SICK OF IT ALL - "WAKE THE SLEEPING DRAGON" (2018)

SICK OF IT ALL - "WAKE THE SLEEPING DRAGON"
(Running time: 33:04 minutes; 17 songs)
("Century Media Records"; 2018; CD):

Hell yeahr, trust your eyes because here's now alreaday the next round fired at you and this time in the here'n'now it will be and it is all about the brandnew SICK OF IT ALL longplayer titled "WAKE THE SLEEPING DRAGON" released still sort of very recently at the 2nd of November of 2018 via the veterans of and at "CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS". If you know and read this blog now for already a bit longer or if you would (or in fact do) know me personally then you would or should know that SICK OF IT ALL are one of my top five bands ever and personally to/for me one of the very most important bands of all time ever and so the passed sort of four years or so that passed us by leading up to "WAKE THE SLEEPING DRAGON" had been sort of pretty long years - but pretty long years that are now finally over. And so, yes, I was truly incredible curious when SICK OF IT ALL's "WAKE THE SLEEPING DRAGON" finally hit the shelves and dropped and thanks to preordering I received it right at the day it was finally released. And, yes, I know… don't ask me why it again took me nearly two months to finally get this review done and out to/for you… anyhow anyway, I guess… So, yes, it's 2018 and SICK OF IT ALL are finally back with "WAKE THE SLEEPING DRAGON" (and they are back with a bang) and so without any more introducing ramblings now finally let's go: 17 songs in roughly 33 minutes running time, yes, and so one thing should be clear and this is that right from the get-go we will be or better are in for a fiery, wild, and furious ride here with SICK OF IT ALL's "WAKE THE SLEEPING DRAGON". And so, oh hell yeahr, expect some amazing and outstanding New York Hardcore of the most supreme and unique kind done and delivered by this finest and almighty NYHC silverbacks that's just still after sort of 32 years of being around still is so incredible fresh and so unbelievable alive'n'lively that any new'n'young band outta there should shy away when confronted with this already immortal masterpiece, yes, and especially when we talk about Hardcore in 2018 things have changed a bit in my book which means that as fantastic as SLAPSHOT's "MAKE AMERICA HATE AGAIN" and WISDOM IN CHAINS' "NOTHING IN NATURE RESPECTS WEAKNESS" definitely are from sort of now on both bands and albums share the 2nd spot with SICK OF IT ALL's "WAKE THE SLEEPING DRAGON" turning into my Hardcore album of, in, and for 2018. Here we get the absolutely real deal in form of amazing and fantastic highly energetic and highly dynamic as well as also damn diverse and multi-facetted/multi-layered songwriting that's offering a good healthy bunch of twists'n'turns and some fresh new notes'n'tones here and there and serving some good doses of cool surprising moves and parts, a damn huge and very fresh arranged and done sing a long hymnal potential, and adding several culminating moods all together (in)to nothing but and nothing less than absolutely amazing, exciting, grapping, rousing, conquering and just sheer amazing larger than life anthems of that totally unique own special SICK OF IT ALL tone and that's one more time so incredible strong present and marking here on and with "WAKE THE SLEEPING DRAGON" and (at least so my perception) above all it's incredible fresh and diverse on here and this (even) more than the last times SICK OF IT ALL were around before. The ingredients out of raging (New York) Hardcore, some Metallic Hardcore notes, and a big bunch of Punkrock, Streetpunk and Oi! with added huge doses of hymnal melody lines and sing a longs in(to) it all, yes, this ingredients are all here and stayed the same (and why shouldn't they) but are done and arranged, composed, and structured damn fresh and sort of in a 'new' way and are unbelievable grapping, exciting, rousing, and energizing and this all will make sure that SICK OF IT ALL's "WAKE THE SLEEPING DRAGON" will massively conquer you with supreme overwhelming force and will push you on and through everything and this also for hell a lot of some time for sure. Yes, this is Hardcore!!! All is served to us via one of if not the most charismatic and unique lead singing voice(s) especially in Hardcore outta there with Lou Koller delivering his absolutely almighty vokillz like only he can do it; via everything down smashing guitar-work delivered by Pete Koller shining with full force riffing and devastating rhythm work and adding great cool into the crushing riffing integrated great melody lines to it all and keeping it exciting with a huge bunch of great smooth flowing changes in the rhythmic arrangements and the pace structures of the songs and adding a lot of dynamic(s) to it all with doing so; via a loud'n'proud roaring and strutting and nicely present bass playing delivered by Craig "Ahead" Setari; and via powerful full force punching and smashing and not only incredible heavy but also damn smooth delivered crushing drumming by Armand Majidi; and a bunch of very strong guest singers join in as well as a damn huge sing a long fueled hymnal character is added to it all. This all makes an album that's from start to finish nothing but an all killers and no fillers album and so to name here any listening tipps maybe isn't making that much sense after all at the end of the day but if you really want or deman some then I would say my personal favorites so far or right now are probably "INNER VISION", "THAT CRAZY WHITE BOY SHIT", "BULL'S ANTHEM", "ROBERT MOSES WAS A RACIST", "SELF IMPORTANT SHITHEAD", "TO THE WOLVES", "ALWAYS WITH US", "WAKE THE SLEEPING DRAGON", "BEEF BETWEEN VEGANS", "HARDCORE HORSESHOE", "DEEP STATE", "WORK THE SYSTEM", and "THE NEW SLAVERY" and so maybe or why not start your discovery of SICK OF IT ALL's "WAKE THE SLEEPING DRAGON" with this ultra-platinum gems. Top notch diverse and very outspoken and also highly socially aware and political lyrics, a pure beauty of an artwork, and a clear and heavy and nicely warm'n'earthy production sound then finally round it all perfectly up. Okay, yes, I think so far I've said all what there was or what I had so far to say to/about SICK OF IT ALL and their brandnew "WAKE THE SLEEPING DRAGON" masterpiece, the Hardcore album of and for 2018 (and probably also in and for years to come) and definitely also one of the very best and very most strongest albums in general of, in, and for 2018 (and again also probably in and for years to come), yes, and I can only most highly recommend this larger than life masterpiece to anyone outta there and so best just go out and get your copy of SICK OF IT ALL's "WAKE THE SLEEPING DRAGON" and this best instantly. Hardcore!!! Fist!!!
(10 of 10 points)
https://www.sickofitall.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

SICK OF IT ALL - "THAT CRAZY WHITE BOY SHIT" (2018, "WAKE THE SLEEPING DRAGON")

MADBALL - "DOWN FOR THE CAUSE" (2018)

MADBALL - "DOWN FOR THE CAUSE"
(Running time: 34:34 minutes; 13 songs)
("Nuclear Blast Records"; 2018; CD):

Good evening, my dear readers, yes, one more time again today trust your eyes because here and now is already the 2nd post of or for this very day aimed at and coming for you and like earlier today with my review on the brandnew TERROR album "TOTAL RETALIATION" also right here and right now we will be and also stay'n'remain in the departments of Hardcore but this time we will move from Los Angeles to New York and we will be with the (al)mighty MADBALL and their new asskicker titled "DOWN FOR THE CAUSE" released still pretty recently at the 15th of June of 2018 via the these days sort of more than ever before omnipresent "NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS" label on CD and I'm pretty sure also on LP. MADBALL, yes, one of my all time favourites, it's always a pleasure to see them coming round again, yes, and after all so also in 2018, definitely. This is roughnecked New York Hardcore delivered on a very high level of skill(s) and competence and this all with a damn huge own and unique personality to it all and this all also without a single doubt, yes, but... I can't name it to you sort of in a concrete way why but in 2018 MADBALL with "DOWN FOR THE CAUSE" simply fail to really conquer me and I've given "DOWN FOR THE CAUSE" over the last month since the day of its release uncountable listening'n'spinning-sessions but to me too much (especially for silverbacks like MADBALL themselves) sounds too lame'n'stale or maybe simply just too ordinary for/to me. Okay, this sounds now maybe sort of harsh and 're-reading' it then it sounds definitely too drastic because MADBALL's "DOWN FOR THE CAUSE" is definitely no bad or weak album anyway in general and legions of other bands would sell their poor little souls to come up delivering an album like this but in the MADBALL context and for a stand-alone band like MADBALL this is anyhow a weaker effort and offering and definitely and sadly a more forgettable album of/by them, so at least in my book. It's after all simply too unsinspired and too often they ripp off themselves and it's just not that much exciting after all and too foreseeable and so... yes, any MADBALL fan and any fan of New York Hardcore that showcases a strong hymnal sing-a-long fueled Streetpunk/Punkrock influence with some melodic Oi! impressions here and there as well as metallic notes will find up here anyhow a lot of goods being delivered properly but it all is missing a lot of freshness and excitement this time around, yes, so at least to me. The songwriting is nicely multi-facetted and especially the mid paced and sing-a-long heavy Streetpunk influenced smashers shine bright and know definitely to convince and also to conquer and especially Freddy's highly chrismatic and today more than ever very hard'n'smart vokillz that have developed massively and impressively add a lot of an alive-lively spirit and a huge new dimension and facet to it all and the devastating and highly intense guitar work also leaves no questions open as well as the heavy bombing rhythm section still knows and does to tear down every wall(s) and loud'n'proud gangshouting backings as well as nicely hymnal sing-a-longs we get as well, yes, all good and fine, definitely, I would just wish for more fresh ideas and especially more than just this few slight Reggae reminiscences here and there and also more mercyless intense heavyness and sheer force to lift MADBALL's "DOWN FOR THE CAUSE" really up because especially the supposed-to-be harsh and fast raging angry, nasty, and aggressive Hardcore slashers lack a lot of potential and are too lame and too stale ordinary stuff that MADBALL definitely know how to do better and they still know I am convinced. Anyhow, my personal favorites are "REV UP", "FREIGHT TRAIN", "TEMPEST", "OLD FASHIONED", "LONE WOLF", "THE FOG" featuring Tim Timebomb/RANCID, "FOR YOU" and the re-recorded killer-tune "CONFESSIONS" taken from their "HOLD IT DOWN" masterpiece from way back in the days and especially in comparision with this masterpiece current songs of that kind like for example "SMILE NOW, PAY LATER", "EVIL WAYS" featuring Ice-T/BODY COUNT or the just open-boring "ES TU VIDA" pretty much stink. Strong and nicely vocal lyrics, a pretty cool artwork, and a heavy but maybe a bit too sterile production sound then complete the package. So all in all MADBALL delivered in 2018 with "DOWN FOR THE CAUSE" definitely a decent, a very decent new album, yes, a strong and good one and for sure in good parts surely and definitely also a damn good one at the end of the day but also an album that personally left me a bit too cold and unmoved and from an anyway still damn authentic and sympathic band like MADBALL I definitely await more so no matter if that's the problem or not but anyhow... New York Hardcore and MADBALL fans will do nothing that much wrong with getting their hands on "DOWN FOR THE CAUSE" at the end of the day but also I definitely expect more of/by them again the next time around. Anyhow, at least risk an ear or two. Hardcore!!! Fist!!!

(8 of 10 points)

http://madballhc.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

MADBALL - "REV UP" (2018, "DOWN FOR THE CAUSE")

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - SEPTEMBER 2018: AGNOSTIC FRONT - "RIOT, RIOT UPSTART"

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - SEPTEMBER 2018:

AGNOSTIC FRONT - "RIOT, RIOT UPSTART" (1999)
(Running time: 28:59 minutes; 17 songs)
("Epitaph Records"; CD):

Tracklist:
(01.) "POLICE STATE"
(02.) "I HAD ENOUGH"
(03.) "RIOT, RIOT UPSTART"
(04.) "SIT AND WATCH"
(05.) "BLOOD, DEATH AND TAXES"
(06.) "FRUSTRATION"
(07.) "SICKNESS"
(08.) "SHADOWS"
(09.) "NOWHERE TO GO"
(10.) "TRUST"
(11.) "MY LIFE"
(12.) "IT'S TIME"
(13.) "ROCK STAR"
(14.) "NOTHING'S FREE"
(15.) "PRICE YOU PAY"
(16.) "JAILBREAK"
(17.) "BULLET ON MOTT STREET"

Good morning folks… or so... finally again much earlier than the last time you here and now already get the next dose and this here and now means the newest "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH" article and of course we're here and now talking about the "SEPTEMBER 2018" edition of it. Yes, this time I haven't forgot (or nearly forgot) about it, no, no, no, and so here and now you get this very one much earlier than its direct precursor one, hm, and I hope that already one of the next posts up here coming up the next days or so will then already be the succesor one to this very one here. And now, I think so, enough of the smalltaking and introducing rambling(s) and now direct and straight into the action: This time we will take a trip 'down' to the Big Apple with visiting the cold, hard concrete of New York City where we will today meet one of the if not maybe even surely the biggest legend(s) ever to arise from the NYC and it's all about no one one else and especially no one less than the absolutely almighty and larger than life AGNOSTIC FRONT and today here'n'now we will have a more precise look on their album that definitely sort of always was and I am pretty sure always will be my total favorite album of/by them and their most important one to/for me and this is their in 1999 released absolute masterpiece "RIOT, RIOT UPSTART" released back then via "EPITAPH RECORDS" on CD (and please don't ask me if there had also been a LP version of it back then, today there is).

In 1999 I knew AGNOSTIC FRONT already for quite a while especially due to their infamous classick "CAUSE FOR ALARM" and their heavy slasher "ONE VOICE" both from way back in the days, yes, and then they 'went away' and my teenager-self only knew them 'so far' just as a legendary but 'gone' band that I always massively cheered up to. And then 1998 came across and suddenly AGNOSTIC FRONT were truly and really back and their 1998 comeback-album "SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE" with the lifechanging "GOTTA GO" on it erupted like an A-Bomb and... to put it short, yes, I was totally conquered by it and this hasn't changed up to the present day. (So maybe better not be too surprised when you see it someday up here as a part of this series, too.) This strong opening to Oi! and Streetpunk that had happened and that AGNOSTIC FRONT suddenly showcased was exactly what I was up to and for what I was looking for back then (and, to be honest, this hasn't changed in good parts that much today), it was sort of the 'together-melting' of my two most favoured styles which means Oi! and Hardcore and, like already said, it fired up my heart and soul and it was exactly what I was looking for; and even still today it is in the largest parts exactly this what still fuels my fire the very most. But as damn great, brilliant, fantastic, and massively conquering already "SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE" from 1998 was and definitely still is, oh yes, but in 1999 it even got a good bit better with "RIOT, RIOT UPSTART". My first contact with non-mainstream-musick was very eraly in elementary school with Metal and like anyone who knows me and/or also reads this very blog here (especially those who stick around here now for already quite a while) know I am still in love with Metal in its various forms and even especially sort of from 2000 to 2010 or 2011 I was pretty much 'out of it' my personaly classicks always fueled my fire massively and today Metal is very prominent in my stereo again. But... hm, I lost myself a bit, sorry... okay, from latest 1994 on when I was 13 years young first Hardcore and Punkrock and then Oi! (and Streetpunk, but back then this 'seperating-terms' and how or like we use them that often especially today I simply didn't knew) became more and more important and influential to/for me and especially Oi! and Hardcore should become more and more 'my everlasting most important thing' and when then AGNOSTIC FRONT unleashed their "SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE" in 1998 and especially "RIOT, RIOT UPSTART" in 1999 that was exactly what I wanted, needed back then (and what I still cheer up to massively today). Not that this hadn't been done by others also before 1998/1999, hell no, others did it as well and they did it very often also damn fantastic, yes, but AGNOSTIC FRONT simply did it to/for me in a very special and damn unique and characteristic as well as charismatic way and they absoultely conquered me and so especially those albums of their comeback era hold a very special place in my heart and this also counts for their by far too often dramatically underrated "DEAD YUPPIES" slasher from 2001, the third and final one of their comeback era and so also don't be surprised when it one day will also be part of this article series up here, yes, before AGNOSTIC FRONT should turn with their mighty "ANOTHER VPOICE" from and in 2004 to the through'n'through 'pure steel' New York Hardcore slashers and giants as we know them today. And so now after all my by/of personal events and situations permeated blathering let us have a closer look on the almighty "RIOT, RIOT UPSTART", hell yeahr, the absoulte groundbreaking masterpiece and classick that AGNOSTIC FRONT released nearly twenty years ago in 1999 via "EPITAPH RECORDS", yes, so let's roll.

AGNOSTIC FRONT's "RIOT, RIOT UPSTART" features 17 songs in about 29 minutes and this was and still is one hell of an intense ride from "POLICE STATE" to "BULLET ON MOTT STREET" and it was and is just again and again overwhelming and incredible how much energy and rousing dynamics AGNOSTIC FRONT put into this shortly or roughly half of a hour. Very intense and dense, full throttle and no holds barred and also no prisoners taking songwriting that creates skyscratching high amounts of intensity and highly energetic tension that just wants to erupt massively and 'overwhelmingly' and makes you instantly start a mosh pit right in front of your stereo in your living room and, and that's maybe most important and most impressive, its still as fresh and as strong and as conquering and also as relevant as it was now nearly twenty years ago way back in 1999, yes, and that's definitely and truly statement of one of a kind and definitely of its very own and should already tell you all what you need or have to know about how damn larger than life and fantastic AGNOSTIC FRONT's "RIOT, RIOT UPSTART" was and still is and definitely forever will be, point and fact. A raging and sawing guitar work, that delivers stomping rhythms that are varying nicely between fast speed Hardcore facebreakers and more in an elated Oi!/Streetpunk mid pace held or delivered tunes, 'shines' in a dirty and nasty 'streetraised' heavyness without any metallic flirtings and delivers also great hymnal Oi!/Streetpunk leads and melody lines and with doing so enriches and cultivates the songs heavily and massively. A rampaging and nicely present bass work and bonecracking and 'weasel-nimbly' drumming back it all perfectly up. Roger Miret's highly charismatic and unique lead vocals then really give the songs their bright shining crown and massive and highly hymnal massive gang back ups enrich it all only even more. The songs display/showcase anyhow from start to finish a larger than life (still incredible) very fresh hymnal and anthemic character and identity and this all even more due to the fact that the verses are as impressive and overwhelming and hymnal arranged as the majestic refrains. From song one to the final one we get here only purest platinum and this is by all means to/for me nothing else and especially nothing less than a truly and definitely perfect album and with that said I think I've said all what there was to say so far, I hope so, and I simply can't pay enough tribute to AGNOSTIC FRONT in general and especially their "RIOT, RIOT UPSTART" groundbreaker in particular and to anyone who maybe really shouldn't know this total supreme masterpiece I can only highly recommend to desperately finally get their hands on a copy of it. First class, nicely diverse and very outspoken and socially and politically aware lyrics, a truly great old schoolish artwork, and a dirty and rough production sound round(ed) it all perfectly up (also even still today). And I really hope that we will see next year a very nice 20th anniversary edition of AGNOSTIC FRONT's "RIOT, RIOT UPSTART" is being (re)released. To close this article now let me state that I simply love AGNOSTIC FRONT and especially first-and-foremost "RIOT, RIOT UPSTART" and so simply just thanks for all, AGNOSTIC FRONT. HARDCORE!!! FIST!!! Oi! Oi! Oi!

(***Check their facebook site out: https://de-de.facebook.com/agnosticfront***)

AGNOSTIC FRONT - "RIOT, RIOT UPSTART" (1999, "RIOT, RIOT UPSTART")

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - JUNE 2018: ALL OUT WAR - "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED"

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - JUNE 2018:

ALL OUT WAR - "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED" (1998)
(Running time: 49:08 minutes; 13 songs)
("Victory Records"; CD):

Tracklist:
(01.) "SOAKED IN TORMENT"
(02.) "BURNING SEASON"
(03.) "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED"
(04.) "RESIST"
(05.) "CLAIM YOUR INNOCENCE"
(06.) "FALSE SALVATION"
(07.) "REDEMPTION FOR THE INNOCENT"
(08.) "WITNESS THE END"
(09.) "INTO THE FLAMES OF PROGRESSION"
(10.) "AFTER AUTUMN"
(11.) "ENEMIES OF CREATION"
(12.) "TRUTH IN THE AGE OF LIES"
(13.) "APOCALYPTIC TERROR"

Oh boy, is this very one here and now long, long overdue, god damn it, I sort of honestly nearly forgot about the still pending "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH" post in its "JUNE 2018" edition, yes, no other "story" behind it or what the hell else ever and so today there's no need for any further-going secundary smalltalk as an introduction here and now, yes, and so just let's go - better late than never, I guess.

This month I have something… okay... I have again something damn great for you. We will stay like the last past three months before this very one here also in the world of (1990's) Hardcore musick and this time we will take a trip to New York and to be more precise to Newburgh, New York and I or we or how-ever will pay and give respect and honour via this tribute to a back then and of course still today to/for me very special and important band  and this band is none other than the almighty ALL OUT WAR and here and now it will be all about their outstanding chunk of pure hatred titled "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED" from back then in 1998, yes, released via the then damn mighty "VICTORY RECORDS" on CD as well as on LP. (I have the CD version and so all here and now will be about this very one.) Back then in the glorious 1990's 'things' were getting heavier and harder and simply more and more devastating in Hardcore with a lot of bands back then starting massively to incorporate more and more and/or maybe (just) more prominent than before more or less 'style-foreign elements' from for example Crust and Grind but also Rap/Hip Hop and also especially Metal into their style'n'sound with for example 'stuff' like Holy Terror Hardcore, Metallic Hardcore, more and more metalized NYHC, new School Straight Edge Hardcore and then some day also first real proper Metalcore like we know it today all too well appearing stronger and stronger and time after time more often and again  even more often on the scene and latest from the middle of the 1990's this all happened far more frequently again and again, especially (or at least) in my 'retrospective-percepetion' with sort of experiencing this development first-hand and discovering a huge load of great bands and records back then that should have and still have a pretty lifechanging as well as, so it seems, a lifelong-lasting impact on me, yes, and ALL OUT WAR surely were one of this bands and to me also one of the most prominent and most important ones, too. I discovered them in 1997 via their mighty full-length-debut-album "TRUTH IN THE AGE OF LIES" that was back then released via the (then active, don't know right now if they are still around) german label "GAIN GROUND RECORDS" and they conquered me heavily and "TRUTH IN THE AGE OF LIES" is (also) still today pretty frequently put on heavy rotation here in the Manslaughter Headquarters. Then in 1998 ALL OUT WAR released their second full-length-album "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED" and this time then they conquered me in an absolutely overwhelming way and personally for/to me it is definitely the most important release of all by ALL OUT WAR and this without a single doubt. It was even more heavy, hate-filled, harsh, forceful, devastating, and simply even more compelling and conquering and in total even more greater than the already damn great debut. Some songs of the debut they also rerecorded and reused on "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED" and this 'newly-done-versions' add only further proof to what I've said right before. What is really fantastic is the fact that ALL OUT WAR's "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED" is still today as strong, as harsh, as fresh, as alive-lively, and as relevant as back then in 1998. And this should tell you already a lot if not even more. ALL OUT WAR are still around and still active, formed in 1991 and still going strong today. Now in and with the next chapter of this article let us have a look a bit more precise on their musick.

ALL OUT WAR played harsh Metallic Hardcore or Metalcore and developed especially already with their first proper full-lengths they should become sort of godfathers of Metalcore that should be continously on the rise latest from the late-middle/late 1990's on with more and more Hardcore bands discovering and incorporating especially Thrash Metal, the then current New School Thrash Metal, and Death Metal into their musick forming a strong own scene with bands like for example EARTH CRISIS, TURMOIL, DAMNATION A.D., DISRESPECT, SWORN ENEMY, HATEBREED, and DAY OF SUFFERING beside ALL OUT WAR leading the pack back then. Each of this bands or more or less each of this bands had back then a pretty distinguishable style'n'sound and this also was (and still is) valid also and especially for ALL OUT WAR and their "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED" is only (further) proof of/for this. Melting a lot of different Hardcore and Metal elements incredibel liquid'n'fluent(ly) together and creating one hell of a devastating thunderstorm of prime Metalcore that also not shies away from some Sludge influences. The Metal on here was and is even more prominent than on a lot of current Metalcore releases and also often more present on here than the Hardcore parts - even the Hardcore roots run anyhow very deep. Especially the guitar work is filled with very fresh Metal riffs throughout the whole album and also the drumming showcases a lot of brilliant done Metal styled moments full of a quick snare drum work directly from the Metal department around the block. In general expect devastating guitars, razor spitting harsh and highly aggressive vokillz, and a every and any opposition into the dust crushing rhythm section as well as loud gang back-ups and all melted together by very intense and grapping, rousing and exciting everything killing songwriting and all done'n'delivered by very (high) skilled musicians and all in an excellent way. This was and still is and probably will always be and remain a very rich and intense masterpiece of a groundbreaking and lifechanging album that anyone into really heavy (and metallic) Hardcore, Metalcore, and surely also a lot to everyone into Thrash Metal and probably also some into Death Metal should desperately and definitely call their very own and it was and still is a damn characteristic and pretty unique album in sound'n'style and a true legendary masterpiece of an album and if you really don't own or even know it you should by any means change this as soon as finally possible. Very outspoken and damn strong lyrics, a fantastic artwork, and a heavy bombing production-sound round it all finally up, yes, and the final song is a damn great medley of cover-tunes that also wait to be finally discovered by you. Enough said, get it and then play it loud!!! ALL OUT WAR's "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED", truly a real timeless classick. HARDCORE!!! FIST!!!

Okay, that's it for now, yes, expect the next "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH" article, the "JULY 2018" edition, to come up here early next month in August of 2018, yes, because for today this will be all and tomorrow on Tuesday and also on Wednesday I will be in Munich, yes, visiting a good friend and hailing the almighty JUDAS PRIEST tomorrow live on stage and so from Wednesday or Thursday this week on you can or you should expect new stuff up here. And now, yes, a have a nice summer-evening.

ALL OUT WAR - "APOCALYPTIC TERROR" (1998, "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED")

https://www.facebook.com/Alloutwar666/ (-the link to the facebook site of the band)

BACKTRACK - "BAD TO MY WORLD" (2017)

BACKTRACK - "BAD TO MY WORLD"
(Running time: 20:01 minutes; 10 songs)
("Bridge Nine Records"; 2017; CD):

Yes, trust your eyes because this is really already the second post for this very day and this means the second record-review post of/for that/this day and also this one is on another (brand)new 2017 full-length-album and here and now it will be or is all about the (brand)new 2017 BACKTRACK record "BAD TO MY WORLD" released pretty recently via the well-known "BRIDGE NINE RECORDS" label... even 20:01 minutes of a total running time sound to me like everything but not a full-length-album and, yes, this also not for a Hardcore release and even more not when we still have to pay the full price for it anyhow, point and fact. Okay, with that bitching of/by me right out of the way then this is already the third BACKTRACK release that I am doing a record-review on up here in all the years of the existence of that blog now and here we still or again get the full force load of pissed off and angry stomping and harsh ripping New York Hardcore somewhere between MADBALL and FURIOUS STYLES, with good doses of WARHOUND and with some big TERROR in it all, too. Powerful and highly energetic and with some forceful punshing and pushing dynamics forward storming, heavy raging and hard kicking with a high level of intensity and an incredible nasty'n'angry pissed off attitude that's how BACKTRACK assault with their ten new smashers that they compiled here on and to "BAD TO MY WORLD", all delivered with a metallic crunch to it all and here and their with slightly punky approach to it all, too. Hysteric and aggressive screamed and shouted, bitter and pissed off lead vocals through and through spitted into the mic and partially backed up by some strong gang vocals here and there, heavy and harsh thrashing guitars, a roaring bass, and thundering drums define the bonesmashing and rousing musick delivered by BACKTRACK here on "BAD TO MY WORLD" and highly energetic and intense songwriting melts it all together with a big focus on crushing grooves and slamming mosh parts as well as on harsh and fast shredding up tempo attacks and some cool guitar leads have also managed to sneak their path into this raging inferno, and again especially the very charismatic lead vocals give them a very strong own identity. I would just have wished for simply more 'weight' to it all and some more grapping hooks that make really big hits, like they had them on their precursor album, but that's all with what I am sort of not so satisfied with, hm, but anyhow and anyway BACKTRACK's "BAD TO MY WORLD" is one damn strong album that I can only clearly and calmly recommend to any (New York) Hardcore fan outta there and that also offers strong lyrics, one hell of an outstanding beautiful artwork, and a loud blasting production sound on top of it all, yes, so get it. And then that's it already, a short album makes (sometimes) for a short review, yes, but I think you now know all what you need to know for now about BACKTRACK's "BAD TO MY WORLD" and so, yes, like already said, yes, best go and get it. HARDCORE!!! FIST!!!

(8,5 of 10 points)

https://www.backtracknyhc.com/ (- the link to the homepage of the band)

BACKTRACK - "COLD-BLOODED" (2017, "BAD TO MY WORLD")

SPIDER CREW - "SOUNDS OF HATRED" (2017)

SPIDER CREW - "SOUNDS OF HATRED"
(Running time: 31:37 minutes; 12 songs)
("WTF Records"; 2017; CD):

And already back @ work up here again, my dear readers, I just came back home again from some nice early evening activities with some colleagues and before I leave my apartment and my town again to own the night with some friends at this saturday one more time again I thought why not try to give the finishing touches to this post and bring it finally up as a late night post right now, right here - and this is a perfect match after the record (of course this is a record review post) that I am now about to review up here for you is currently constantly on heavy rotation (since a few months now already) here in my realm and is also currently running its rounds while I give this post the finishing touches and while I'm prepping up for tonight, yes, so you see, definitely, sort of the right moment to come up with it finally right now and right here. The whole talking was and is about the (brand)new SPIDER CREW full length album "SOUNDS OF HATRED", hell yeahr, and I can't believe that it is now also already again 15 or 16 years that I moshed'n'slammed the first time in front of stage to the SPIDER CREW, damn it, I grow old... more and more, and from day to day... damn it... fuck it, who cares, yes, at least not me, myself, and I, yes, and so after some too many fuckin' years of silence and no new SPIDER CREW (full length) release we have now 2017 and now in 2017 this finally changed and the grandmasters of Vienna Style Hardcore are finally back, bloody damn fuck yeah', the almighty SPIDER CREW with their newest masterpiece titled "SOUNDS OF HATRED" released via (the so far to me unknown) "WTF RECORDS" at the 15th of September of 2017 (and also it's out as a vinyl edition, too). SPIDER CREW, raised out of/from the ashes when ONLY ATTITUDE COUNTS called it a day back then at the end of the 1990's respectively the beginnings of the 2000's, always stood for the best of Vienna Style Hardcore in particular and Euro Core in general and with albums like for example and first and foremost their absolutely masterpiece "A MENACE TO SOCIETY" they showed their sort of 'big heroes' from the big apple how the damn bloody hell New York Hardcore was, still is, and always will be meant to be played and they enriched and cultivated their on New York Hardcore and Euro Core raised Vienna Style Hardcore with a huge and massive dose of Oi! and Streetpunk and they kept it all incredible fresh, grapping arranged and exciting composed over all the years, yes, and exactly so they do still today and this even with more 'musicianship-skills' then before 15 years or so ago. This is massive and strong, heavy and dynamic, highly energetic and eruptive, rousing and battle-scarred Hardcore that stands on a pretty characteristic 'stand-alone-position' somewhere between ONLY ATTITUDE COUNTS, BACKFIRE!, HARD RESISTANCE, and RIGHT DIRECTION on the one side and AGNOSTIC FRONT, MADBALL, WARZONE, and SICK OF IT ALL on the other side with big and heavy doses of Oi! and Streetpunk from english legends like COCK SPARRER, dutch godfathers like DISCIPLINE, and some American Oi! like maybe the legendary and larger than life almighty STORMWATCH in it all, yes, and all done in all positive senses independently and also very, very strong and skilled and truly 'excitingly' fresh and grapping and this over all the time, melting this all self-contained into their very own Vienna Style Hardcore breed. And they turned it all also today one more time again into a totally up-to-date Album - great job. A very forceful and dynamic songwriting that offers nicely diverse variations from harsh stompers, slashing blast speed beasts, anthemic sing a long hymns in mid to up pace, to powerful 'moshy' Hardcore 'groovers', yes, here we find and get it all, yes, all we want and need. And that this guys know how to play their instruments I only state here for the record, yes, should be clear anyhow. All is filled with fast and sharp and yet crushing and dustdry guitars, two very strong lead shouters each with his own 'identity-of-voice', loud and proud gang vocals to back it all up as well as very well-chosen guest singers, a militant rumbling bass, and harsh and 'stunningly' forward stomping drums, yes, and all is done massively tight and to the point. My personal favorites are "ENEMY WITHIN", "YOU AIN'T LIVED IT", "THIN ICE", "SIX FEET DEEP", "ALL IN ME", "LA FAMILIA", "WON'T BREAK FREE", and "NEVER FADE AWAY", yes, absolute anthems and pure platinum, period. But anyhow also the other not mentioned songs are first class pure gold stuff and so you might could also check them out as well and it would make no (big) difference anyway after all at the end of the day. Strong street-raised outspoken lyrics, a very cool artwork, and a heavy and yet still nicely dirty production sound then round it all finally up, yes, and this also in a damn great way. Enough words are spoken, yes, get this formidable album if you are into Hardcore and also Oi!/Streetpunk as well, definitely, because you will love SPIDER CREW's "SOUNDS OF HATRED", hell yeahr, it is one hell of a great album that is highliest recommended by me to you. Hardcore!!! Fist!!!

(9 of 10 points)

https://de-de.facebook.com/SPIDERCREWVSHC/ (- the link to the facebook site of the band)

SPIDER CREW - "YOU AIN'T LIVED IT" (2017, "SOUNDS OF HATRED")