WRUV Reviews

Bearfoot- Culture of Fear
Release date: 2012Jan24
Label: Self-Released
Rating: 3.5/5

Bearfoot hail from Long Beach/Queens NY and play a decent mix of hardcore and power-violence. “Intro/This War” contains an abundance of droning mixed in with pounding drums. “Is Lost” mixes in crusty breakdowns and tinny drumming. Other tracks that stand out include “Outcast” (a bit of that chugga-chugga effect), “Soul To Take” (they don’t call it power-violence for nothing!) and “Globocop” (combines the best of their sound into one palatable track). Overall, this is an excellent release from an up-and-coming band. I look forward to future output. Check it out!

FCC: 4,6,7,9,10
Try: 2, 5,7,11

Download: http://bearfoot.bandcamp.com/

downpour.- Deluge EP
Release date:2012Jan20
Label: Self-Released
Rating: 4/5

downpour. hail from Arlington, TX and play a blend of power-violence, grind and hardcore. “Hunger Game” opens with fast, grimy drums and loud-as-fuck guitars. “Temporis Fidelis” expands upon that template with a decent breakdown thrown in. Gravelly vocals open “Hyperthermia”, another solid track. “Frankensense” throws in some melody. Besides the distinction of being the longest track, “Kinship” ties together all of their influences into one meaty track with pounding drums, droning guitar and enough energy to set off a nasty circle pit. I would love to see downpour. expand upon their technical prowess with their next release. If you’re interested, check out this release at the link below.

FCC: 2
Try: 3,5

Free download: http://downpourtx.bandcamp.com

H20- Don’t Forget Your Roots
Release date: 2011Nov15
Label: Bridge Nine Records
Rating:

It’s not too often that you see a band release an album full of covers. H20 has taken that route with Don’t Forget Your Roots, a collection of cover tracks from bands as diverse as Bad Brains, Rancid and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. It’s kind of fitting as I grew up listening to the very same bands. Some of the better covers include “Attitude” by Bad Brains (very close to the original with a faster pace), “Satyagraha” by 7 Seconds, “I Wanna Live” by the Ramones (Joey would be proud), “Someday I Suppose” by the Bosstones (not too far from the original), “Journey To The End of East Bay by Rancid (hands down, the best cover on this album!), “Sick Boys by Social Distortion“, “Train In Vain” by the Clash (another great cover!) and “Don’t Forget The Struggle, Don’t Forget The Streets by Warzone. Overall, this is a decent album full of covers that may or may not interest fans of hardcore punk. Check it out!

FCC: 6,9,12,15
Try: 1.2.6.9,11,15

Hostile Little Face- The Architect
Release date: 2011Oct10
Label: Firestarter Music
Rating: 4/5

Hostile Little Face hail from Australia and bring their blend of melodic hardcore for the masses to enjoy. “Deus Ex Machina” starts things off on a somber note that quickly increases in pace, leading into “Superhero”. The latter track is pleasantly catchy and it’s similar to stuff from bands like Set Your Goals, etc. “Without You” changes things up with a somber, almost weepy tone. I’m not feeling it. Tracks that stood out include “Steady My Arm” (I’m feeling this one…reminds me just a teeny, tiny bit of “When I Come Around” by Green Day), “All Away” (the drums take on an urgent feel and again, it reminds me of Set Your Goals, etc) and “Wait” (another on the sappy side). Overall, the vox are decent on most tracks and they have a good sense of melody. Better than I expected. Check it out.

FCC: Clean
Try: 2, 6, 9, 12

Counterparts- The Current Will Carry Us
Release date: 2011Oct25
Label: Victory Records
Rating: 2.5/5

In an era of cookie-cutter emotional hardcore bands, you need something to stand out. Counterparts are fully aware of this, hence their blend of modern emotional hardcore and :chugga-chugga” hardcore. “The Disconnect” is a great example with just enough sludgy hardcore drums and breakdowns to please the hardest of the hard. “MMVII” differs just enough from the first track with “blast” beats. Other tracks that interested me were “Jumping Ship” (have I stepped back into 1997?) and “Uncertainty” (ditto). Otherwise, the rest of the album is dull and uninspiring. I find it funny because they have a song praising the christian god (”Thank God”) in-between songs chock full of f-bombs and useless macho bravado..

FCC: 1,3,4,6
Try:  The best tracks have f-bombs. Fuck that.

By The Throat- Riders of Boards
Release date: 2011Oct08
Label: Self-Released
Rating: 4.5/5

By The Throat hail from Boston and consist of Sean “The Muscle”  on guitar, Chris Brat on bass, Chris Dimwit on durms and Niff on vox and guitar. Think of old school skate punk/hardcore and this is what you’ll get. “Rider of Boards” transports me back to 1984 with aggressive hardcore punk that brings to mind Murphy’s Law, The Freeze and a bit of Minor Threat. Great way to start this EP! “Indian Summer Revenge” is equally catchy and I’m catching an Econochrist vibe, mainly in the pacing and urgency of this track. I certainly want to crack some heads in a pit. “Status Quo” is short and catchy and it leads into “Inflicted” (another excellent track!). In all, I cannot gush enough about the rawness of this EP. Check it out if you’re looking for punk and hardcore that isn’t a rehash from Fat Wreck Chords!

FCC: Try the radio edits
Try: 5,6

Close Your Eyes- Empty Hands And Heavy Hearts
Release date: 2011Oct25
Label: Victory Records
Rating: 3.5/5

It’s hard to believe but not much hardcore came to WRUV in 2011. I’ve been wary of Victory releases due to their insistence on promoting melodic hardcore and stuff that borders on emo at times. This isn’t totally a knock because Close Your Eyes is one of the few Victory releases that resonated with me in 2011. I think it’s because their overall sound harkens back to the HC (and sXe) scenes of the 1990s. I can overlook the lyrical content (it’s not like I want to read it anyway) and focus on the music itself. “Hope Slips Away (The World Is Ours to Change)” to me, is a rallying cry for today’s youth to re-make the world in a way that benefits all.. “Erie” is short and brutal with thundering drums and a breakdown here and there. There were a few other tracks that I dug, such as “Valleys” (similar to “Erie”), “Wormwood” (the title isn’t original but this is one of their most complex and interesting tracks), “Wolves” (breaks the monotony with a bit of sorrow thrown in) and “Heavy Hearts” (another complex track). If you stick with my picks, you won’t be disappointed. Check it!

FCC: Clean
Try: 1, 3, 7, 10, 12

Gloominous Doom- Cosmic Super Ghoul
Release date: 2011Sept13
Label: DRP Records
Rating: 4/5

Gloominous Doom return with this six song EP. I enjoyed Feature and I was stoked to hear about this EP. For those not in the know, Gloominous Doom plays a blend of stoner metal, ska, thrash and surf. The inability to categorize them is part of their advantage. “Totally Awesome Definitely” shows off their thrash chops with a splash of sludge. The title track knocked me out of my chair with a mix of thundering drums and thrashing guitars. “Knuckle Sammich” is quite a departure from other tracks with poppy, danceable ska. “Trannyslvania” starts off with a short, campy intro before breaking out into a mix of old-school hardcore, reminiscent of Black Flag. “HIVampire” closes things off on a similar note with a good mix of campiness mated with old school thrash and hardcore. Don’t be fooled by this boring review. If you enjoy Gloominous Doom, just shut up and check it out for yourself!

FCC: Clean
Try: 1,3,5,6

Nothing to extreme/apparition from the normal brought to us by the emo rockers from Jersey. This album seems more complete?… than some of their previous efforts. This could be from either their music producer, or how they recorded it in the studio. Still simple emo riffs and vocals, but you can hear how much more polished the solos and overall feel are if you catch my drift. You can see that they are trying to become more than just emo by the suite that is track #1.

FCC Warning – Track 1

Try – 1/2/3/4/5/8/11 – 2/3/4/5 very good

RIYL – The Get Up Kids/The Movielife/Two Tongues/Tigers Jaws/Title Fight/Smashing Pumpkins/Taking Back Sunday/Weezer

400 Blows- Sickness & Health
Release date: 2011Aug23
Label: ORG Music
Rating: 4.5/5

This is the fourth release from LA noise punk group, 400 Blows. The lineup is very interesting as it consists of Skot Alexander, Scott Martin (Big Business) and Kevin Fitzgerald (Circle Jerks). The band name itself sounds like a reference to the film of the same name directed by Francois Truffaut. The overall sound of 400 Blows consists of a mix of noisy punk and old-school hardcore, which I enjoy very much. “Stop The End” has a marvelous time signature with the fast-paced drums of Fitzgerald that mesh with Skot Alexander’s vocals. “Bad Man’s Blues” stands out because it re-creates the furor of the early-80s LA scene. Can Fitzgerald pound the skins or what? “When The Time Passes Slowly” and “The Rescue Party” stand out with the former containing weird, nearly psychedelic vibes while the latter is the sonic equivalent of a blow to the fucking head.  I gotta admit, 400 Blows is a band to watch and they already have a lot going for them thanks to the hard work of Fitzgerald. I recommend you check them out soon!

FCC: ?
Try: 1,4,6,11