Music Reviews of Hardcore, Crust, Post-Hardcore, Metalcore
Band Spotlight
Chiodos
Perhaps no one can explain the sheer ferocity and timid quietness it is better than when vocalist Craig Owens says “we don’t want to let the kids down” when discussing the group’s intense vocals live at shows. Well they never let a single kid down with their vicious assault on the ears and grip on the jugular...
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03.09.2007 by J-Sin
Music Reviews of Hardcore, Crust, Post-Hardcore, Metalcore
Fight Pretty — Rewiring the Human Body Buy it at Amazon
Having just seen “Transformers” I almost feel like the album’s title is meaning something robotic and unfeeling. But I was sadly mistaken when Fight Pretty’s unpretentious brand of passionate and very human sort of hardcore is unleashed. It reminds one of Converge, the Locust, and Undertow. Having toured with the band of brothers known as Ed Gein, Misery Index, and Animosity, Fight Pretty shows that their approach is not only friendly to the ears after a visit to the studio but sounds pretty intense at a live show too. Angular guitars attack the air that surrounds their singer whose prose flows from nostrils and lips that bend harmony in ways it was never meant to amid screams and yells that make Jacob Bannon look fucking sane.
- J-Sin
Robots and Empire — Omnivore Buy it at Amazon
From up north, Robots and Empire empty their wallets of their powerful rock credit cards and go into debt with their metal hybrid sound. Post-hardcore visions cast a shadow upon “Omnivore”, which seems likely to be among the tops in all lists of heavy albums this year without a shadow of a doubt. “Omnivore” is a dog fight in chugging riffs that remind one of Quicksand with its dirty bass grooves and wailing vocal harmonies. Easily the bastard step-child of Orange 9MM, Failure, Black Sabbath, and Cave In, Robots and Empire seem destined to write raw energetic post-hardcore anthems that no one has a hope of forgetting.
- J-Sin
Atlas Shrugged — Vigilante Songs Buy it at Amazon
New York hardcore band Atlas Shrugged is a look back at what used to be quite popular in the hardcore scene. It’s awesome too because I haven’t heard a band do this style of hardcore this passionately in quite a long time. Why aren’t more bands these days taking a firm look back and trying to recreate that sick sound? All nostalgia aside, Atlas Shrugged dominates with crushing breakdowns, loud and abrasive guitars, and yelled vocals. Also included with these three songs is a live set recorded at the legendary CBGB’s on Mother’s Day way back in ’97.
- J-Sin
Bulldoze — The Final Beatdown Buy it at Amazon
Who doesn’t deserve a freakin’ beatdown in this day and age of make-up wearing lunatics calling themselves hardcore on their MySpace page? Well one of the original New York beatdown kings of hardcore unleashes their complete discography on this album. “The Final Beatdown” boasts Bulldoze’s demo, 7”, and their New York compilation tracks as well as a live set from ’95 at the Wetlands. Beautifully remastered, it also contains a DVD with an hour of live footage shot at both CBGB’s and the Wetlands. The group broke up and reformed over the course of ’98 and ’03 and the band fizzled while Kevone (vocalist) spent some time in the slammer. Last year however they finally got an opportunity to tour Europe and bring their attitude and violent brand of hardcore to the European shores. Pick this one up for sure!
- J-Sin
Get Back Up — Weathering the Storm Buy it at Amazon
Fuck yes! Positive hardcore in the vein of Champion, Gorilla Biscuits, and Carry On. Coming out of the stacked Buffalo hardcore scene, Get Back Up are no stranger to intense live shows often flying out in pissed off abandon. Loud, abrasive and brutally fast hardcore anthems that feature plenty of sing-a-longs and tons of great hardcore messages. This is what it’s about—not the fucking fashion or makeup.
- J-Sin
Shit Outta Luck — Family Tradition Buy it at Amazon
Milwaukee hardcore band Shit Outta Luck is a group of six average Joes who just so happen to like to play dirty rock ‘n’ roll with tinges of punk and hardcore. “Family Tradition” is every but with lyrics boasting about drinking, women, and how the bitches just keep fucking you up and down. Having toured with the likes of Agnostic Front, Valient Thorr, and Municipal Waste, Shit Outta Luck have represented Milwaukee proper. Throaty vocals, loud clangy drums, and crunchy distorted guitar mayhem that sounds like a merger of Clutch and Blood For Blood.
- J-Sin
The Forms — The Forms Buy it at Amazon
Steve Albini, famous engineer to the stars of crusty garage rock, recorded The Forms along with some help by Greg Norman (Pelican, Built to Spill). The group’s take on post-hardcore is refreshing, with a side glance to Quicksand, and a firm nod to Slowdive and the Dischord roster of yonder. Driving rhythms and guitars land softly with subtle nuances woven in and out of this unique ethereal glean of chugging rock. I have to admit, I’m not usually a fan of Albini’s stuff but the raw effectiveness of The Forms is changing my mind quick.
- J-Sin
The Autumn Offering — Fear Will Cast No Shadow Buy it at Amazon
Fast, brutally fast guitarists that shred solos left and right without even considering to take a breather. That’s The Autumn Offering. Yes I realize that they are somewhat clichéd and that there are probably a zillion other MySpace bands doing something somewhat similar but the hell if these cats are talented as all get-out. It’s metalcore with your traditional emotional singing and screamo belching with predictable song structures, ballads, and breakdowns. But again, they are impressive at least in their delivery. And these days, that’s actually worth a whole lot.
- J-Sin
Terror — Rhythm Amongst the Chaos Buy it at Amazon
Ending this quick EP of old school hardcore is a killer cover of Breakdown’s classic “Kickback” featuring guest vocals with Vinnie Paz of Jedi Mind Tricks dueling with Vogel. Terror is perhaps the second coming of Madball, complete with those sweet distorted wailings from the guitar, thunderous breaks, and balls-to-the-wall attitudes that make the New York brand of hardcore that devastating. Most folks that listen to this EP will be psyched about it but will be on the edge of their seats waiting for their next offering. Make it son Terror dudes, make it soon.
- J-Sin
Chiodos — Bone Palace Ballet Buy it at Amazon
Moving out from under the thumb of the zillions of screamo bands that thrive in band-of-the-moment galleries on websites and Fuse and those kiddie rags that pass for music magazines these days, Chiodos has assembled one of pop-punk/screamo’s albums of the year. Dynamic songwriting is abloom throughout “Bone Palace Ballet” with lyrical twists and turns that call Edgar Allen Poe fashionable again. While there’s plenty to satisfy the mall punk, there’s a lot more to chew on throughout this compelling and dashing album of choice anthems and pop hooks. You can’t bottle up any one song either; the time signature changes are one thing, but many of the songs dazzle in the face of modern rock music by dancing into progressive changes bouncing from serene singing to balls-out screeching.
- J-Sin
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