HammerbrosI remember Crosscheck records from the Boston Beatdown shit and haven't heard anything from them until I received this album. It's nice to see their still holding it down, because god knows how hard it is to keep a label afloat in this age of piracy.
Well anyway, these guys are from the Boston area, and have been lowering the boom on the hardcore scene since 2003. And I'm sure the first thing that will pop into most people's head when they hear about this band is, "What did they name themselves after the Mario Bros.?" And most people will either love that or hate that, regardless of hearing the band or indeed EVEN being named after the greatest tandem in video game history. Well, I love the Mario Bros and would've listened to it regardless because after all, this is the label that released the infamously notorious Boston Beatdown. So after that, I notice two things: 1)Why the hell send me the CD with the booklet only to skimp on the tray art? It's not like I make a business of selling CD's I get and 2) One of the greatest quotes is on the CD face, "I looked, and behold a pale horse...the rider was death, and hell followed with him." So right off the bat I'm already stoked on this CD (even minus the tray art, I understand the lack of jewel cases for postage costs, but seriously).
This LP album (although I'd be more inclined to title it an EP because if you take out the cover it's 9 songs that clock out at under 20 minutes) contains 10 tracks that usually range in the 2 minute mark. These guys have some good influences going for them; Cro-Mags, Bad Brains, Slayer, Obituary, just to name a few. Their influences culminate into a crushing slab of crossover hardcore that sticks to the foundation laid down before them, yet enough of a modern day twist to keep shit fresh. There are plenty of bulldozing breaks, two step parts, deep and hate driven vocals to keep your finger pointing. To top it off, their rendition of the Cro-Mags "Don't Tread On Me" was right on the money, and they closed it off perfectly with the gang vocals at the end.
For the most part, the lyrics deal with the dark side of human nature, and are directed towards the weak minded and insincere people in the world, delivered with deep, gruff vocals that do wonders in terms of hammering home the lyrics. The only song that left me pondering was the track "It Hurts." The lines, "You got the world hanging by the tip of your tongue/without a care because it's not your problem to bare/because the money is gonna roll right in!....."We've gotta wake up the youth because I'm losing my mind/call me a racist, that's your alibi" would leave me to be believe that the song is attacking mainstream rappers who by the words they speak, dictate how the kids who follow them will act. But I could be way off base. Either, although this isn't the most original stuff, it's some good shit.
I liked how this thing sounded. It's not polished by any means, it's just raw and rugged. The guitars are as thick and heavy as a ghetto booty. The bass prods along right in the background with the dense drums. The gruff and dominating vocal style implemented by the vocalist is perfectly blended into the tracks leaving little to be desired. Overall, very good.
Dwid Hellion is the Tim Burton of hardcore layout/graphic design. The crazy looking figure that is pulling out the entrails of some alien creature in the middle of nowhere, with the blood red sky looks spectacular. It's cool how Dwid leaves his marks in the artwork, if you look closely at the figure, there are some upside down crosses on his head and shirt. The inside of the booklet looks sharp, making use of plenty of band shots silhouetted over a bigger background band shot. All of the lyrics are in place, however there are some typos here and there. But all in all, looks great.
Rating: 4.5/5
Songs Worthy of Replay: Legion, A New Beginning, The Vitality
Thesis: You can't go wrong with anti-PC hardcore that covers "Don't Tread On Me" with artwork by the antagonist himself, Dwid. Check it out, this thing is worth checking out.