic direction that's similar to Louisville's former stars, BY THE GRACE OF GOD. If these two songs are any indication of what's in store on their debut full-length, we're all in for a treat! However you classify it, THE DISTANCE have become a unit that's learning how to write better songs after conquering blots of pure energetic catharsis. If You Lived Here You'd Be Home Already comes close to fitting the saying "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." And while that's the last time I'll use a phrase associated with weddings in the text of a review of a hardcore record, THE DISTANCE, in making all of their earlier exploits available in one tidy package, have built something where the sum is clearly greater than the weight of its parts. - PastePunk.com TOP It's no secret that I fucking love these guys. They play some seriously amazing, straight-forward, in-your-face fucking Connecticut hardcore, the way it's supposed to be played. What we have here is a collection of various releases from the guys, including two new recordings and two live recordings from the legendary CBGB's, as well as songs previously released on a variety of releases, including the critically-acclaimed "Anything, Anything" 7" and the three-way split on Bridge Nine. I can't say enough good things about this release - it kicks just as much ass as the other stuff from THE DISTANCE, even if a lot of the songs are already out there. It's fucking awesome to have them all in one place and to have them on CD, too. If for some reason you've never heard THE DISTANCE, this wouldn't be a bad way to start what should become an ever-growing collection. - AMP Magazine TOP Here we have 2 new songs, a bunch of tracks that appeared on various splits and comps and a few live ditties from CBGB's. Jay Reason has taken The Distance to a point that to me is kind of like midway between their EP on Bridge 9 and his former band Voice Of Reason. The melody and catchy hooks of the new tracks break up the monotony and adds a whole new dimension to the Distance's arsenal. One of my favorite tracks on this is the passionate " Anything, Anything". Its definitely a heart wrenching catchy ass song. Fuck my sister just walked by and asked me who this is.. you know what that means! This record is definitely an interesting mix. You can see the changes in the band from angry pissed hardcore band ala tracks that appeared on the split with Outbreak and Some Kind of Hate and the Minor Threat cover that they did, to the newer songs that have alot more going on in the songwriting and overrall feel. I would have to say that this goes to show that they have a bigger piece of the musical spectrum covered and they aren't afraid to try new things at all. I like the versatility in this. Whether they want to hit you with the raw power and unadulterated aggression of some mean ass hardcore, to the simpler emotions of some of the newer songs, they have that ability to turn on a dime. In a punk rock world when alot of these bands have nothing to say and nothing to give besides what someone already did, its nice to see someone can break the mold and still give everyone else a run for their money when need be. This record "goes the Distance" for me and is definitely worth it if you haven't checked these guys out yet- this cd is the place to start. - Centerfuse.net TOP I, as well as others I'm sure, are bound to question the release of an "odds and sods" collection of a band whose first full-length hasn't even seen the light of day. Sure, it was common for bands of their style in the early 80's, but that time it was also a feat to manage a full-length recording on such a low budget. These days, not so much. In another words, it's a practice usually reserved for multiple punk/hardcore bands like so who've made their name legendary despite a handful of vinyl releases all missing the 12" mark, but, like its most recent companion in Sick Of It All's B-sides/rarities retrospective Outtakes For The Outcast, the Distance's If You Lived Here You'd Be Home Already is tightly uniform in its set of straightforward hardcore tracks (most plucked from a short wealth of splits and 7 inches alike with two new songs and a few live numbers to boot), and pretty enjoyable despite such a short garden of material to pluck from. Complimentary claims the Distance have picked up where straight-edge torchbearers Carry On left off have run rampant throughout the band's early work, and as this is a showcasing of such, it's certainly warranted here. However, the Distance give themselves...erm, distance...by serving up one more usual tempo change than their comparative brothers in question, and generally falling more into emotional youth crew territory than unrelenting straightforward intensity, but with nary a gang chant employed on the newer material. "Drowning In Details" is one of the compilation's two newly recorded offerings, and showcases a rare backup vocal appearance that gives the record a strong start. The band's cover of Dramarama's "Anything, Anything" is a definite standout. Taken from a limited 7" bearing the same name and released last Summer, vocalist Jay Reason sounds truly desperate to keep the relationship together screaming "marry me marry me marry me!" Most other genres this would be a complete whinefest, but instability and emotion seem to sincerely resonate on this particular track rather well. The sound quality alters drastically immediately following the track, with 'raw' being the general vibe of the rest of the record despite a halfway-accomplished remastering attempt to balance it; however, it comes at a pretty appropriate time with their cover of Minor Threat's "Filler" another sure highlight. It's actually pretty upbeat compared against the rest of the album, and Reason begging "it's in your head! It's in your head!" does undoubted justice to the original. The remaining studio offerings take another step down on the sound quality ladder, and are all taken from the band's 2003 vinyl release (originally a 2002 demo). Here's the band in their earliest form, and mosh parts are incorporated quite more often. Following this are a few live tracks recorded at New York's CBGBs. Despite Reason's repetitive, clichéd commands of "Yo CBs, let's do this! / Move up! / Destroy this place! / Use your outdoor voices indoors!" getting a bit stringy by the third song, you really can feel the aggression in the room, and at least they aren't just live versions of songs already previously heard on the record (rather, the studio versions can be found on the band's eponymous release, 2004's Your Closest Enemies EP). So while I'd still really like to hear a proper LP from Connecticuit's the Distance that would likely be packed to the brim with a sure 25 minutes of stripped down, barefaced hardcore manifestos, I won't mind taking in a pretty solid, 23-minute retrospective of what's leading up to it to hold me over in the meantime. - PunkNews.org TOP I think that the recent split with With Honor was the proper preparation for this album. A tremendous melodic hardcore album that is exactly what the doctor of hardcore ordered. The owner of Stillborn Records (and Martyr Records) Jay Reason is their singer as if this band needed any legitimacy in the clique of the world of hardcore. When AFI was still playing punk in their heyday of greatness they never came close to sounding as good as The Distance sounds here. Pummeling percussion that keeps the energy level at a consistent high along with vocals that range from hard-edged yells to melodic singing, banging bass that rhythmically seems to call out with its own unique siren call, and kinetic guitars make this a truly incredible and well-timed hardcore album. - Smother.net TOP Although they have yet to release a debut full length, this is The Distance’s collection of songs put together on one easily purchasable album. Featuring two new tracks, their split with With Honor, the three way split 7" (Some Kind Of Hate and Outbreak), their self released demo, 3 live tracks from CBGB’s and two covers, (Dramarama’s, "anything, anything" and Minor Threats, "Filler") totaling 13 tracks in 23 minutes. If you haven’t heard of these Connecticut natives, they play a pretty straight ahead style of hardcore taking nods from bands like Negative Approach and Carry On. However the two new tracks show them progressing from their stripped down youth crew hardcore sound to a much more diverse approach to song writing, putting more emphasis on catchy hooks and melodically tinged verses. Definitely going for that AFI meets Give Up The Ghost. Usually I can’t stand that shit, because at the moment bands like Comeback Kid and With Honor are making a killing doing the same shit but The Distance do it without losing touch with their original roots, so rather than sounding like they are trying to cash in on a trend they are just growing into their sound. The vocal approach of Jay Reason (owner and operator of Stillborn and Martyr Records) really takes the bands new sound to another plateau, whether it’s a melodic chorus, or a sped up verse he is able to maintain a high level of anger and desperation as he belts out one emotionally charged line after another. Probably the most important aspect of this release, aside from the two new gems, is the mastering job which brings all of the 5 recording sessions together, everything is crisp and clear and maintains the same fluid sound throughout, unlike most of these albums done in the same vein which fall victim to sounding like 4 different recordings on one album. So just that alone makes this worthy of picking up if you follow the band, because the demo sounds better than ever as does their Split and three way split. And must say their two covers are AMAZING, their take on Minor Threats "Filler" is like none I’ve ever heard and almost sounds better than the original and their cover of Dramarama’s "Anything, Anything," does sound better than the original, Jay Reason really nailed that song. Shit is lovely. My sole problem with this release is the layout is lacking, it only features lyrics for the two new songs with no pictures or linear notes. If you have yet to get down with The Distance this is the perfect opportunity for you to hop on the train with and if you already own all their material, the two new songs are more than enough for the price of admission, which is a mere 9 bones. 4.3/5 - SicZine.com TOP Youth Attack "Don't Look Back" Once upon a time, there was this band that Owen Black would not quit talking about. He was hyping the hell out of these dudes. It bordered on ridiculous. He was super amped because they were real young, loved the edge and were down for the core. I ended up seeing them for the first time at WPI back in October of 2004 (This was the same show where Greg made a long winded speech about how stupid eating meat is. Good shit). Damn, the singer looked like he was 12, but he was giving 100%. Really, he was probably giving 110%. After that, HYE? proudly hosted their website. The band grew, they continued to tour and gradually, more and more kids started to get into them. Fast forward to now. Youth Attack pulled their site from HYE (as no one ever updated it. Probably my fault too). I hadn't heard much about the band, except some negative shit about edge breaking and the lot. I didn't put much stake in any of that. Then the other day, voila, I get a package from Worcester. I don't know anyone in Worcester anymore, so I was psyched. Turns out, it is the new Youth Attack cd and a shirt. Fuck yeah. They had one left over from tour and wanted to thank me (Bands, take note. This is a great way to get a good review. ;)). The CD is bold. Long gone are the days of Jeff drawing penises on his body. The youthful silliness is out, and the rocking punk is in. Short songs blast one after another with great drum fills and tight breakdowns. This band means business and business is good. It's also nice to see that Jeff puts the edge break rumors to sleep with "Never Forget." As a bonus for the CD, they even throw on a Operation Ivy cover. Sounds good. You have to like that. Check this album out if you haven't yet. You can find them over on Think Fast! Records or Youth Attack @ Myspace. - HowsYourEdge.com TOP Have Heart "What Counts" With hardcore having somewhat of a revival, it’s almost hard to even keep track of all the bands forming and breaking up day by day. It’s even harder to keep track of bands individually with so many of them sounding identical. With that said, Have Heart are a breath of fresh air. The band began playing in 2002, released a demo in 2003, and this EP, What Counts, in 2004. Now as they gear up to release their debut full-length through Bridge Nine, I’d like to call attention to a band who do traditional hardcore justice. What Counts as a whole is an absolutely relentless attack on trend-hoppers, greed, and false friends. Their messages are relayed with conviction and sincerity, as portrayed in vocalist Patrick Flynn’s gravelly voice. Although the vocals are relatively unique, Have Heart throw some interesting melodies and time changes into the mix, slightly reminiscent of Youth of Today. When it comes to the EP’s peak, the title track stands out among the rest with the lyrics “take a breath -- reawake -- call forth the dread in your way / subdue -- prevail -- triumph over every fucking day / to persevere through -- is what counts.” “Dig Somewhere Else” begins with slightly heavier vocals and more of a consistent, less melodic sound. “Reinforced,” a song originally by Outspoken, wraps up the EP. If cheesy, two-step parts aren’t your thing, fear not: Have Heart only incorporate them once into the release, during “Something More Than Ink,” a song about the band’s lasting values, which are “something more than ink -- on a page, on a shirt, on the back of my hand / something written in stone, words we wrote in stone.” If the song material sounds cliché to the genre, don’t brush them off until you’ve heard the delivery. Gang vocals make you want to give a stranger a black eye? Have Heart won’t overwhelm you. They appropriately scatter them throughout the release and don’t solely rely on them for appeal. Despite What Counts only presenting four new songs with one cover and one song from their demo, it’s a powerful EP. A bit cleaner of production would have done this EP wonders, yet even without a richer, tighter sound, What Counts shows enormous amounts of potential. I can’t wait to see what Have Heart will do with more album time and a bigger production budget. Either way, Have Heart will be sure to remind you what counts in hardcore. 4/5 - PunkNews.org TOP The guitar on this recording has the crunch of an early Victory release. The music isn’t original, but it is energetic. The vocals are natural and pretty heart felt. I would compare this to the first Outspoken seven inch because of some of the mid tempo parts they throw in and a couple bass breaks. Then there are fast more melodic parts that remind me of COS. Of coarse there are the crew vocals. I defiantly like the break downs, not chug chug break downs, the changing of tempo into awesome build ups. There are a lot of dance parts, and a lot of catchy stops and starts. Very rare a record makes me bob my head at my desk, but this one does. In this world of dime a dozen “re hash” bands, it is nice to see a band stand out. - ByStanderFanzine.com TOP