DeathcycleFUCK! These guys are fucking top notch shit! I am really pissed at myself for not discovering these guys sooner, especially considering they have already released a s/t full length, a 7" and three splits. I am even more pissed that these guys have decided it was best to call it a day. From what I read on Lifeline's website it wasn't about the music but more about the idealogy of the members which I will get into later in the review.
These guys take their love of NYHC such as Sheer Terror and Agnostic Front, add in some Napalm Death (and other bands on the early Earache Records roster), throw in their love of Motorhead and Discharge and channel it through distroted, downtuned guitars resulting in one fucking hell of a 11 track full length.
One of the defining sounds of the band is the vocalist Ron. He wants to say so much in such a short time, it's a wonder the dude doesn't pass the fuck out from a lack of oxygen.
As you can guess by the title of the album, much of the lyrics are about government corruption. But to go a little further the lyrics touch on things such as class war that is forced upon people by the government and how racism is perpetuated by the government, the way the government has invaded our privacy with things like the Patriot Act, how the American government has used the war in Iraq to line the pockets of the elite with all the oil they could want while exploiting the Iraqi people. The theory of the North American Union and the amero is also touched on a bit.
The only thing that I do not see eye to eye with these guys is the idea that the American government planned and executed 9/11, as well as the Oklahoma bombing. Now I have read and watched enough conspriacy theory videos like Loose Change and the shit Alex Jones has put out to know what's up and while I won't deny that the US government allowed it to happen it's a stretch to think the US government not only planned but executed the attacks of 9/11.
I guess it was the lyrical themes that ended up splitting these guys up. I can see why because even if you take out the conspiracy theories of 9/11, the rest of the lyrical themes still strike a chord with most people. Like I said I am onboard with these guys in several of their views but others not so much and I consider myself to be extremely open minded and I do not align myself with any major American insitutions. So, if the reason these guys split up was because of the themes of the lyrics, I can see why. But I do wish these guys could've have stayed together because they really do kill shit, both musically and lyrically.
Just one look at the black and white layout and you know what these guys are about. You have George Bush, soldiers, the pentagon, and an all seeing eye character that looks almost identical to the White Shadow on the now defunct Cartoon Network show, Minoriteam. I really like how they used the space in the three panel booklet. There are some well done photoshopped images of Bush and his cronies. On the back of the booklet the band lists some sites to visit, the most known being Infowars.com, which is run by Alex Jones, which you may have seen in American Drug War: The Last White Hope.
The White Shadow-Minoriteam
Rating: 4.5/5
Songs Worthy of Replay: "The Future I See," "Enemy of The State," "Drown" & "Blueprint for Enslavement"
Synopsis: If you like evil sounding, heavily influenced metallic hardcore that is somewhat similar to Pulling Teeth than make it a priority to purchase this record, as well as the s/t LP. Some people will love the lyrics, others will hate it. Even though I don't agree with all their views, I do share many of them and I feel any person with half a brain and some common sense can agree with much, if not some of what the band has to say.
As I always say, check out the band and decide for yourself. I am but one individual with his own tastes and preferences that are probably much different than yours. With that said, check out these links:
Deathcycle MySpace
Lifelinee Records