Make The DifferenceCincinnati, Ohio's Make The Difference are comprised of 4 guys who just want to play music with and in front of their friends, they aren't concerned with milking the corporate tit like so many other so called "hardcore" bands. They play what I would call modern day SxE hardcore with plenty of melody, I guess you could say they sound like Champion or something around those lines.
There are 11 tracks on here that steadily stick around the 2:30 mark. The songs don't revolve around a set formula so it keeps things from getting stale. The vocalist has a great tone to his voice and the sense of urgency in his voice really reverberates through to the listener. And considering how much melody these guys like to incorporate into their songs his voice is a perfect fit.
Overall these guys aren't setting their instruments on fire with blazing speed or technicality but the songs don't lack energy or emotion. For the most part, the songs are a little more developed than you would think, and while they do keep the tempo high it is a lot more mid paced then you would expect.
As most sxe bands, the music is merely there to provide a backing for the lyrical content. The song "Worth The Fight" is about how straight edge is worth fighting for, etc,. I believe the song "Standing In The Past" is about a fellow friend who was once straight edge but fell to perils of addiction. "One Scene United" doesn't really need an explanation, as the title itself pretty much tells you everything you need to know, but I'll say it anyway. The hardcore scene needs to stomp out the violence and stop the cliques between the different types of hardcore. "Sticking To Your Guns" is about what the title implies, stay true to yourself no matter what. "You're All I See" is song that's about missing someone that you wish never left your life, the song could be about a girl or a friend. "Lost Inside Myself" is a introspective song about being down but not out. "True Proud Drug Free" is another one that needs no explanation. "I Can't Let You Go" is actually the cheesiest song on the album, it's one of those emo jams about missing a lost love (now thinking about it "You're All I see" is probably about a girl). "Second Chance" is another fine song about being down but not out. "Our Generation" is about the perception that today's youth have failed but as long as we have these "X's in our hearts" everything will be okay. And the last song, "Break Away" is about trying to get a friend out of addiction.
Recording wise, this thing sounds stellar. With all things taken into consideration, the recording couldn't have been better for this brand of hardcore. The guitar tone is ideal as can be. The bass tone provides ample presence with a nice well rounded tone. The drums sound organic and dense, the snare tone sounds like heaven to my ears. Even the slight echo on the vocals sound great.
The artwork which was done by Curt Baer of Set It Straight and the overall layout design by Heather Utley (hey, I wonder if she's related to Chase Utley, who knows, probably not) looks really good. The front cover features some cool drawings going on, the hand holding the flower looks cool as shit even if that type of design has been used so many times. The little spray paint blotches behind the stenciled band name looks dope. The lyrics are displayed over four panels which use the background from the front cover with dripping paint and what not. The lyrics are very easy to read so a two thumbs up for that.
Rating: 3/5
Songs Worthy of Replay: Worth The Fight and One Scene United
Synopsis: Even though this brand of hardcore has already hit it's peak, this is still a good listen, especially for anyone with straight edge beliefs. The lyrics can be a bit cheesy now and again, but it's not nearly as bad as some of the shit I've heard in my days.
If you want, check theese guys out at their MySpace page to see for yourself, click here. If you like what you hear make the purchase from the label: Our Pride Records