FEAR OF EXTINCTION - "PROMO 2011" (D.I.Y. Crustcore from Prague, Czech Republic in 2011)

FEAR OF EXTINCTION - "PROMO 2011"
("D.I.Y."; CD):

Whoaa, what an inferno!!! Back then, twelve to fifteen years ago or so there was a time when I was heavily into and nearly addicted to Crustcore and D-Beat music and even today I normally don't listen to this specific genre of music that often anymore and also normally more or less first and foremost to personaly faves of mine like SKITSYSTEM, DISGUST, DISFEAR, GENOCIDE SS, AMEBIX, EXTREME NOISE TERROR (okay, maybe more Grindcore than Crustcore, I know, but in the case EXTREME NOISE TERROR the borders between these two genres are very softly flowing through), DOOM, DISCHARGE and especially the almighty WOLFPACK (now-a-days still around under the name of WOLFBRIGADE) I have to say that I'm still fascinated with and by this kind of music, its rawness and rough violence and sheer force and pure energy and so I was pretty excited when I got this CD by a friend of mine not that long ago with a good healthy dose of Crustcore on it delivered by a to me new band from Prague in the Czech Republic called FEAR OF EXTINCTION. The band used to release already a demo tape as well as a selftitled 7'' vinly single and now here's their "PROMO 2011" called new release, a four track CD released for all what I know and see via the D.I.Y. way of doing things. Okay, we get like I've already said four songs in total and this songs rage through in nearly something like six minutes or so and so you all should already now about the deal: Hatefilled and pissed off as fuck high speed Crustcore!!! A big DISCHARGE and so with it D-Beat influence is without a doubt there to be recognized and they transform it into even far more sinister and desolate, violent and noisy Crustcore and they somehow remind me of the almighty DISGUST, even FEAR OF EXTINCTION are even way more Punk and play it more basically and down to the core. A lot of noisy and very 'punky' as well as 'mad thrashing' guitars, fast pace in a heavy and mean and fast stomping stoic way done, a buzzing and angry and distorted heavy bass, fast and tight and very hard drumming, and totally pissed off vocals that just scream hate and disgust in and at the fae of the world, on top of it huge and heavy doses of blasting energy, 100% authentic rebellious gladiatorial attitude and sheer violence and force. This band isn't building fusion bombs here and they don't give a damn about any digitally reinvented warfare they rather take a rusty and dirty axe and chop their enemies in half with it infecting even the bloody splattered remains at the wall and on the ground. Here's nothing anyway invented anyhow new but who cares as long as it all is done damn good, right... And FEAR OF EXTINCTION do their job surely damn good. The four songs carry the titles "EIGHT HOUR HELL", "AN IDOL BASTARD", "NEVER" and "FERAL PACK" and deal on a solid but also usual way with your usual Crustcore/D-Beat issues (no matter what your personal standpoint to this issues and how Crustcorebands in general deal with them may are), the dirty and raw production sound fits perfect and the black and white artwork got a great look (even it reminds me somehow of the album cover of the "IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF HEROES" album of the british R.A.C. band LEGION OF ST. GEORGE, haha;-)...) and if you're into old school styled Crustcore with a very heavy D-Beat foundament this guys from Prague you have desperatly to check out, damn good stuff, period. If you don't see it anywhere just contact the band itself. (8 of 10 points)
(http://fearofextinction.blogspot.com/)

I DON'T LIKE YOU - "KEINE REUE" (German ''Rechtsrock'' on "Oi! Ain't Red Records" in 2011 ... Does really anyone needs such a crap?!? Oh come on, get some brain and then open your eyes and ears, you stupid fucks!!!)

I DON'T LIKE YOU - "KEINE REUE"
("Oi! Ain't Red Records"; CD):

What a incredible huge bunch of bullshit!!! I've read a lot about this band in several fanzines in the past and nearly everywhere they had been hyped pretty much or, if not, they had been written down and categorized as a Nazi Rock band very drastically. So, okay, these days their new and first proper full length album had been released via the german Fascist Rock Music label "Oi! AIN'T RED RECORDS" (but just because Oi! had never been an exclusive red thing or something like this it was also never a stupid Nazi faggot thing anyhow, but this the guys of the mentioned label- and maybe also the band- will never get straight and clear anyway) and so maybe the direction should have been clear right from the start. But I thought to myself that I got some money "free" and so I decided to give this band and album a try with buying it and so I bought it... and now I don't know if I should laugh, cry, puke or it all together about it... Hm, by the way, thinking about it then I come to the conclusion that this is all in all the second release of this particular label that came across my way so far, the other release earlier before was the PUNKFRONT album last year or so, and what shall I say, I think the outcome will be all the same and so maybe I gues I'm not in the target audience of this high quality label anyhow and I'm damn glad about it, so much I can tell ya already here and now. The band themselves and also the label just is promoting it all as a non politically correct Skinhead Rock & Roll band and maybe at least the band really means this serious and really thinks that they would just do and be somehing like this but that changes nothing to the better and listening to it you get aware of the worldview of this band, maybe the label and maybe a lot of their fans with paranoid lyrics against Multiculturalism (oh yes, in a monocultural society living is oh so easy and brings so much progress with it, just look at Japan and the depression in many ways it stucks in since the 1980's that should be enough to proof you wrong on many if not all levels), against the Islam (nothing wrong with singing against organized religion and its mass betrayal and the repression it brings and always brought with it in general, and especially nothing wrong with criticism on the Islam, but if your only problem is basically the fact that a lot of muslims do seem to speak in other mother languages than your own which means german shows what your real problems are, what's your true attitude is and what your consequences are), against the oh so evil Reds and the oh so evil Communism (guys, do me a favor, read Marx and Engels- even I would bet you wouldn't understand even the introduction words of "DAS KAPITAL"- before you write down and sing bullshit lyrics like yours- and as normal you don't have to agree on what they've developed-, do read what Lenin and Stalin wrote and said and that they- as well as for example also Mao and Castro- had never been Marxists in any way, do take a look at the history and see who started with mass executions of civilians and innocents, the mass raping of women and all the other crimes you think the Red Army started maybe then you will get aware of the fact that it had been the oh so innocent and righteous Germans who also used to set Europe a flames who started it all, and about the other bullshit they preach in their paranoid and total dumb anti-commie lyrics I don't need to say anything more it's just pretty funny to see how guys that live in a social microcosm out of beer, boots, shaven heads and paranoia and stupidity with an IQ under 58 feel the need to write political lyrics and always also feel the need to say everywhere that they would be a non political band, funny to see idiots at work), about patriotism and that it's a crime that Germans aren't allowed to feel proud of being by accident born in the country that's by accident known and named as Germany (and when that's all so forbidden because just of what happens from 1933 to 1945 then tell me why Patriotism from politics, to economy, to society, to the medias and the culture industry is so well and healthy feeling over here in Germany from day to day), and then they also sing about other common clichè topics like drinking beer, fighting in the streets, about (not existing true) love, about being proud of where they come from and other crappy stuff like that. Who needs this? The sad thing is that a lot of the dumb and dull wasted on a drink scenery of the world of Skinheads and Punks over here in Germany- especially the so called new breed- will surely need this bullshit and will also find a lot of only percepted meaning in it not at least because they do have nothing else in life. What a sad and what a sucking piece of crap!!! Musically it also gets not better!!! I first hoped that we would get some nice old and early SKREWDRIVER styled Streetpunk'n'Oi! mixture but beside the two total garbage SKREWDRIVER cover songs ("I DON'T LIKE YOU" isn't done really that good but at least it's not making your ears starting to bleed, but what they've done out of "STREETFIGHT" is really just a pure violation, ah, and btw they do cover it in the original and not in the later Commie-basher version at least here on the record but it wouldn't make me wonder if live on stage they use to play the other, the later version) and the poor and sad try to do something like this by their own with the opening track "KEINE REUE" (hahaha) we get nothing else than old school German ''Rechtsrock'' or Fascist Rock in the vein of old STÖRKRAFT, some KRAFTSCHLAG and some ENDSTUFE and that also all on a very low level of quality. The rhythms, the structures and arrangemens as well as very often also the pace of every single song is just the same, the songs are all in all far too long because I DON'T LIKE YOU really lack the ability to write interesting and grapping songs that catch your attention for more than just a minute or so, also the musician skills aren't that good after all with the pace and the rhythm of the songs breaking in and varying unaimed and the band just getting out of tone all the time partially in nearly every song, the heavy rockin' guitar riffing and especially the leads and solos, as well as the trying to pound heavy rhythm section also do show some Hardrock and Heavy Metal influences that had also been always pretty typical for German ''Rechtsrock'' like STÖRKRAFT and such stuff but I DON'T LIKE YOU also lack the abilities to just do it all tight and precise, and the total blatant oh so gruff and grim wasted on a drink vocals are really the crown of it all. Terrible!!! This band and album showcasing on so many different levels and in so many different ways what's wrong with German Skinhead (and also Punk) music today, from the lyrics and the music to the label and to the support that is given ''everywhere'' to them (just because they sing against Communism, haha, even it's all pretty sad it's still pretty funny to see all this jackasses going nuts on it, haha, as if this- which means Communism- would have ever been a threat over here in Germany with its forceful anti-communist tradtions) that it's really to sad to laugh about it even it's so bad that you simply only can laugh about it if you want to handle this crap here in any only possible serious way after all. Even if I also in this case do follow my normal working line with still dealing with it as a review on music and not a debate on politics (even in cases of openly political bands in the music reviews also always a debate on politics comes in) this here was, is and stays total bullshit and utter garbage, period. Ah, just for the record, the production sound is a pretty good one and in the artwork there had been some good doses of work invested. Ah, and also just for the record, this album has nothinto do with Oi! or Streetpunk music, just to get this clear finally. And now: This CD will take a ride into the chum bucket for hazardous waste and that's it for now, maybe in every way-musically and lyrically- the worst record of the year. (0 of 10 points)
(http://www.myspace.com/idontlikeyouoi)

JENNY WOO - "ACOUSTIC Oi!" (The D.I.Y. Demo released back then in 2009 with that she kicked it all off!!!)

JENNY WOO - "ACOUSTIC Oi!"
("D.I.Y."; Demo):

JENNY WOO should today be already pretty well known with her quite unique style of music and all her activities, she is for all what I know booking concerts and organizing gigs, writing and releasing the "SUBCULTURE SPIRIT" fanzine and today are already their I think "ALBERTA ROSE" titled proper full length debut album out as well as brandnew a very interesting split with the almighty DISCHARGER from the Netherlands, so you see, the beautiful, talented and skilled Skingirl woman from Canada (the ''Alberta Rose'' to name her correctly) is quite busy these days and that's all good and fine with me. I thought to myself why not promoting her first output ever here at this place to give you all a good starting point with her work and also to give ya all something to get over the distance until I finally had bought their other two mentioned follow up album respectively split releases. I received this demo some time last year (don't ask me why the review is just coming today online... a lazy bastard up here I became, I'm sorry and I know it already) by a friend of mine (thanks a lot man) and I was pretty amazed and convinced right from the start. JENNY WOO is playing all just with her guitar (and eventually an additional lead and/or solo guitar) and her incredible great clean as well as damn forceful lead singing voice. It's packed up full of power, emotion, attitude, passion and pride, without any clichès and done damn skillful and clever arranged, with grapping songwriting and very clever changes of the mood, the atmosphere as well as the pace, the structure and the from song to song very floating and nicely varying rhythm(s), thumbs up. The title and self-chosen genre description of "ACOUSTIC Oi!" really fits perfectly. The foundament is really something you might could call Oi! music that's played unplugged and acoustic, it's all enriched with some good healthy doses of Folk and also some Country music, as well as some good marks of good old Blues and intense Soul are worked into it. If you want to know what I mean just listen to the phenomenal "OUR Oi! MUSIC SONG" with it's brilliant Soul-ful and Blues-induced lead guitar or the brilliant "ALBERTA ROSE" with it's great Country lead, it's just really stand-alone stuff, no old farts "Oi" band trying to play Irish Folk or Country music, nah, this is truly what it's meant to be: "ACOUSTIC Oi!" and it's working out perfectly. And especially her larger than life lead singing voice you really just have to love. So, yes, I would say that everybody who's searching for some great and really outstanding pure emotional and passionate music with charming and authentic attitude really and truly will love this and so needs to have it anyhow, period. So all you damn fucks out there: Just get it!!! Ah, and very good lyrics, a nice artwork nd a very earthy and soulful production sound we do get on top of it, the complete package you might can say. (9 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/jennywoooiproject)

(http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jenny-Woo-Oi-Project/147553191977469)

TRUTH - "DEMO '11" (True D.I.Y. Straight Edge Hardcore from Dallas, Texas, U.S.A. setting the standard new in 2011)

TRUTH - "DEMO '11"
("D.I.Y."; MP3-Download):

First comes first, so here we go: I have first of all sadly to admit that I have not a single clou if this D.I.Y. demo of this year was ever released on a physical format or just via a MP3-Download and I just found it via an MP3-Download in form of a link floating through the internet together with a very little and short review of it and both I've found on the damn cool "THE PRICE OF SILENCE" blog (http://thepriceofsilence.blogspot.com/) and what I finally listened to just totally took me by storm and convinced me heavily like not much else and so I decided to do a review of this demo anyhow without knowing more about the background informations of it and so I'll do this review here and now anyway and anyhow and so I'll also post the download link of the above mentioned blog at the end of this review and so if the band as well as/or the guy who runs the above mentioned great blog abd with that had created this very download link read/s this and want/s that the link is removed just drop me a line via a message or via a little comment and then I will take care of it as soon as possible. So, yehp, after this ''setting-the-record-straight'' words for the introduction now here we go and what now follows is the review of this demo album, yehp, so here we go: TRUTH are a new (and to me a totally new) band from Dallas, Texas (/U.S.A.) that is strongly dediacted to Straight Edge Hardcore and like they say it True Straight Edge Hardcore. Thinking about it I think that TRUTH is the first Straight Edge Hardcore band from Dallas, Texas (/U.S.A.) that I've ever listened to in all those many years from the starting point in the early years of the 1990's on. I love what TRUTH are doing here: Old School flavored Youth Crew styled Straight Edge Hardcore in the tradition of such legendary and phenomenal bands like CHAIN OF STRENGTH and YOUTH OF TODAY and so on and here and there some WARZONE as well as also some SLAPSHOT marks to it and they do it all very fresh and young and alive and new without any retro bullshit crap to it and with an incredible strong and authentic gladiatorial attitude and an unbroken spirit to back it all up. This is really not just True Straight Edge Hardcore but also Real Straight Edge Hardcore and it's done awesome, period. We get guitar riffing that is sharp as a knife and heavy and hard like a crowbar that is precisely swinged directly into your fucking face, it's well-versed and multi-layered done so that there is more happening as you might think when you listen the first time to it and it's totally free of any Metal stuff to it and that's even far more great and also you won't find any Gangsta Core or Tough Guy Core spirit to it. The pace of the guitar dominated songs is mostly a pretty fast one but the riffs do vary and change quite a bit as well as the songwriting is very damn good stuff with great Mosh parts and Stop & Go passags to it and to groove they do know anyhow and also very floating changes of pace, rhythm and structure in it and that's really impressive and great, period. Then we get vey cool and charismatic into the mic spitted pretty clean Hardcore shouting vocals that really mark the songs in an all good way heavily and strongly. The rhythm section then is a pure and precise as fuck working jackhammer set into music that tears down every damn fucking wall and supports the unbroken fist into the air attitude of the songs as well as this is also done by the cool crew back up chants. Good and tight and precise working musicians are here at work that also know how to write incredible grapping and energetic and forceful songs and each and every single song turns out to be a fucking hymn, a damn great anthem. And so we do get one great stomping intro track and six songs at all which means six anthems at all and that's really a statement. The songs carry the titles of "SPEAK THE TRUTH" which is the intro track, "MYSELF", "THE RIGHT MIND", "MOVING ON", "HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE", "MEANING" and "NAILED TO THE X" and every song is an awesome piece of music but if I should have to pick up and name you my personal favorite I think it would be pretty much the totally larger than life song "MOVING ON". We also get great lyrics that spread quite a wide distance from personal issues to battle-scarred Straight Edge fighting anthems, a great raw yet heavy and somehow really pretty clean production sound that totally rules and a phenomenal cool badass cover artwork that is nothing else than pure and total ''badassery'' set into art and it's just a phenomenal great done job. Fact and matter is that you really need to have this awesome amazing demo and hopefully more of TRUTH will be coming anyhow soon and maybe finally a good label is backing their work up with a good fair and proper record deal and the support that comes with this. This is brilliant shit, awesome stuff, so just get it anyhow anyway as soon as somehow possible!!! (10 of 10 points)

(Contact: http://www.facebook.com/truthtx)

(Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?t6fei1vs9tpv2h9)

(Update I: Okay, I just figured out thanks to the almighty Google gods that this demo was released as a official MP3-Download of which the link to their bandcamp page I will give you at the end of this words and also as a professional demo tape via "BIG CARTEL" and also this link I will give you at the end of this words. Also I figured out by surfing through their bandcamp site that there's already a new release by TRUTH out also via a free download there and as you all may already thought I got the download and as soon as I listened intense to it and worked myself into it you'll also find the review of this release up here. - Update II: We just have to be satisfied with one new TRUTH song of the title "JUST UNDERSTAND" that seems to be a part of up and coming or currently released Hardcore Compilation of the name of "BUMMER SUMMER MMXI" released by a group called "HARDCORE COLLECTIVE" and what shall I say, the song is a monster a brilliant piece of Hardcore and you should get it anhow and maybe I will post the song some day via a video clip or so and I will see from where the hell I can maybe get this compilation over here and also the coverartwork of this compilaion is again a great done "badassery" job. So you now know it all about it. - And that's all for now, so just let me close these lines with pointing out that the Dallas Youth Crew and TRUTH damn fucking rule supreme, period!!! Phenomenal stuff!!!)

(Bandcamp: http://xtruthx.bandcamp.com/)

(Big Cartel: http://www.xtruthx.bigcartel.com/)

REASON TO FIGHT - "BLOOD & GLORY" (American Oi! Core from Rhode Island, released back in the days of 2009)

REASON TO FIGHT - "BLOOD AND GLORY"
("Lude Boy Records"; CD):

Okay, this is a review of a record that's now-a-days already a little bit older, primarly released back then in 2009 via "LUDE BOY RECORDS". But I don't care about it, just got it the last weeks and so now it comes as a review up here. REASON TO FIGHT hailing from Rhode Island and give us some grumpy, bull necked and cudgeling mixture out of harsh and heavy American Oi! and pissed off and gladiatorial Hardcore (the NY as well as the Boston way) and if ya like acts like RAZORS IN THE NIGHT, ALLEGED BRICKS and THE 86'ED (enrichd with heavy doses of mentioned Hardcore music, hm, maybe think about WARZONE on the one side and SLAPSHOT on the other side) then REASON TO FIGHT will be exactly something that will serve your needs. So yes, REASON TO FIGHT are playing some damn good Oi! Core or Skinhead Hardcore or Working Class Hardcore in a pretty fresh way. All is dominated by a very dry and also heavy guitar playing that creates massive amounts of power and force, pushes with a lot of pressure forwards, but it also offers everytime huge abilities to create melodic and catchy parts as well as very cool lead passages, thumbs up for that. Then we have a very heavy stomping and very well preset bass, pounding drumming and some very powerful lead vocals (even I have to say that I would love to hear them carry some more emotional expression with them, so they would refuse to become from time to time just blatant shouts), powerful full throttle crew back up chants, cool chorus lines and nice Sing-A-Long moments, good changing of the pace and the structure work of the songs, yehp, good songwriting, good musicians at work, it's all there. Give the lead singer some more emotional expression the next time 'round and the whole band and its songwriting here and there a little bit more suprising stuff and let u forget about the two total crap songs "ABUSED & OPPRESSED" and "SIDE BY SIDE" that are to be found as the opening duo of this album here, yes, and then the rating will be even far better the next time around. We also get good lyrics, a dirty yet hard production sound and some pretty cool but total clichè artwork. I think you should listen to this one, check it out, get it, what-ever, I love especially the fact that they show the stiff middlefinger to the todays so called Hardcore scene with playing no metallic Tough Gangsta Guy Beatdown Metal-"Hardcore" stuff but also showing the stiff middlefinger of the other hand to all the so called or self proclaimed "Oi!" Hard-Knocks out there with playing their songs more dynamic and more guitar dominated as well as often faster and the pace often more varying then your bullshit mid paced dull sing a long friendly wasted on a drink so called "Oi!" of today only knows to do. If you are a fan of REAL Hardcore as well as REAL Oi! music (and by the way to me both kinds of music have always been linked and chained very strong together) then you should really check REASON TO FIGHT out as soon as possible if you don't know them already by now. And if you like the above mentioned bands check REASON TO FIGHT very soon out anyhow. Best songs on this one here (if you ask me) are without a doubt "BATTLE BRIGADE", "RIOT", "EMBRACE", "BLOOD AND GLORY", "A COMMON THREAT", "CAN'T GET ALONG WITH ANYONE" (great bass line) and "POTTER'S FIELD". REASON TO FIGHT also released a split with the mighty THE 86'ED before this full length album and also another split release after this one here. Hopefully more of them will be coming soon. Anyhow, check it out, get it, period. Damn good stuff!!! (8 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/reasontofight)

SHEER TERROR - "SPITE" (Legendary NYHC on "Reaper Records" in 2011)

SHEER TERROR - "SPITE"
("Reaper Records"; 7''):

Yes, they are back, the immortal and almighty SHEER TERROR, the Hardcore legend from the NYC. I can't really remember when the last full new proper release of them came out (was it really the larger-than-life "LOVESONGS FOR THE UNLOVED" album far back then?!?) but now here finally is their newest and truly brandnew release so far, their via "REAPER RECORDS" released "SPITE" titled new 7'' masterpiece. Three songs we get, on side A "HERSEY ON THE MONKERY BARS" and on side B "BLUE SHADOWS WILL FALL" and the JOHNNY THUNDERS (?) cover of "SALOME". "HERSEY ON THE MONKERY BARS" is a angry, bitter, brutal, aggressive and noisy forward hammering stoic monolith of pure hate and disgust set into music, into sheer power, force and attitude, to name it precise into: SHEER TERROR!!! Atomizing up tempo slam dance mosh pit force with sheer fist in the air (or in your neighbors face) attitude to start and to end it, in between this pure inferno a totally mid to down paced downbreaking point is placed with just phenomenal force and effictivness, it's awesome. "BLUE SHADOWS WILL FALL" then kicks in with a massive groove before the Hardcore massacre in that specific SHEER TERROR style is unleashed again, and yes, they still know how to create tension, pressure, atmosphere and how to write almighty mosh as well as refrain parts, again: it's awesome. Then comes "SALOME", the above mentioned cover tune, and even it's a pretty strong contrast because it sounds far more like a JOE COFFEE track than a SHEER TERROR song it's just a phenomenal track (like JOE COFFEE are like also SHEER TERROR just a brilliant and totally stand-alone band), catchy, melodic, hymnal-anthemic as fuck, marked by a very emotional guitar playing and the outstanding clean vocals by Paul Bearer. And, to sum it all up as we head straight towards the end of this review, it's all here what you want and need and wish to get from SHEER TERROR: heavy and hard, dustdry and pure brutal, very well-versed and also pretty multi-layered guitar work, a damn massive and bulky and heavy rhythm section at work played perfectly down to the point and always directly just in time delivered, full and mighty crew back ups, and the incredible charismatic and larger than life brutal lead vocals that we all love so much. And also their ability to write strong and strongest damn grapping songs is still here. Also lyrically it's SHEER TERROR pure and also nothing less than SHEER TERROR in best shape, thumbs up!!! The artwork is a great one, the vinyl comes in (at least) two colors (green and black) and the forceful production sound makes this bomb all even more round and dangerous effective in the end. Don't think twice, just get this awesome masterpiece and better get it now!!! Still UGLY & PROUD!!! (10 of 10 points)

(Fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sheer-Terror/106067119424019)
(Bandpage: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sheer-Terror/106067119424019)

OPEN VIOLENCE - "SKINHEAD RULES" (German Skinhead Rock by former KAMPFZONE on "Aggressive Zone Produktionen" in 2011)

OPEN VIOLENCE - "SKINHEAD RULES"
("Aggressive Zone Produktionen"; CD):

Now comes something pretty controversial again: OPEN VIOLENCE are a german Skinhead band that plays pretty Old School styled German Skinhead Rock eventually Oi! (but I wouldn't call it this by myself somehow) and that is a follow up band of the controversial and now a days defunct german Oi! (?) Punk/Rock band of the name of KAMPFZONE. Even I'm from Germany and still live here German Skinhead music in general was never anyhow high on my personal fave list and so I missed out on the most of KAMPFZONE and thinking about it I come to the conclusion that I only know a handful of songs of this band... and as you may can think that's all good and fine with me, to say it that way. The former singer of KAMPFZONE turncoated finally into Fascism and Nationalism (even "all" out there call it just "Patriotism" and "Anti-Communism") and is fronting today the far right german R.A.C. band STRONGSIDE and the german NSHC band FIGHT TONIGHT (btw, musically two totally crap bands, not talking about the lyrical abysmal dephts they use to showcase to their listeners), playing live on stage on happenngs of the german extreme right wing political party of the NPD and other bullshit like this. Okay, anyhow, it's more or less freedom of speech, so to me it's all okay somehow, but don't label bands like STRONGSIDE and FIGHT TONIGHT anyhow else than what they are: Fascist Rock!!! Period!!! (Btw, I think the total dull and bullshit german "Punk" band of the name of HEIMATFRONT is also a new or follow up band or project of the former KAMPFZONE singer, even I don't know about it that eactly. But it's also not so important, because musiaclly- as well as lyrically- HEIMATFRONT do suck anyhow.) That KAMPFZONE done crap like this, hm, I don't know of anything like this. I've read in one of the first interviews with OPEN VIOLENCE (when they came up back then, when STRONGSIDE and FIGHT TONIGHT were already around) that they underlined it heavily that KAMPFZONE had never been a anyhow political band. I don't know it and I never cared for KAMPFZONE and so I won't start with it here and now. But also I just remember that I once read in a GUMBLES interview in an old issue of the "SPIRIT OF THE STREETS" fanzine that they used to play with KAMPFZONE years ago and that KAMPFZONE should did a lot of SKREWDRIVER and LANDSER cover songs back then and that the arm reactions of and in the crowd should have been pretty stiff and saluting. However, it's all just bullshit anyhow to me, I won't judge anyone and leave it in any case up to you what to do with OPEN VIOLENCE because some somehow fascist stuff I can't find here anyway. So okay, enough of the introducing small talk, here's the review of this album: OPEN VIOLENCE's first proper release (after they've released in 2008 or 2009 a D.I.Y. demo CD) comes via the (to me totally unknown) german record label of the name of "AGGRESSIVE ZONE PRODUKTIONEN" and contains all in all four songs ("ARMES DEUTSCHLAND", "LETZTER AUFSTAND", "SKINHEAD RULES" and "KAMPF OHNE ENDE") and OPEN VIOLENCE consist out of the singer of the german Skinhead Rock or Oi! band LAST RIOT and the rest of the KAMPFZONE members, so maybe you could say that OPEN VIOLENCE are (former) KAMPFZONE plus (the singer of) LAST RIOT, but after I've heard that the singer of LAST RIOT once was the original singer of KAMPFZONE you may can also say that OPEN VIOLENCE are the once original KAMPFZONE back on track again. Anyhow, name it as you want. Musically we get what we all now already may expect: Very much Old School German Skinhead Rock driven by stomping and rocking, hard and sharp driven guitar playing, very gruff and grim vocals, a powerful pulsating bass and heavy forward storming drumming, nice back up chants and mostly pretty fast pace of the songs and very straight forward pushing structures and rhythm work of the songs. On top of it some gladiatorial, critical (no matter if you may agree on everything that OPEN VIOLENCE do say or if you not agree on it) and also pretty violent lyrics that somehow draw a picture of a world in the state of the survival of the fittest. The production sound is pretty dirty, rough and raw yet backed up by some good healthy doses of sheer force so that it works out really good at the end, and the artwork is pretty much clichè but fits the music and especially the lyrics perfectly. The guys in the band know how to play, no doubt about it and especially the guitar playing is really damn good, and they also know how to write good songs. So it's all good and fine with it but it is, it never was and it will never be "my" cup of tea musically at the end of the day even OPEN VIOLENCE are anything but bad and if you're a fan of German Skinhead Rock or maybe German Oi! (?) music then, if you ask me, you should check them out desperatly and they will leave you with the strong wish for a full length of them being finally released some day soon. Solid to good stuff to me anyhow. Check it out! (7 of 10 points)

(http://www.aggressive-zone.de/2.html)

WITHDRAWAL - "FAITH, FLESH AND BLOOD" (Holy Terror Hardcore on ''A389 Records" in 2011)

WITHDRAWAL - "FAITH, FLESH & BLOOD"
("A389 Records"; EP + Download):

This is a record I was really pretty curious about to finally listen to and now I have it and I'm glad that I finally have it and for all what I would say WITHDRAWAL have found with "A389 RECORDS" a pretty good home ground for releasing their stuff in a proper way, I mean the home ground label of acts like the almighty PULLING TEETH and other very promising bands of the immortal Holy Terror Hardcore style and sound and so WITHDRAWAL perfectly fit into this kind of specific roster with their raging and mercyless, metallic and brutal stomping INTEGRITGY influenced Holy Terror Hardcore. Take doses of acts like INTEGRITY, FEAR TOMORROW and IN COLD BLOOD, mix it with some portions of SLAYER, some few (especially about the atmosphere) Black Metal influences, also some pretty few Doom down paced marks, as well as some influences of blackened old school Metal stuff like VENOM as well as eventually also POSSESSED (especially the first song "SHAPESHIFTER" brings first and foremost VENOM but also somehow POSSESSED to my mind), mix it all up and down, through and through and then you pretty much have what WITHDRAWAL do offer us. Brutal and insane shouted throaty and aggressive lead vocals, sharp and harsh as well as damn well-versed guitar work and bulldozer like and totally down to the point played rhythm work, cool and good changes of the pace as well as the rhythm structure of the songs, fast raging bolts go hand in hand with devastating mid to down paced bulldozer groove monsters, and a lot of incredible tight and intense atmosphere, yes, that are the (at least the major) ingredients out of which WITHDRAWAL create their music and art, damn good and skilled musicians here at work that also know how to write grapping songs.  The artwork, the band name, the record title and the titles of the four songs ("SHAPESHIFTER", "BLOOD LAW", "KINGDOM COME" and "ROTTEN HELL" - Note: The fourth song is only part of the download release, just that you know it.) maybe already show ya the direction of the interesting and multi-layered lyrics of WITHDRAWAL, the artwork is a great done job and the heavy as well as dirty production sound is just pure gold here in this case. If I shall name you my personal total favorite song on this one it's the brilliant slasher "KINGDOM COME" with its great and über-hard groove and its crushing guitar playing. So, all in all even it's nothing anyhow groundbreaking it's some really damn good stuff that you should at least risk one or two ears on, and yes, with Holy Terror Hardcore you normally can't do anything wrong anyhow. Checkt it out!!! (8 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/withdrawal13)

WASTE HUMAN - "HUMANITY WASTE" (Underground Hardcore from out of the dephts of Wales in 2011)

WASTE HUMAN - "HUMANITY WASTE"
("D.I.Y."; MP3-Download):

A new and to me totally unknown band from out of Wales. I stumbled over them via reading today through the (al)mighty "THANKS, IT CAME AS A SET" blog (http://thanksitcameasaset.blogspot.com/)  and for all what I understood there are no physical copies floating around and instead of this then this demo is just available via a MP3 Downlod done by the band itself (http://www.mediafire.com/?loadcm9vsgbjdye) and if you like what you read here get it there. So, okay, I'm in no way familiar with the Hardcore scene of Wales, really, I have no idea about it like I realized when reading through the entry on the above already mentioned blog. Anyway, so WASTE HUMAN are really something totally fresh and/or new to me in every sense of it. We get five songs (including one mean and angry stomping intro track) of hard groovin' short and intense NYHC inspired a little bit metallic Old School Hardcore that varies the pace from fast raging bolt bullets to mid paced heavy stomping slashers. Chugging heavy stop and go groovy guitar work, noisy angry pissed off throaty screamed aggressive vocals, bulldozer rhythm section work, some nice crew back ups, intense mosh parts, and nice arrangements of the songs, yehp, it's all good and fine but it's way too short, the songs come in usually in under one full minute and it mostly feels like: "Hey, good start and now it gets really damn good and it takes off and... oh, fuck, what's now, how the hell can it all be again already over?!? Fuck it!!!" So, yes, five to six minutes for five songs, that's just not enough for me, especially not because it sounds already petty good what we get here by WASTE HUMAN. Hopefully they will be back for more pretty soon, and then if not with longer running songs then at least with a bunch of more songs of the same quality as the songs featured up here. Okay, that's all waht there isto say about this demo of WASTE HUMAN here, but anyway fans of NYHC influenced Old School Hardcore should check them out anyhow asap, and all others: Hey, the download is official and for free so why are you thinking about it any longer, right?!? (Ah, you need to have the real Player installed and ready to listen to this demo on your computer.) Solid to good starting point, we will see what will be coming up next by WASTE HUMAN. Ah, btw, for anyone more familiar with Wales Hardcore than me it's maybe interesting that WASTE HUMAN are some sort of a ''follow up band'' of the now a days defunct WARDOGS, just that you know about it and that you can't say that I haven't told ya so. Ah, and btw, a artwork isn't really an existing part of the download as well as you'll find no lyrics as a part of it (what's quite a pity), but the production sound is a pretty well done affair. And now that's truly finally all about this one. (7 of 10 points)

(Bandhomepage: http://www.wastehuman.co.uk/)

THORNZ - "THORNZ / DEMO 2011" (Rockin' Hardcore from San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A.)

THORNZ - "THORNZ / DEMO 2011"
("D.I.Y." + "Born Ill Records"; MP3-Download & Tape):

Woah, that's a bomb cumin' from San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A. at us and hits right ''crushingly'' direct in your damn face. A pretty new (?) band with the first (?) demo of them being released these days. Done by the band and released via the independent underground label of "BORN ILL RECORDS" (http://thornz.bigcartel.com/product/thornz-2011-demo) on tape (to be ordered for just three dollars) and also being put online as a free and official MP3-Download (http://www.mediafire.com/?obyyf398s54e3q2) by the band itself (and that's the reason why I- already- gave ya the link). I discovered THORNZ via the fingerpointing into their diection by some mates of me (thanks a lot dudes) and today you can also find them already being featured on great sites like for example the amazing "THANKS, IT CAME AS A SET" blog (http://thanksitcameasaset.blogspot.com/ and- maybe far more more precise to find for you and you and you- via http://thanksitcameasaset.blogspot.com/2011/10/thornz-demo-2011.html), so hopefully they will start it all off pretty strong with this hit. And THORZ are also another D.I.Y. Underground Demo band that I've just discovered recently this year that shows that a big amount of great young new promising bands is still around doing their (great) work- for 2011 especially in the whole wide world of Hardcore music(k)- and that's always a good (if not even a far better than just good) thing. So, okay, enough of the small talk, what's now to say more about this demo? Okay, yehp, yehp, here we go: You like your Hardcore with a rockin' edge and some really anthemic lead vocals, larger than life and sing a long friendly refrain parts, full of melody and atmosphere without loosing heavyness and harshness out of focus(s), and with a very clever arranged songwriting and far away from anything that's today in any possible way maybe to be named ordinary Hardcore music(k)?!? Right up folks, here's what you like or even love and what you're searching for, no one else than THORNZ from San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A., period!!! We get three tracks of in no way retro but in every way fresh and ''alive'' 1990's styled straight rockin' and damn anthemic-hymnal and totally clichè free Hardcore like it was born and bred by the almighty LIFE OF AGONY, marked by an intense atmosphere and cultivated with some nice TYPE 0 NEGATIVE doses when it's about (for example) the arrangements of the lead singing lines and the way a great and intense atmosphere is created by THORNZ and also cultivated by some Alternative Rock music marks like the STONE TEMPLE PILOTS when it's about the guitar riffing. And also some early to mid (or so) 1990's East Cost Thrash Metal (like ANTHRAX) is coming somehow in some moments of this demo to my mind. It's all done dominated by the strong and truly incredible great rockin' and damn clever and multi-layered arranged guitar work, almighty powerul and just great clean lead vocals, a very well-versed and totally tight to the point played rhythm section, here and there some cool and full throttle crew back up chants, awesome and damn grapping and interesting songwriting, a very intense atmosphere, and all done by highly skilled musicians, short and precise: You can't wrong with this three track demo ("PUSHED TO DEATH", "MISERY" and "LOVE LUST") by this awesome young band and I really demand much more of these THORNZ, point and fact. A great artwork, a very good production sound and also fucking good lyrics we get also on top of it all, and to be honest somehow at least from time to time Tapes still do rock. A very interesting and suprisingly fresh and totally non-typical Hardcore band of today that you need to check out promptly and get this demo anyway as soon as possible. I love this shit!!! It's awesome!!! (10 of 10 points)
(Contact: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thornz/243303642359878?sk=info)

FIGHTING 84 - "NEVER GIVE IN" (SoCal LA American Oi! against Communism is back on the attack in 2011, the almighty FIGHTING 84 are back!!!)

FIGHTING 84 - "NEVER GIVE IN"
("D.I.Y."; CD/-R respectively MP3-Download):

Fuck, I became a lazy bastard up here over the last past months due to several aspects of life that really are one of the two things that now follow: 1.) To me there are far more impotant things in life than doing a blog (or a zine or what-so-ever) dealing with music (even ''my'' music is still something of a giant importance for me) and stuff like this; or: 2.) They are just a ''necessary evil'' that needs to be done anyhow and that costs a lot of time; and okay, also: I really lack the motivation to sit in my free time infront of my computer (and over the summer this lack of motivation was even more bigger), sorry, any aspects of any sort of a ''computer nerd life'' are really something incredible distgusting to me and when I have the choose to- for example- go out and- maybe- do some sports or go to the theatre (yes, go to the theatre, don't care if this is now pretty promoting for any kind of street credibility or not) or what the hell else ever than I do stuff like this instead of sit here and wright some stuff down. I prefer the real life, don't care that much about the virtual life. Deal with it. But sometimes I also come to think that being a little bit more active again wouldn't be the worst thing, for example I could check out the comment section of this blog (as well as my ''main e-mail account'', and not too talk about my Facebook site and- especially- my MySpace profile, too) far more regular and far more focussed, because then I wouldn't have missed out on a comment that FIGHTING 84 (All hail mates!!! Oi! Oi! Oi!) dropped me quite a while ago about their new demo being released recently. Sorry folks, totally overlooked it so far, sorry guys!!! So, now I have their demo (as a MP3-Download) thanks to the work of Bernando of the almighty "THE U.S. OF Oi! OF SWEDEN" blog and I have not a single clou about any circumstances of the ''making of'' of this demo or something like this and I also have not a clou if there's a proper artwork of it and if there are (or were) any physical copies floating around or if it just had been released via an MP3-Download opportunity by the band itself. So, okay, that said what is there now to say about the new (or current) demo of FIGHTING 84? (A band that I liked very much right from the beginning- more or less regular readers of this very blog right from the start of it should know about it very well- and also a band that had been presented up here in the past for quite a few times already.) I can tell you, there's a lot to tell about it!!! So here we go!!! My first thought was: "Oh, wherethe hell is the pace and also the rawness/roughness gone?" And I wasn't sure what to think of and about it. I decided to give it some more tries and after just one more try I was all about: "This is GREAT!!!" (At least this!!!) And after the only minus point is that it's far too short with just containing three songs here we go through it song by song: 1.) First song 's called "NEVER GIVE IN", the titletrack, and it showcases already pretty damn good what and how much had changed or better developed in the FIGHTING 84 camp since their first ever release at the end of 2010 back then. The pace is slowed down and the beat is more "relaxed", a great Country Music like and Rock & Roll infuenced melodic lead guitar plays a consequent lead melody through out all the song, giving it a strong rockin' feelin' to it, it's pretty ''loosin' up'' compared to the grumpy harshness and brutal battle scarred stomping of their old mateial. The songwriting is pretty cool, with clever arranged verses and great sing a long styled refrain parts, and also the ''coming together'' of  the great melodic and symphonic lead guitar and the bitter and angry spitted throaty and guttural brutal vocals is a perfect match in the end. The very present and pretty tight rhythm section then is giving "NEVER GIVE IN" a massive and beefy backbone so that the level of force and power is a massive and damn high one. Lyrically it's a huge Fuck off to a lot of crap that FIGHTING 84 are damn sick of, for all what I understand and would say. Hm, somehow it breathes also a pretty nice TEMPLARS spirit. Great job done by FIGHTING 84 so far; 2.) Then follows up "THE TIDE WILL TURN", a pretty fast (yes, the pace is back), a harsh and angry, a brutal slasher dominated by fast and sharp guitar playing, gruff and grim vocals, a energetic and angry hectic pulsating bass and forceful and with a lot of pressure onward storming drumming, comparable to their early ''hack and slay'' material like (for example) "RED DAWN" and on "ON PARADE", and this track is at least exactly that great like the mentioned two ones. Lyrically it's a pissed off track against political correctness and the (really realistic or just percepted?) so called ''communist'' threat, also like their mentioned early songs; 3.) The next and (on this one) final song is called "VENGEANCE TONIGHT" and it's a very british sounding track with a huge old SKREWDRIVER influence in or to it, the catchy and melodic opening riff really sounds like some sort of a tribute to "BACK WITH A BANG" or "BOOTS & BRACES" by the old (but not that early if you know what I want to say with that) SKREWDRIVER, and also the pace and the rhythm structure really come close, as well as the tight to point played precise and pretty marking rhythm section, and if it wouldn't be for the far more brutal and guttural vocals you could think of some sort of an old and early demo song found again these days... but then comes the awesome refrain part, with a amazing guitar lead that really somehow owns a Wave vibe and it causes a hypnotic Trance like rection by the listener and it really turns a good song into a great track that knows no mercy and takes no prisoners. Good and grapping arranged verses, an almighty refrain, clever song architecture, yehp, it's all there, it's an interesting and grapping, a damn good, nah, a great song. What also sticks out pretty much is the fact that the pace is very slowed down, especially due to the drumming, and this is really a great mark of the song, also like the far more clean vocals on or of this one (even they are still, like above written, very brutal and throaty as well as guttural, and this is also a good thing, period). Lyrically it's about violence and retaliation, personal violence or gang warfare, I don't know it that precise. So, yes, here comes the complete package (as complete as a three track disc can be), three great and awesome songs. And it's phenomenal to see how far FIGHTING 84 have developed, especially the guitar work really stands out in the first row of the front, on the frontline you can say. On top of it we do also get good lyrics (no matter if you personally agree on everything said by them or not), and also a petty good production sound, even I would love to hear them being backed up by a more massive production sound and I really ask myself why the hell there's no good label around to give them a proper deal and so the more than ''just'' justified support. (I even ask myself far more when I look at all the crap and utter garbage that so many Oi! and Streetpunk and Punkrock labels used to release so far in this very year of 2011, especially over here in Europe and even more especially over here in Germany. Are they all sitting on their ears? Are they deaf? Or are they just a pack of dumb idiots? Or a mix out of all three opportunities?) Like already mentioned can I say nothing about the artwork, because I became a lazy bastard or so. I don't know if there are still physical copies floating around but you should get in contact with the band and ask for it. I'm looking forward for more to come, and yes: FIGHTING 84 rule!!! All hail!!! (10 of 10 points)
(Contact: http://www.myspace.com/fighting84)

Seems like this is- the damn great and very cool- original artwork of this demo.

AMPUTORY - "PROMO 2010" (Old School Death Metal from Finland)

AMPUTORY - "PROMO 2010"
("D.I.Y."; CD):

This is a CD respectively a CD-R that's now already waiting to be reviewed up here by me for several long, long months, okay, anyhow, here it now finally comes. AMPUTORY come from Finland and they play a very Old School type of European and (to be far more precise) Swedish Death Metal. Typical trademarks, especially when it's about the guitar work (riffs, leads, solos, melodies), like they had been 'invented' or created by almighty hordes of swedish death like first and foremost DISMEMBER and (old early) ENTOMBED are all there, eventually we should also not forget about the very early GRAVE, and it all is cultivated with some medical-pathological Death'n'Grind influences like (old early) CARCASS marks and then you have it what AMPUTORY do offer us here with their "PROMO 2010" titled D.I.Y. release. Sinister and evil, harsh and still yet pretty melodic guitar work, crushing rhythm section at work, brutal and deep throated guttural grunts, mostly high tempo but also stomping mid paced groovy mosh parts and sick and devastating down paced hate and filth eruptions, all coming with a great necro spirit to it. It's all pretty cool and if you've grown up with the stuff of the mentioned bands and comparable acts (like I did grow up with it) then you will be very soon very familiar with this stuff here. It's like an god old family meeting or something like this. But, to me, it's a little bit too retro, I miss at least some fresh air that would make it all far more round. The artwork is a typical but still a pretty cool and nice one, the necro like production sound fits perfect to the music and its graveyrad/cemetary spirit, and about the lyrics I can't tell ya anything. This is a very short review up here,yehp, I know, hm, but I really don't know what I should write more up here right now. Okay, anyhow, Old School and/or Retro Death Metal fans should check this guys from Finland out, maybe they will find their next holy grail or something like this, any other fans of hard and brutal (and old) Metal music can also risk an ear, but don't expect anything 'exciting' and don't expect anything but solid stuff. But okay, I think we should keep an eye on AMPUTORY, because anyhow I could imagine that a lot even far better stuff of/by them could be aimed at us in the future, if they would just work out more intense an own character and some maybe at least a little bit 'fresh' something anyway. So far, so good... or so far, so solid. Good starting point anyhow. Btw, don't know if still copies of this one here are floating around, maybe ask the band itself. (6 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/amputory)
(Download: I hope that this is a official link- and a link that works out as it should- because I currently found this very link here on the web and it seems that you can all download the complete three track "PROMO 2010" release there; and this 'there' you can or at least should find here: http://www.filestube.com/8E4A2Nn47wJsMeVc1WiHN6/Amputory-Fin-promo-2010.html)

TRIALS - "WITNESS TO THE DOWNFALL" (New Breed of American Thrash Metal from Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. in 2011)

TRIALS - "WITNESS TO THE DOWNFALL"

("D.I.Y."; CD):
First of all I hope I got and saw it all correct, and this would mean that I'm in the right with posting that this would be or then that this album here is a D.I.Y. release... really believe I can't it anyhow somehow by myself, facing this incredible high quality that's already here. So, okay, TRIALS are a Modern or New School Thrash Metal band with some good dose of Metalcore and some (pretty small) doses of Dethcore in their music and they operate somewhere to be located between the likes of MACHINE HEAD, PANTERA (just listen to the phenomenal riff and rhythm as well as groove and pace work of the total larger-than-life anthem "POWERLESS"), KILLINGCULTURE, LAMB OF GOD and CHIMAIRA as well, and they do it with an already very strong and present very own identity and this "They do it already" means that they do it already here with their debut album release titled "WITNESS TO THE DOWNFALL". We get a blistering and everything down beating mixture out of savage raging, brutal stomping, heavy hammering, and harsh punishing, mostly thrashy guitar riffs, incredible intense and emotional symphonic and atmospheric leads and melody lines, and in all a just stand-alone and more than 'only' well-versed and 'just' rich-on-variations arranged and structured guitar work that's marking heavily the songs, then a brilliant and tons of steel weighing heavy rhythm section, awesome diverse and rich on expression vocals that cover a whole wide distance between hysteric screams and brutal shouts to melodic clean passages and mournful whispers and some clever arranged spoken word like passages. Above all damn high technical skills of the musicians and just pure awesomness set (in)to songwriting, ship- and truck-loads of clever arrangemens, exciting rhythm structures, deeply intense atmospheres, intelligent changes of the pace, and it's all just totally interesting and grapping, and each single song has its very own character, but also still the complete album works at least exactly that good like every song for itself, too. Awesome!!! My total favorites are without a doubt "POWERLESS", "KINGDOM", "THIS IS STARVATION", "HAMMER", "SHADOWS AND TRAPS" and "DECLARATION", but also every other song is a total monster. A phenomenal release, period, get it asap!!! The production sound is amazing as well as the music, the lyrics rule totally, and the artwork is just awesome. Don't think twice, better get it now!!! And yes, to the band: I demad more!!! Phenomenal!!! (10 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/trials)

THE WORLD WE KNEW - "DEATH DEALER" (Non-Dogmatic Straight Edge Metalcore from Long Island New York in 2011)

THE WORLD WE KNEW - "DEATH DEALER"
("BLK Heart Group"; CD):

Wow, here's again something really great coming at us (again, after the NOi!SE 10'' reviewed before this one here, even THE WORLD WE KNEW come out of some other musical direction), and I'm really happy that some friends of mine pointed me into the direction of this band that was totally unknown to me before I listened to this very release here for the first time quite a while ago back then earlier this very year. It's already the third full length album of THE WORLD WE KNEW and for all what I've heard and read the precursor album was released two years ago (which means in 2009) and some new band members joined the ranks of the band since then, the band signed to a new label as well, and they've also changed the attitude or mentality, so that the once through and through Straight Edge Hardcore (or Metalcore) approach changed to a more open minded approach with offering the listener(s) more free space for his/her very own interpretations of the lyrics and the messages. Something with that you never can go wrong, at least if ya ask me. So, okay, trying to keep it a little bit 'shorter' this time here we go ahead in and with this review: A basic Hardcore feeling is there and you can still get the Hardcore mentality and attitude, the Hardcore aesthetics and background, here and there also some musical reminiscences will come to your ears, that's all okay and I guess that's the reason why THE WORLD WE KNEW are (still) called Metalcore, but make no mistakes, if ya take the music just as what it is (and that's the music) this here is more or less nothing but Metal music- of the modern and also clichè-free kind-... and it's great shit, period!!! If you like acts like UNEARTH and AS I LAY DYING, as well as acts like CHIMAIRA, and maybe also AT WITS END as well as MAROON you will also like THE WORLD WE KNEW, and you will not only like them, nah, you will love them because they blend it with a very own identity and a character totally of their very own and they mange to give something totally fresh and something somehow completly alive-lively something to it that really makes them stand out from the rest of the bands in this genre called Metalcore. So, okay, it's not really fair to compare THE WORLD WE KNEW with any other band(s), yehp, so just take the name-dropping above for what it is, only a list of names that are meant to be cornerstones for your thoughts to let them know the basic direction in which they should do roam now here in this case. Modern thrashy Death Metal/Core, full of ultra-heavy as well as damn catchy and melodic guitar work, a incredible tight and forceful rhythm section, amazing grapping and emotional and being rich on variations vocals, very 'nice' punishing Beatdowns, some pretty fat crew shout back ups, brilliant songwriting full of suprises and twist and turns, awesome pace and rhythm structure of the songs, and just sheer force, heart, energy and passion, crowned by someting that I can't really describe anyhow anyway exactly here and now and that we now just call the 'X-Factor' to keep it short, simple and (at least somehow anyhow) precise. You have to listen to it if you're into the described kind of music. All made round by some great interesting and grapping lyrics, an amazing fat and tight production sound, and a great artwork. To point it out precisely for everyone out there for the last time here and now: Check it out!!! Get it!!! Period!!! This is awesome!!! (9 of 10 points)
(the band, contact: http://www.myspace.com/theworldweknew)
(the label, contact: http://blkheartgroup.com/)