Gee, definitely NOT for the casual listener! Just out, this 7" lasts 3 minutes!! And only one of the two sides contains new material! In any case, it's not like you'll come upon this 7" anytime soon, because it is already out of press, what with only 1000 copies made. I hope the new track is from an upcoming album though, because it is amazing, albeit short. So I guess you'll have to check out the CD instead if you've never heard 97a's unique old-school hardcore sound. Truly unique, I say. And for the true fan, don't pass this one up because you might not have a second chance...

Ya gotta dig old-school, and ya gotta dig A Chorus Of Disapproval... those guys rule! This is one of those CDs that I've had in my posession for as long as I can remember, and I've yet to get tired of listening to it. I mean, to me, all the songs on there are classic! I guess you could compare ACOD to Judge and maybe even Strife. Ahh man, long live the old-school, may we never forget our roots!

100 Demons have been propelled to the forefront of the hardcore scene in light speed with the release of their self-titled sophomore album, due in part to a more streamlined songwriting approach and an incredibly dynamic production job by Zeuss at Planet Z, the same studio that spawned classics from Hatebreed, Shadows Fall, and Sworn Enemy. For the year or so following the release of their debut album, “In The Eyes Of The Lord,” which sadly made less of an impact domestically due to the overseas status of their label (Good Life), the band toured incessantly with the original lineup featuring acclaimed yet forlorn singer Bruce LePage with ex-Yuppicide bassist Steve Karp, who was also the main artist for both 100 Demons and Death Threat shirt designs during that period.

A while ago, I wrote some news about how 2SC, a local punk-hardcore band from Sherbrooke was recording for a 4 tracks demo... well here it is! I remember being surprised when I first heard the sound quality, but I guess they fucked up on the master somewhere since the CD is totally not loud enough. Overall engineering needs more enveloppe. The bass is kinda bumpy at times and the guitar totally needs some more low end frequencies. But on to the good things now, the songs are awesome and that's what matters, right?

Uhmm... like ... well, this album sorta has highs, but most of the time it just sounds "cheezy" (sic) as Fred Beatdown would put it. I mean, they so have that "I'm from tha city, I'm tough" corny attitude. Overall, their sound hasn't improved very much over their last effort, it's still the same predictable riffs and breakdowns. Not to say that it's unenjoyable, but I did get tired of the same old rehash-core after a while (like, after 4-5 tracks). Anyway, 25 TA LIFE do score some XJeff-PointsX for having guns on the cover and also because, according to most girls in the hardcore scene, Rick Ta Life is one of the least attractive singers on the east coast... Hehe I'm kidding of course. But hey guys, don't you think it's lame to hear girls go: "yeaaaaah that singer's kind of cute"...

This is true NYHC buddy, uh-huh, the real thing! So all you fake tough guy bands can sit down and maybe even shroud yourself in darkness, cause New York's true defenders are here! Yes, hardcore is all about unity, not about fighting each other. But it's not like we Canadians care, cause only Americans do that, of course. There is much strength emanating from our hardcore way of life, it must be channeled to increase it's usefulness. So Rick Ta Life says. And his sayings I totally agree with. Plus, 25 Ta Life's music is quite entertaining and their live acts are way involving, so be sure to catch them live whenever you can (or whenever they actually show up!)

First off, let me say that there are tons of records that I should review before reviewing of 7 Angels 7 Plagues... but I just can't hold it back anymore, I really have to talk about this record!

Wow! This is NICE! If you've never heard (of) 97a yet... get down from your metal buzz and catch some brutally fast hardcore, courtesy of New Jersey's old-school/power-violence saviors. It's hard to describe their sound really, cause it's not as tight as other New Jersey old-school bands (Floorpunch and Ensign come to mind), rather it's very loose and sometimes dissonnant, not unlike Chicago's Charles Bronson (the high-pitched vocals come to mind!). In any case, "Society's Running On Empty" is a GREAT follow-up to their classic "Abandonned Future" CD released by Teamwork a couple of years ago. Get a load of the artsy cover!

Hell yeah!!! First, you definitely have to see them live. Crazy shit. The bassist Walt jumped off at least 7 feet during “pledge the allegiance”. From Connecticut, they must be the most brutal and agressive band from CT. This 5 songs mcd has a good quality recording and also includes the lyrics. You’ll see what they are all about. If you are into 100 Demons, One King down, Hatebreed, you will love these guys. You really need to look for this band; you’ll see what CTHC is.

Other than forgetfulness and/or pure laziness, I can not really explain why I've been putting off writing about this record for so long. This was given to me sometimes in 2004 and I completely failed my reviewing duties, now that we're well into 2005. A Day And A Deathwish have been touring the shit out of Ontario and Quebec for the past couple of years and I'm pretty confident you have heard of them by now. I have never really listened seriously to any of their previous releases, perhaps because they weren't as captivating as this one. This one has it all, from hard breakdowns to highly melodic anthems. The first bands that come to mind when listening to this S/T album are Bane and Comeback Kid. I think that should say it all.

Once in a while, you throw in some new music and really, honestly don’t know what to think of it. Is it an inspiring work of art, thrilling and promising, making you one of the few lucky witnesses of a new musical sub-genre or do you have mixed feelings about music that simply doesn’t sound that good and is plainly dull to listen to? I’d like this split between A Day in Black and White and Black Castle to fall in the first category. I listened to it a bunch of time, trying to evaluate everything and anything they give us. From the unique elements both bands are bringing to their distinctive sound, I think I listened to it more than enough to now know its strength and its weaknesses.

The way I see this band is that they're like one hell of a good kick in Montreal's ass, sort of like a wake-up call if you know what I mean. Of course, the other, moronic way to look at ADFES would be to call them "yet another rip-off band". Sure, there's nothing new under the sun with ADFES on the musical front, and they'll be the first to admit it. However, those guys are out there to represent Montreal, no, the whole province of Quebec!

Well since this is the Quebec Hardcore site you all know who these guys are. I have seen them play twice in Toronto and I finally picked up this Mini CD. Narrow minded people will think that this band is just another rip off of bands like Hatebreed and Buried Alive. Well ADFES have one thing in common other than musical simularites with Buried Alive which is their awesome lyrics. Correct me if I am wrong but these guys seem pretty anti-religous!

February 15 2002 will be remembered as the day one of the most anticipated records in the QCHC scene came out, A Death For Every Sin's full length album, "In A Time Where Hope Is Lost". I was at their record release shows with Until The End and let me tell you it was pure insanity but now that this is over, it's time to sit down and discuss what the hype is all about.

Quebec is not really known for having fast, rough and aggressive hardcore bands, but ADFES clearly stand on top of it all nonetheless. When they released their demo and their first MCD "God's Final Descent" on Sounds Of Revolution, it was easy to compare them to Another Victim, All Out War, 100 Demons and other tough hardcore bands, but with this record, it's incredible how so much more refined their sound got.

By now, from coming to this website to regularly going to shows in Quebec or Ontario, there's absolutely no way you can say you haven't heard about this band! What we have here is a limited release of their self titled CD, containing the three tracks from their now classic (and out-of-print) demo tape and three new gruesome tracks. The new tracks don't differ too much from the old ones so you can tell those guys pretty much have found their true sound, if I may say so, and we all know that's a good thing! The sound recording + engineering is pretty damn slick, fans of double bass drum techniques sure won't be disappointed!!

There's actually a small story behind me and this band, so I'll tell it because honestly this is the kind of band that I'm not too good at reviewing.

Honestly, I had no clue what to expect when I popped this album in my car CD player. In my mind, it could be either one of two things: another weak Saves The Day rip-off band (because of the name of the band) or another Neurosis/Isis suckup band (because of the layout design). Yup, so I was wrong. A Life Once Lost play intense and creative metalcore, blending experimental/ground-breaking riffs with the proven power metal formula. Meaning you will be reminded of Dillinger Escape Plan as much as Killswitch Engage / Aftershock (two of my most favorite bands EVER).

Back in the start of grade 10 (last year) I was talking to one of the Left Standing kids from Brockville, and he was telling me about how he had heard/saw (I forget) this amazing band called A New Found Glory somewhere I think it might of been in Montreal actually. He told me he had the cd, so I asked him to tape it for me. The next day at school he gave it to me and I had to find a walk-man from somebody so I could listen to it. After a period or two of searching for a walkman I had found one, I couldn't wait, finally I pressed play and that's when it hit me. The sound coming from this thing was amazing, the first song was awesome and they kept getting better.

I think by clicking on this review and seeing my name you already know how bad im gonna trash this; well... you are wrong! This album is awesome, it's so catchy. I wanted to hate it but I can't. They almost make it sound like getting dumped can be fun. Anyways it's very much on the pop punk tip, but it's done well. I can't explain why I like it cuz this sort of stuff has been done many times before, but I just do. so now that I've shocked you all by not trashing this thing, go check it out for yourself, you might actually like it.

P.S.don't forget, MC chickens $1.49 every day yo.... eat up (by Fat Mat)

Alternate review

I AM A QUEBECER! The Quebec hardcore scene will never stop to impress me when I hear stuff like In Dying Days and A Death for Every Sin... and this CD from these five Drummondville guys isn't an exception. Very powerful vocals that I could compare to Hatebreed's, added to an heavy and rude sound is what makes A Perfect Murder such a solid band. I just can't believe they were in show near my town and I wasn't there! I'm such an idiot...

Bands in the business for thirty years still can’t figure out how to make a rock/metal album as solid as "Cease To Suffer." On this twelve-track beast, A Perfect Murder flawlessly combines metal, rock, hardcore and thrash to incite reactions of both complete mosh pit mayhem and unity in their audience at the same time. The musical and thematic maturity present on this record is seldom found coming from a band yet to complete its third year of existence, but some kids grow up fast, as the saying goes. And with more segregation than ever in the hardcore scene, as subdivisions attempt to become their own genres, what would do the scene a great benefit is the arrival of a band that is organic from the ground up. A Perfect Murder is that band.

This is most likely the last material that was recorded by the APM line-up of the last couple of years and it's surfacing on Cyclop Records. Two covers, one medley, two new songs and a new version of their song “A Perfect Murder”; that’s what “Rehearsal” is all about.

In the Quebec hardcore and metal scene, I don’t think APM needs any introduction. Their solid blend of heavy metal and hardcore is known and respected. The two guitars are well used together and this is clearly the strength of this band. The bass lines are all right and the vocals are killer. The drums are tight, but I don’t necessarily always enjoy the way they sound. Like the volume was turned down or something.

Ahhh! A local release... it's been a while! First off we have The Burning Bridge, which is weird cause I thought it would be A Perfect Murder playing first (that's what the layout says). Anyway, TBB rose from the ashes of In Our Hands, which is a band I totally liked even though they didn't play around too much. I think TBB's first show was with Ignite in summer 2000 and they've recently played a handful of local shows... so they've begun establishing themselves as "the" old school band around here... nice! They sound like a mix between Trial (mostly the guitar, which sounds just awesome on tape but even better live) and American Nightmare, or a more pissed off version of TYF if you don't know what AN sound like ;).

Meh. Someone wrote a review of A Static Lullaby's debut EP a little while ago, and ended his review saying that their full length was gonna be available soon and that he was looking forward to it more than anything else. It's here now, so I guess this guy must be really happy.

But as far as I'm concerned, this band is nothing else than another flash in the pan. If you're into the crazy-chaotic-emotional "hardcore" sound of the new millenium, you're probably in for a treat. Unfortunately you're probably gonna sell all your "underground" records in 6 months give or take, so your opinion matters little to me.

After many long years, we finally get a new band with xFUDDx on vocals... and is this the heaviest fucking thing ever? I think so!

A Taste For Blood are still fairly recent as a band, and already they have had many line up changes to get to this CDep. Well, as long as they keep Fudd on vocals. This guy has the most unique vocals ever to front a hardcore band. Like them or not, you have to agree. They are almost death metal-ish, but they're still totally hardcore.

Woah. The unsuspecting fool that I am almost got struck by a heart attack when I first played this thing in my car. At first I couldn't believe my ears, or maybe I just didn't want to? I came to terms with reality after some time and realized this is one of the heaviest things to ever come out of Germany...

ANS are a band from Texas who suprised me a lot, because the artwork is not that nice in my taste. But when i heard the music I was really happy. It's very catchy and well written exept for the double bass drum (at some spots). And the singer is singing not yelling. Totally skate core, but in the right way, not Pennywise, Good Charlotte or Music Plus crap. This is old school! This is real fucking HXC punk. Most of the lyrics talk about skateboarding. If you're into JFA & old Gang Green then you will love this album!

Formed in 2000 out of the ashes of A Chorus Of Disapproval, Insted, Outspoken and Strife, A18 (formerly Amendment 18) was a shining ray of hope for a lacking California Hardcore scene. Their pedigree is unmatched, and it places them right up there among "superbands" such as Terror and Ragmen.

In theory, this straightedge superband should be making the list of my favorite current bands. They have after all, ISAAC motherfucking GOLUB on vocals, of the all too legendary A CHORUS OF DISAPPROVAL... the first band that effectively turned me on to straight edge hardcore. 10 years later, he still has the same powerful vocal ranges, and a tone that makes me want to scream "I'm on fire!!" and play the amazing xCODx discography CD and its 200-something tracks.

Yeah I know this is an old one, but it must be heard! This is the typical Swedish Hardcore band, but with a more emotional touch to it. Sometimes you could swear that the singer is really crying while he screams the lyrics out! This is not very innovative but pretty effective! Good breakdown bridges combined to fast paced verses, well the perfect recipe to please as many as old school and new school hardcore fans! Ten tracks, only 24 minutes, this one is an easy listen. Some songs remind me older Snapcase meets Refused. My favourite tracks are Serenade, Competition in Hatred and Dragon.

Although the debut album by California quintet Abominable Iron Sloth was only released by renowned Canadian label Goodfellow this past April, recent reports point towards the band having broken up. As three of the five members helped found Sacramento noisecore act Will Haven in the mid-nineties, and that band recently reunited, signing a sizeable deal with Bieler Bros. for their long-awaited but unexpected fourth album, Abominable Iron Sloth have found themselves left with its founding members, Justin Godfrey and Cayle Hunter. Since Godfrey wrote most of the band’s music with some help from Hunter, with the former no longer involved and the latter recently forming of a new band, Armed For Apocalypse, points to the end of the Sloth.

When a once-untouchable, murderous thrash band like The Haunted begin incorporating hardcore chants, lyrics, and slow, tired grooves as they did on their most recent disaster "Revolver," it single-handedly ruins the reputation it took them over a decade (some as members of At The Gates) to create. However, seeing as Aborted come from a much darker place musically and thematically, very little can be done to disentangle them from the gore-grind scene which birthed them, and so the unexpected solos and breakdowns newly present on The Archaic Abattoir add the kind of pizzazz that bands are best advised to gradually include if growing recognition is what they seek.

It has been a while since I gave a number of consecutive listens to a record, a sufficient number of listens to do a proper review of the whole thing. And while I can say I missed the whole process for many aspects, there are some other aspects that I could've lived without. Included in these aspects is the fact that I could live without generic XXIst century metalcore.

Absence are an Italian vegan straight edge band, playing a kind of metalcore very similar to what Morning Again used to do. However they don't have as much screaming, instead they rely on harshly sung vocals, and if you liked the vocals on the latest Ringworm album (Human Furnace baby) then you're gonna dig those found on "I'll Cast The First Stone". The riffs vary from Arkangel/Reprisal metalcore style to straight up new school chugga.

Unfortunately this is only a MCD, and let me tell you by the time you get to the end of track 6, "From The Eyes Of The Victim", you'll be getting yourself ready for more. For fans of Earth Crisis, Italia's Reprisal, Morning Again and other seminal mid-nineties vegan sxe acts. Great release from a great label.

I remember a time back in QCHC history when Drummondville was notoriously known for bringing out brutal bands, such as: Downfall Of Man, Burning Bridges, A Perfect Murder... and it is of no coincidence that the same crew in all those three bands were pretty much the only kids representing d-town. A Perfect Murder has gone onto new horizons which is awesome for them, and 3 of the 5 APM members have split and chosen to go back to their roots of old school.

Heh, well this is not like an oldie, but more like something I meant to review a while ago, you know? Anyway, ACME were one HELL of a psychothic metal-core band... too bad they broke up. The soundscapes explored by this band are just fascinating, they are so varied in style! The transition between track #1, Blind, and track #2, Attempt, is just fantastic, as if the end of the world was about to become a reality. The syncopations thought up by these amazing musicians are just delectable. My only gripe with this album is that it's too short, and it's supposed to be a discography CD! Damn... well I guess you can hear more from the ACME guys in their new Morser band, but I was told it was an entirely different experience. Mourn the loss...

Right, I've never heard anything from Adamantium before, though I've heard lots of good things about them from other people... now I guess it's my turn to say good things about them! Chaotic is the keyword here... to be honest, this album reminds me of Cave In's "Beyond Hypothermia" in the sense that the direction of the album is geared towards heaviness yet the production favors technicality and skill over pounding and (eventually) repetitive riffs. Apparently those Californians put on some of the craziest sets on the west coast, so check out this album if you wanna know what the hype surrounding them is all about.

Indecision Records 30 - 2000

Holy moly! I love AFI!!! Well, after this record I do. When I first heard their debut on nitro "Very Proud Of Ya" I thought it was awful and never wanted to hear them again. However, over the past year or so AFI have been making quite a stir and lots of exclaim from many. Hearing so many say that "AFI rules" prompted me to buy this record. And it does not disappoint at all. It's perfect punk infused with hardcore with some of the best vocals I've ever heard. Each song is very distinictive and there is no repetition at all. This album is hella rad!

Nitro - 2000

OK once in awhile each of us comes across a record that is just impossible to find something wrong with. Such is the case with Aftershock's Five Steps From Forever! The style is just impossible to pinpoint... it's emotional at times, then becomes brutally hardcore only to end up sounding purely metal. I guess you could say this band reminds me of some of the Solidstate bands (such as Zao, Living Sacrifice) and also Shadows Fall (with the guitars screaming in gothic unison). Overall it's such a good mix and I hope that this release will bring Aftershock more coverage and possibly take them to a higher level. I'm totally looking forward to their next release, which is in fact going to be a 2CD anthology!

I bought this CD a week ago now, and I just can't take it out of my CD player. This is some serious metal-core! A blend of metal-black-emo-tough guy that will leave ya breathless and bleeding. Melodic guitars with heavy breakdowns and awesome evil-sounding vocals. Buy this CD or die trying!!!!!!!!

Goodlife Recordings - 2001

This NY band was started by Rob Kabula of Agnostic Front, & are like '80 NYHC in the vein of Agnostic Front's "Victim In Pain" era. Fast, pissed off New York HC with good hard breaks in the right places. With 17 songs the band brings back memories of Agnostic Front with a twist of today's newer/harder style music. It contains a pretty good quality recording but hey! It’s engineered and produced by Billy Milano (S.O.D) who also appears on da song “Doubted” and Roger Miret (Agnostic Front) appears on da song “Last Word”. N-Y old school hatecore fans, you should have this piece of collection right in your hands.

Too Damn Hype - 1997

Ever hypothesize that if Jesus Christ ever came back to earth as promised, few people these days would give a shit (except for the Solid State and Facedown rosters, past and present)? Still yet, promise your resurrection, and prepare for a select handful of fanatics to watch their calendars as if they were girl-on-girl porno vids. That's exactly what I've been doing since Agents Of Man released their debut EP nearly five years ago; staring at my calendar, year after year. I'm every band's dream: A loyal fan following a band post-breakup just as much as during its' active days. But can the same be said about those eager to hear more from the band when they emerged half a decade ago? That is a longer time-span than most people remain involved with the hardcore scene.

I gotta be honest with you guys, I know very little about Agnostic Front. Don't get me wrong, I know the classic songs, but I mostly learned these through all the live covers I've heard. Not that I have anything against this band, au contraire, I love what I heard but I never took the effort of hearing more.

Riot, riot upstart! This is the worst A.F. album ever released. I haven’t heard the new one yet but this one is bad!

Ok, what about that? An Anal Cunt member with a friend, playing destructive grindcore. There's almost 30 songs on this CD, harder from one to another, violent and gore songs, I freakin' love it. Ya see the picture inside the booklet? A little kid who has an axe in the hands, and a guy with a bra, and a jack knife in both knees. Wow! This IS brutal! Sick songs, fast, angry, offensive, they delivers great grindcore, as I love it, and as you love it! Everybody rush to your favorite indy store and buy it fast! They've also released lotsa shit like a split with Cattle Press (wich is awesome too), a split with Converge, and couple of 7 inchers too. Have fun with this one!

Relapse - 1998

Texan author Aimee Cooper contacted me in early 2003 about reviewing an auto-biographical book of hers. I accepted but not without warning her that the review might be coming in late due to the fact that I just don't have time to read books anymore.

Well the first great thing I have to say about this book is that contrarily to what I initially thought, this book is incredibly easy to get into! And sadly, just as easy to read through in less than 5 hours.

Hailing from St. Catharines, ON, Alexisonfire has exploded onto the scene... gaining quite a following here and getting bigger every show they play. This is there first album, released on Distort, and it's f@#$ing amazing. They combine beautifully sung vocals with harsh screams, and emotional breakdowns with heavy mosh parts. They music is excellently put together with most of the lyrics focusing on love, pain, and self destruction. This is one of, if not the, best bands coming out of the Niagara-St.Catharine's scene and i urge to to check them out. Songs to check out: 44 Calibre Love Letter, A Dagger Throught the Heart of St. Angeles. For Fans Of: Hopesfall, Unearth, Boy Sets Fire.

DISTORT - 2003

No album should have to be waited on for five long years. With all honesty however, "Condemned To Suffer" is a masterpiece that makes the half-decade worth the grueling delay. And unlike the rising metal bands with industry plans and alcohol sponsorships, true underground music lives from day to day, much like All Out War has been during this hiatus, which has seen many of their original fans go into hibernation. In many ways their uncompromising attitude towards the scene put them on the backburner in terms of who was going to be climbing the popularity ranks of the hardcore and metal world.

Boyeee! Can you scream at the top of your lungs "All Out War, 1998 Chugga Chugga Champs"?? Oh yeah, you betta believe it. This thing is driving me nuts! AOW's For Those Who Were Crucified is the perfect companion to floorpunching and appartment trashing. The CD insert displays some wonderful art, includes awesome photos by the very talented Danielle Dombrowski and features the longest thank you list I've ever seen! The album contains a mix of new songs, old material (such as resist and truth in the age of lies) and even a couple of covers (Cro-Mags and C of C (correct me if I'm wrong))!! Don't turn this CD down if you like NYHC, even at the very least!

WHOA! The truth, my friends! This band is quite recent, with only a short history that I know of. What we have here is ultra powerful metallic hardcore. To tell you the truth, this is as metal as hardcore gets. Lyrics are deep, thoughtful, almost informative! From what I've heard so far, these guys have quite a large following worldwide. This is a must for everyone whose musical roots lie in metal.

It would be silly to suggest Massachusetts neo-thrashers All That Remains’ approach to songwriting changed over the years due to their need for creative growth. Founding guitarist Oli Herbert and longtime guitarist Mike Martin are professional players in the true sense of the term; students seek them out to be taught how to play styles aplenty, but mostly metal, for obvious reasons. And since delivering a very public guitar-playing lesson on their 2002 debut Behind Silence and Solitude, they have become more conscious songwriters in the albums since, and more sensitive with the use of such tactics as suspense and release.

The new wave of American heavy metal, also known as Swedish musical runoff, is moving ahead at warp speed compared with how slowly its foundation was laid. Sadly many an untrained ear are being bred into believing that the handful of leading bands that are seemingly rising from the underground into every self-professed heavy metal fan’s top five list are the be all, end all of music that thrashes, disturbs, and fails to relent. With my prayers for an end to nu-metal popularity answered (though it will still exist forever just like every other unspeakable trend), a far more unexpected request goes up to the heavens: For the modern metalcore movement to suffer the same fate, and hopefully sooner than later.

I don't think a lot of people on this site have ever heard about Allegiance... there haven't been too many west coast bands making huge impressions this side of the continent lately, except of course for heavy hitters such as Terror and Champion. Hopefully this review will help a little bit, because Allegiance definitely deserve some of your listening time.

Let's get the basics out of the way: Allegiance are a San Francisco-based straight edge band and "Overlooked" is their debut full length. Previous releases include a self-titled MCD and a split 7" with Internal Affairs. I remember listening to their demo online a long time ago, somewhere in 2002. This is actually the first time I heard about this band since then, so I was damn happy when Rivalry Records sent me their new record.

Allright! I haven't heard from Alterkation in quite a while... a couple years ago they were supposed to come here in Quebec for a couple shows but they got denied at customs, probably because of criminal past. If you read the review of their previous effort "Heaven Hath No Fury", you'll notice I was quite fond of it. This album had everthing a fan of heavy music could possibly look for. Blast beats, double bass drum mania and chugga chugga galore.

Wow, this really is the discovery of the month! Alterkation play some of the loudest hardcore heard on this side of the coast... reminds me of a cross between a tuned down Earth Crisis and a meaner Hatebreed (can you imagine that?) Obviously, the Alterkation guys have spent a lot of time in perfecting their harmonies... they're always tight and heavy. Drum beats are mostly slow to mid-tempo, although some grind parts are integrated into the listening experience at a later point on the album... and they are very nice!

Ok, this is crazy. i've just discovered amanda woodward and I'm completely out of my mind. I can't believe it, this is pure french screamo (jeff's real emo) straight out of caen, normandy.

This is their first album, formerly released as their demo on a cd-r, stonehenge records re-released it in 2001 on a ten-inch picture disc and here we are with eight tracks for a total of about 23 minutes.

amanda woodward hits with catchy riffs, instrumental parts and most of all: magnificent, well thrown, french, meaningful lyrics. The whole sound reminds me bands like envy or yage. you can't go wrong with that.

Like most of the European hardcore bands, amanda woodward's lyrics are mainly about social subjects influenced by the writer's personal experiences. From economy to show-business...

Joy! I've always been a huge Chorus Of Disapproval fan, so you can imagine my excitement when I heard about this new band featuring members of Chorus, Insted and Outspoken last year. This is true New Age Records style!

Hmm, I don't really know what to think about the new American Nightmare. I'll say it's doubtful. When I first heard this band from their self-titled album, I started to love this band a lot, and I was really anticipating the release of "Background Music". But, I was a bit disappointed cause they take some songs from their previous records and put it on this one. Like "Hearts", "Farewell" and "There's a black hole in the shadow of pru". There's a song called "God save the Queen" but it has nothing to do with the Sex Pistols classic. So,there's 11 tracks on the album but 3 of them are old stuff. And it's really a short album too. But, it's a good album anyway. These Boston guys rock there's no doubt about it!

Ok, the demo was good, but this CD totally puts it to shame. I can't even listen to the demo anymore knowing that I could be listening to this, which is so much better. I can think of only one bad thing to say about this, so I'll get it out of the way; the printing of the lyrics in the sleeve is too small and a bit sloppy. Pretty small complaint. Now, from here on you will be hearing only good stuff, so if you only like to read bad reviews, stop reading now. Kurt Ballou, American Nightmare - you are geniuses!

This record is the follow-up to American Nightmare's excellent self-titled release. There are only three originals on this album ("There's a Black Hole in the Shadow of the Pru", "I've Shared Your Lips so Now They Sicken Me", and "Hearts"). The record kicks off with Black Hole, and it kicks off hard - this record is a bit harder than their first release, though every bit as good. Wes Eisold's vocals maintain the same direction; focusing on personal events, rather than more traditional hardcore topics, such as being sXe and whatnot. "I've Shared Your Lips..." is the next track, clocking in at just under a minute. The energy goes up a notch with the last original track on the album, "Hearts", with Eisold and the rest of the band chanting "Screaming gets you nothing!" at the end.

I sure wish bands would spend more time working on meaningful album packaging. When I received this record in the mail, I instantly threw it on the "don't bother" pile after seeing the cover. Metallica did the black album layout thing already, once is enough. Plus their logo looks a lot like Atreyu's and while I personally don't mind Atreyu's music, copying their logo is completely useless. It wasn't until I read the card included in the enveloppe that I decided to give this record a chance after all, after deducting from their email address that they were from some weird ass foreign country.

Sometimes I really wonder why I get stuff like An Angle in the mail. I'd like to know what guys at Sony/EMI/Drive Thru, etc are thinking when they go "Gee let's send this hardcore website one of our crappiest folksy type of record for review".

Those of you who know me personally know that I'm pretty open-minded when it comes to music, but they know I have my limits. They also know that I can't stand whiny guys singing 10 songs about how much they like alcohol and other crappy emo situations. Hey, Live Journal is on my HOSTS file for a reason. I can't stand this emotional delivery bullshit crap, read me, hear me, view me or I will slit my veins open!

Ever heard of Anah Aevia and their album Statistical and Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders: 7th edition?? Yes? You lucky person. No?

Hahah, what a fucking weird name for a band, they must be a joke band. But they put alot of money in this for a joke band. The C.D. was sealed when I got it, and the cover is full color also. It's professionally done, but not the music. The recording is decent on some songs, and some just sound like shit. The lyrics are very political but looks like they were written by someone that's 15 years old. The vocals are punk in the vein of Aus-Rotten, but not all the songs, and there's one weird screaming annoying vocal you only hear sometimes, it's really fucked up. They sound like if Aus-Rotten didn't know how to play music. So this not really something to buy, if you get it for free listen to it and laugh.

Self Released - 2005

In the tradition of great French hardcore, Ananda comes at you with unmatched intensity and urgency, much like their friends Fingerprint, Vanilla, etc. Wonderful vocal delivery (female shrieking--I'm in heaven) over epic and complex slightly emo hardcore similar to their French counterparts, but the relatively mediocre recording detracts from the beauty and power of the songs. If this album was better recorded, "Habeas Corpus" would truly be a masterepiece. Don't get me wrong, the recording is okay, but I can only imagine what could have been and what is when heard live. This is however an incredible band and LP. Ananda are one of the leaders in modern heartfelt hardcore and just one of the many great bands to emerge from Europe.

Unfortunate Records - 1998

When I got the latest Thorp Records package in the mail, ANGEL CITY OUTCASTS was the first CD to go in for inspection. Not because I thought it would be awesome, but because I thought it would suck and I could skip it quickly and get to the good stuff they sent me. BOY WAS I WRONG. After the intro track "Trent", I was instantly sold. Then the actual "Angel City Outcast" song came and I was on cloud 9. I thought this would be typical street punk with three chord progressions, songs about drinking, gambling and being lowlife outcasts. Sure, I was right on some of the stereotypes. Band's gotta do what a band's gotta do, meaning fitting into at least some type of genre.

I'll start this review by admitting that some of you readers probably know more about this band than I do. But since I'm pretty much the only regular reviewer on this god-forsaken website, I feel it is my duty to let everyone know about how awesome Annihilation Time is. So if you have anything to add, go ahead and write comments!

Every time I hear something new from Anodyne, it keeps sounding better and better!

Hey, well if this seven inch doesn't wreak havoc on your stereo system, what will??? Seriously, you can't shield yourself from the madness that spinning this record on your turntable will atmospherically create, so beware, and prepare. Imagine a noisier Botch (as if you could imagine that) with even crazier high pitched guitar riffs, shrieking vocals and frantic drummings. Although very midtempo-esque, this 33-1/3 rpm record sounds like a ten-wheeler driving at 100 m p/h with you in sight! Total noisecore, with slight but apparent hardcore influences. This band's from Cambridge after all, and we all know what that means! Track number 4, "Lead by exemple" was recorded live and is a perfect exemple of just how crazy Anodyne is live. I could only wish that this were an LP...

I waited for this demo for awhile and once it came out I wasn't disappointed but I'm not into it as much as I wished I was. These guys play heavy power-violence and seeing these guys live is an awesome experience. They are one of the best live bands around but it doesn't show on this tape. It's a great tape if you've never heard these guys, but to see them live then listen to the tape is not the same. I would recommend this demo but if you have the chance, see these guys live!!!

Ant Records #42 - 1999

In one of the most brutal metalcore releases of the last five years, Another Victim distributes bloody beatdowns and then offers second helpings on this 5-track EP. Of course the hype has died down since AV have broken up at Hellfest 2001, but this still stands as arguably their best release. Featuring Andy Bradshaw's scathing vocals and vegan lyrics, all of the pillars are in place to make this one the strongest releases to ever come out of Syracuse. This is also the first record to feature axeman Jonathan Dennison, who after two more AV EP's and numerous compilation appearances, went on to grind the axe for current metal monsters Santa Sangre and soon to be the reincarnation of AV, True Love.

Why no one has reviewed this AMAZING EP yet is beyond me. Another Victim's second release, this EP does not match their debut release A Portrayal Of Vengeance in the brutality department, but it is still one of the best metalcore releases I own. Ominous artwork round off this release, which features the classic hardcore anthem Free In Constraint in its original form, a song which attempts (and succeeds) to break gender barriers and stop compulsive heterosexuality. The other songs attack sinners, substance abusers and promiscuous behaviour, while simultaneously enforcing a straight-edge lifestyle. Six tracks of pure riffage, slowed-down old-school beats and ripping vocals. There is also a hinting of Sepultura-esque tribal drums in each song which often complement the crazy breakdowns.

In probably the biggest HC news of the year 2000, Another Victim are back together!

There are very few modern hardcore bands coming out of England, so I try and make it a duty to check each one of them out... cause I just love that country. Anthem Of The Century are a great band drawing heavy influence from Bostoncore. I'm talking In My Eyes and Bane (check out track #3 for a clear example), but they also have a west coast feel, a la Ignite.

We won't be hearing much about this record anymore since Anthem Of The Century disbanded, and along with members of In The Clear, regrouped into Sworn In... yes the same Sworn In who just released an awesome 7" on Bridge 9. AOTC sound a lot more traditional HC than Sworn In does, I guess maybe the break up has something to do with the extremely pissed off sound of Sworn In's seven inch, heh.

I haven't cared about Anti Flag since their "Die for your government" album. So when my girlfriend got this, I didn't care to hear it. One day I went over to her place and she was listening to it and I had no clue it was them. when i found out it was Anti flag, I was fuckin shocked. The production on this CD is amazing and the songs are catchy as fuck. The insert is super informative and even has a sleeve over the cd that when you open it up, is an anti Bush flyer, gotta love it. It's alot poppier than their early stuff but they pull it off without sounding like the shit that you hear on the radio 24/7. So if you are looking for a good record and a lesson and politics, I would strongly suggest this one.

Fat Wreck Chords - 2003

Anything Goes play old school Hardcore but there is nothing straight edge about this EP. Five pissed off songs with excellent dance parts as well as an intro which is great for live shows. I picked this sucker up at their show with No Warning and A Death For Every Sin in Toronto and I am pleased to have seen them take the stage because they broke up very shortly after. Anything Goes bring in the Mosh but also have room for melody which fits in quite nicely by the way. Not much else to say except if you can get in touch with this record please buy it.

Broken Glass Records - 2001

Upon reading Aria's song titles, "This night has opened my eyes and I will never sleep again" and "The natural evolution toward tragedy and dissolution," I expected to hear yet another nauseating emo-metal album void of any creative appeal to the seasoned metal and hardcore listener. While the listening experience that followed did not prove my expectations to be entirely off-key, specifically with regards to the occasional soft introduction and mellow interlude, Aria know how to pull off some surprisingly authentic and melodic heavy metal in the most chaotic sense of the word.

First, I'm not really sure whether this is a 2000 or 1999 release... Good Life Recordings' bands have this bad habit of not indicating the recording dates (see Racial Abuse review further down)... Anyway... I've been wanting to get my hands on an Arkangel record ever since I heard "In The Embrace Of Truth" on MP3. I guess you could compare this band to Morning Again in that they have the vegan-edge and that they portray it in brutal metallic madness. But this is over-the-top madness we're dealing with here. Some of the lyrics are very dark and foreboding ("The Darkest Crime"), while others are very light and inviting ("In The Embrace Of Truth") resulting in a beautifully contrasting lyrical aspect. They got it all...

Emotionally driven metallic hardcore. This is Toronto's Arkata. And on this fairly long EP (six songs, about 20 minutes), they give it all to the listener.

First of all, on a personal note, it's been a while since I listened to some material by a good unsigned band. Bands tend to ink themselves a record deal nowadays, even in they are fairly unknown and a part of the supposedly DIY hardcore scene. So, I find it really nice to come across a band who's able to get their music out on their own.

WoooW! I don't know much about these new Eulogy members but I can guarantee that this Cd is something that is worth listening to. It's hard to describe how it sounds but it's without a doubt heavy and violent, with an aggressive vocal. 7 songs that make me want to crash my head in the walls... Just the art cover of the record is quite frigtening to me! We are the Pale Horse and Cold Pillows and Warm Blades are my favorite songs. If you appreciate bands such as Santa Sangre, Throwdown and 18 Visions, you'll definitely want to hear more and more of Arma Angelus. Anyway, quite frankly, I don't think any hard music fan could be deceived on this one...

Eulogy Records ER33 - 2000

I had been wanting this LP for quite some time as I had read some good reviews, so when I saw it at Diagram Records (cool record shop in Montreal) I promptly picked it up. Before I continue, it is important that I mention that I was in the mood for something different, hence my interest in this band. Like The Crimson Curse LP, it took me a little while to get in the swing of things; I was caught off-guard by the offbeat quirkiness of this LP. Since I was new to the musical stylings of Armstrongs Secret Nine, I was expecting something different (emo with lots of melody?), but this record has far surpassed my initial expectations. The Corpse Came Calling is a great album full of spastic, weird guitar riffs over a solid bass groove and pounding drum beats.

Straight up grind with a tinge of powerviolence from the beautiful city of Burlington, Vermont. These guys really impressed me when I saw them live; plenty of tight blast beats and lots of action. Imagine a vocalist with a totally demonic growling vocal delivery, backed up by two shrieking banshees and lots of fast blast beats mixed with the occasional slower parts for added power and you'll get a good idea of Army of Darkness' sound. The song structures are pretty complex with many tempo and riff changes. This reminds of a much "cleaner" and faster Exploding Corpse Action with added intricate song structures reminiscent of the metal-hardcore sound. Unlike the weak stuff peddled by the metal labels, this is what grind should sound like.

Carcass is dead, its more pop(n)ular successor Arch Enemy is trite metalcore rehash, and America took long enough to discover late-era Carcass. But when it finally did as it would have sooner or later, since quality niche subgenres are bound to be re-discovered with increased availability of historical metal information, Mike Amott’s influence on their groundbreaking transformation from an ex-Napalm Death, modern grind band into a true melodic death metal powerhouse was immortalized as one of the first bands to make death metal listenable to legions of heavy music fans who failed to smell what southern Florida had been cooking in the years prior.

The final As Friends Rust release with Damien Moyal on vocals, and it doesn't disappoint one bit. Following in the footsteps of the previously released "Won", they put out an amazing (though short) release.

This is the first album I bought from this band. Only 5 songs but I think it's worth the 10 buck you'll pay for it. This album is really short but it only lets you wanting more. Melodic guitar riffs, nothing too technical, with a vocal sometimes clear, sometimes screamo. Nothing you never heard before but your ears will appreciate it.

Lyrically, it's about all you could expect from emo music... but at least not all the songs are about love. My favorite songs would be: home is where the heart aches, when people resort to name calling and, broken brain.

Doghouse 070 - 2000

First off I would thank the person who suggested I should listen to listen this band... man what a discovery for me! This band is so fucking awesome!

This record got a noticeable amount of hype prior to its release, warning metalcore-heads that something big was about to blow up. Now that it's here, I guess it's safe to say the hype was well-deserved indeed.

This is the first record that As the Sun Sets has released since their debut "Each individual voice is dead in the silence". They're back with an extraordinary need for chaos, they unleashed the demons sleeping inside their heads. This album goes everywhere. Each song is very short (unfortunately) but there's so many different riff in each of them that they seem like natural songs. "The worst 30 seconds of your life" in every song. Breakdowns, blast beats and sound samples. It sounds simple... but you won't understand the dirty structure at first contact. Your ears will slowly open their gates to pure noise. Just note that the lyrics are crazy. They don't look like lyrics but you'll see their poetic side after listening to the album 3 or 4 times.

Along with A Perfect Murder and Radical Attack, As They Fall are one of the few openly straight edge bands in Quebec Hardcore. If I'm not mistaken, this is their second demo, the first one of which was released with a different band name though. This is a perfect example of a band working hard to get its name out there. They come from fucking Jonquiere which is 100 hours away from everything. A lot of band come together in big cities and get an instant following just cause they have a crowd to play to, well it's not the case with these guys.

Along with A Perfect Murder and Radical Attack, As They Fall are one of the few openly straight edge bands in Quebec Hardcore. If I'm not mistaken, this is their second demo, the first one of which was released with a different band name though. This is a perfect example of a band working hard to get its name out there. They come from fucking Jonquiere which is 100 hours away from everything. A lot of band come together in big cities and get an instant following just cause they have a crowd to play to, well it's not the case with these guys.

A local band from Jonquière, As they Fall is a old school hardcore band supporting a drugfree lifestyle. Influenced by the eighties, As They Fall sounds pretty much like Youth of Today, Judge, etc. I saw them live at Jonquière last summer and I can tell you that Nick “I am the edge” is going crazy! Fast, in-your-face with cool breakdowns and dance parts. We don't see a lot of new band like this one anymore, playing the old sound. I'll say buy the demo now! You get 5 songs, a cover song “talk is cheap” from Bold and the lyrics are also included. I think only 50 demos were made. Support the local scene!! Jonquière is far away, but still in the Quebec province. Keep it hardcore!

DIY - 2001

As They Fall man, fucking ATF. This Jonquiere Straight Edge band has been around forever, paying their dues left and right and beyond. Unfortunately they never really had a record to call their own. After a couple of demos and even a name change way back then, the guys have finally put 7 of their best songs together on CD. They even went as far as releasing it themselves, as well as helping other bands out under the Ghost Town Records banner.

How nice! Well, what we have here is a good-sounding tape from a very young old-school hardcore band hailing from Toronto... ideals they promote are unity, respect and steering clear of drugs... great! What really sets this band apart for me though is the excellent quality of the language used in the lyrics. Great job, Ben!

There used to be a time when power violence was my forté, my pizzazz. Acrid, Spazz, Assuck and about a million bands from Florida. One of these bands definitely was Gainesville, FL's Asshole Parade with their fantastic split w/ Palatka. Flashback 10 years later to the Asshole Parade reunion year! To celebrate, AP released two long-lost recording sessions on one disc, 15 tracks for 12 minutes of raging hardcore thrash!

I have been a fan of The Misfits since day 1 and along with Bad Religion, they are one of the reasons why I still give a fuck about the underground today.

Misfits cover albums are a dime a dozen, so Astro Zombies is nothing new. But that's about where the originality comparisons fall short. First of all not only do they cover both Misfits AND Danzig songs, the members of Right Direction and BackFire who were behind this project also had the great idea to invite singers from Discipline, Uppercut, The Butcher and others to sing the covers. It's kinda like the Memphis 3 Black Flag cover album that had different singers for each track with the same musicians, except that on Astro Zombies, none of the tracks suck.

With the recent wave of snow and cold hitting Quebec, the last thing I need is stuff to remind me how people down south are enjoying mint weather. Hailing from Santa Cruz, CA, At Risk probably never have to worry about their van choking from extreme cold or risking their lives driving through ice storms. Good for them!

This is At The Drive In's first release on Grand Royal. This record is hella crazy!! These guys are insane! If you don't know ATDI well you will soon as they are becoming huge with articles in Spin and Rolling Stone. I really don't know how to describe them. Sorta spazzed out emo I guess. 11 tracks none I need the next song button for. Really good stuff. Highly recommended.

Grand Royal - 2000

ATDI make the best kind of emo you can hear on this planet, ATDI style emo. Its not easy to describe, and that's why its so amazing. You really have to listen to ATDI to kwow what i'm talking about. They will tear your heart out with this album, just listen to napoleon solo and you will understand. Everything is original, and that's why ATDI easily earn a place in my top five bands of all time. This record was recorded live, I mean all the members were in a room and they play it all at the same time during the recording, and that gives a really impressive feeling to the CD. Really, we can't describe ATDI, we just can't. Its to good to be describe, just listen to them, I beg you.

Alternate review:

I know this is an old one, but this band is so impressive! Their authenticity is incredible, their are no bands on this planet that sounds like ATDI. They have kind of invented a new style of Emo/Rock which is never going to be copied, well never be equaled. This one is only an EP but has great songs! Seven original songs like no one other than the guys of ATDI could write. Even though their lyrics are too abstract this band gives you 23 minutes of great rock that will leave you breathless on Vaya! My favourites are Proxima Centauri and Heliotrope!

Fearless Records F040-2 - 1999

Much like George W. Bush’s comfort in knowing his country possesses more nuclear warheads than any other, it must be reassuring for Galy Records that, in having Atheretic on its roster, the label is backing the most technically brutal band to emerge from Quebec since Cryptopsy. Apocalyptic Nature Fury, the band’s long-overdue collection of new material since their cult 2001 debut Adhesion, Aversion…, is prophetic as it is unrelenting.

Yeah, this split 7" is another oldie that can be very hard to find. On one side, New Yorkers Atlas Shrugged produce two tracks that will somehow remind you of Burn, you know, old melodic hardcore. On the other side, you get a glimpse of New Day Rising's old stuff, nothing similar to their new material. The single track, T.V. Dinner is about 5 minutes, and it's NOT on their discography CD, so you die-hard NDR fans will have to look it up on those auctions. To me however, this track is far from being as captivating as what you will fing on Memoirs of Cynism. Includes 2 versions of the lyrics, because they thought it would be important for the listener to read both sets so as to grasp the full meaning of the song. Shows how dedicated New Day Rising were to their songwriting.