Live For TodayLike One Step Forward, this five-piece also comes from Lancaster, CA and also play super positive hardcore. They have been around since 2003 and I couldn't tell you what they have released or done. But I do know, like their labelmates At All Costs, they have called it a day and have already played their last show (April 7th).
This EP contains 7 tracks of new-old school hardcore that draws its influences from shit like Gorilla Biscuits, 7 Seconds, etc., as well as a lot of newer bands like Ten 33 and Internal Affairs. Though those influences (especially the latter) don't exactly shine through in the songs in clarity.
If anyone has read a lot of my previous reviews they know I hate two things pseudo-metalcore with guys wearing girls pants and hardcore with Christian preaching. I hate that shit and I don't want it anywhere near my hardcore/metal. So that really fucks this band big time. I mean the music is fairly solid even though it has been done 1000x and in most cases, just plain better.
The fact that the band has lines in their lyrics such as "There will be nothing but me and my God we will still remain..." and then "I can only do it with my God break down my fears" ("Power Over Fear") are enough to drive me up a wall. I mean I've heard bands on Facedown and Blood and Ink Records that don't use God twice in one song. As for the rest of the lyrics, they are about "friendship, faith, sobriety, and believing in yourself". And they are written in the most posi way possible.
Another thing that I didn't like about this EP were the vocals. They just seemed really forced and awkward and the one line at the 2:04 mark in "Power Over Fear" really shows this.
This was recorded by the same dude that dude the OSF record. It sounds fairly decent. The bass tone is nice, good presence. The guitar tone isn't bad but a bit low in my opinion and a bit stiff in some areas. The drums were alright but the snare started to irritate the hell out of me, it just had this obnoxious echo. The vocal placement wasn't great either, it was too loud with a slight echo.
Simple, typical hardcore artwork and layout but hey it works and I like it. The front cover has a sweet drawing of a skinny mother fucker trying to swing out of his shackles (it would've been sweet if he was like, floor punching with the shackles on and then in the back tray, they were off [okay now I'm just being sarcastic]). The booklet is a two page fold out that displays all of the lyrics in black over a contrasted background with different shades of black and grey. Not too shabby.
Rating: 2/5
Songs Worthy of Replay: Takin' It Back
Synopsis: Ah, I'm a weirdo, I love straight edge hardcore especially when done right. And I'm all about making a change and shit but for the most part "Positive is for your HIV test, not for hardcore". If the vocals were better and the lyrics didn't have any Christian nonsense this would've been better.