REVIEWS #1
Time for new reviews! Lots of great records out right now and more coming out soon, so there’s no dobut there’s tons of good music to keep our heardrums busy in these first days of good weather… these are some of the records that caught my attention recently, but there’s obviously tons more to come!
ALONE – KISS DREAMS GOODBYE [Refoundation Records]
www.myspace.com/weareinthisalone
www.refoundation.it
After the release of their Demo in late 2006, countless shows and tours around Europe and a split CD with their Italian fellows Values Intact (RIP) on Hurry Up! Records, here’s one of the greatest bands from this country coming out with their first 7″ ever. These guys did one hell of a job for this release, but this was obviously no surprise considering the hard work they’ve done since day one. Musically they can be considered as the perfect mix between In My Eyes, Turning Point and Dag Nasty, still keeping their horizons broad and drawing influences that range from The Get Up Kids and Sunny Day Real Estate’s melodies to Unbroken’s breakdowns. The mix of this sound with the desperate still hopeful passion that you can hear from the voice screaming their lyrics is simply outstanding. Opened with “Viva Love”, a 1 minute anthem to hope and living your dream (fully backed!) to later get into longer and more structured songs such as “The Fear of Time Pt.1/Pt.2″ dealing with changes that life brings with time, changes that can’t be stopped. Great lyrics, wise and filled with hope… “The future is still scaring me, but I’ll take control of this, one day I’ll learn to live my life. One day I’ll learn. Yes.”
BIRDS OF A FEATHER – CHAPTER 5 [Commitment Records]
www.myspace.com/xbirdsofafeatherx
www.commitmentrecords.nl
After the “Our Aim” 7″ released with the Voice of A Generation zine almost two years ago, this all-star over 30 straight edge hardcore band from Holland is back with another amazing piece of plastic to prove that their flame is still burning and their edge is still strong after all these years. Featuring ex-members of ManLiftingBanner, Mainstrike, No Denial, X-Men and Betray, as well as the editor of the amazing Value of Strength zine, these dudes deliver youth crew hardcore the way it was done back in the late 80’s, still getting a lot of influences by the 90’s revival. One thing is sure, with such an amazing hardcore heritage you can’t go wrong. “Chapter 5″ features 5 songs that are straight to the point, energetic, fast still at times melodic, reminiscent of bands such as Turning Point and Chain of Strength with a lot of Floorpunch and Sportswear influences, often drawing some melodies that may remind you of 7 Seconds too, like on “Reclaiming Freewill”. Big’s lyrics are closer to what he used to deal with in Mainstrike, focused on constant growth and looking forward to a positive and conscious future, words that undoubtly lead the listener to an insight reflection, just like his speeches on stage which are some of the best I’ve ever heard. Commitment Records took care of this release while the band is working on their full-length, which I’m really looking forward to. Get this or die tryin!
JUSTICE – LIVE AND LEARN [Powered Records]
www.myspace.com/justicehc
www.poweredrecords.com
Just like they did with “Escapades”, for this new record Justice managed to bring their sound to the next level. And just like it happened with “Escapades”, it took me some time to get into this record. Released on the 8th of March, which also marked their last show ever, this new effort is probably the best way to end this 5 years adventure during which they brought Belgian hardcore back on the map by touring the world and releasing good records. Justice was undoubtly one of the most loved and hated bands for the whole time they were around, but they never slowed down and, most importantly, they always did everything by themselves, from releasing records to booking world tours. “Live And Learn” is a record that perfectly shows their growth through the last years, and how things actualy change with time. Musically speaking, these guys increased the rockish feeling featured on their previous record, especially on song structures, but they still manage to keep things pretty hard and release some good mosh parts. The title track is the perfect exemple of this evolution, while songs such as the faster “A Quiet Pain” or the fast and paced “What Have We Become” give more importance to rock influences. It may be hard in the beginning, but once you get into this record and its mindset, you’ll understand what’s up with this last Justice incarnation and you’ll love it.
SMART COPS – SMART COPS [Sorry State Records]
www.myspace.com/smartcops
www.sorrystaterecords.com
Rising from the ashes of Italian punk-hardcore powerhouses La Piovra and Ohuzaru, Smart Cops is a brand new band from Italy who started in late 2007. It didn’t take a lot of time for them to find a good record label and release some good music as Sorry State Records took this evil deed. With a name such as theirs, there was no doubt that their music and lyrics would have been as funny, and that’s exactly what this band is all about! The 6 songs featured on this 7″ will give you a good dose of snotty and catchy punk hardcore with an amazing rock’n'roll feeling added to it. The top-notch side of this record are andoubtly the lyrics, all in Italian and focused on teasing cops in the most sarcastic way, which is fully backed. Song titles are as good and as funny. This 7″ will fit the tastes of people into bands such as Career Suicide, Government Warning and Angry Samoans. Be on the look for these guys, they have tons of shows booked plus a European tour with BanxThis! and two US tour coming soon.
STRENGTH APPROACH – ALL THE PLANS WE MADE ARE GOING TO FAIL [GSR Music]
www.myspace.com/strengthapproach
www.gsrmusic.com
The legends of Roman hardcore are back with a new full-length, so start getting siked! Since they started out back in 1996, these guys never even thought about giving up for a single second, making this band and hardcore music their life. Anno 2008 signs the release of their first record on GSR Music, entitled “All The Plans We Made Are Going To Fail”, and these guys couldn’t pick a better title for the follow-up to the “Piece By Piece” 7″ released on Defiant Heart Records. Picking up where they left off with their last record, Strength Approach is back with 15 songs for 28 minutes of passionate hardcore which is the perfect blend between the aggression and the pessimistic mindset (“It’s not pessimistic, just realistic”) so familiar with American Nightmare/Give Up The Ghost and the energy of bands such as Sick of It All and Kid Dynamite. Since the opening “Anthem For A Wasted Generation” this band busts fresh and catchy guitar riffs, backed by a solid rhythm session, some good bass lines, but most importantly, some really good, deep and harsh vocals, that give the final touch to make every single tune on this record an absolute winner. Songs such as the title-track (featuring an amazing guitar solo by Guitar Hero® Mustafà), “Far From Glory” or “Die Alone” are the proof to what I just said. This band has some really tight touring plans for 2008, so get this record right now and get ready for Strength Approach hitting your town!
TRUE COLORS – PERSPECTIVE [Powered Records]
www.myspace.com/truexcolorshc
www.poweredrecords.com
After the amazing “Focus On The Light” LP released last year on Powered Records (which has been recently made available in the US by Six Feet Under Records), this European hardcore powerhouse is back with a new 7″ which is perfect from start to end. From the great idea of the Bruce Springsteen Nebraska’s ripoff artwork going through every single song, riff and shout, this is pure hardcore perfection. Unless you’ve been living in a cave during the last 3 or more years, at the point they’ve reached, True Colors needs no introduction. Featuring ex-members of Building and Justice, this band has been touring non-stop and released good music since day one, and this record is no exception. The 5 songs featured on this EP will provide you with 10 minutes of aggressive and passionate youth crew hardcore with no frills, keeping the standard high for what bands such as Youth of Today or Floorpunch did in the past, only adding a bit more catchiness to their sound. From the catchy opening “Don’t You Get It” to the groovier parts of “Without Faith”, these guys never even think about slowing down. But believe me, what you get on this vinyl is nothing compared to their live shows, featuring one of the most energetic frontman ever seen on a stage, so just pick this record, learn the words and start moshing to one of the best European bands from the last years. Stomp!
Now playing:
- Negative Approach – Negative Approach
- Giuliano Palma & The Bluebeaters – Long Playing
- Icepick – Goldrush
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