Youngblood Records has always been a good consistent label that specialized is putting out albums by fast pissed off straightedge bands like Carry On, Far From Breaking, and Desperate Measures. You always knew what you were going to get when you picked up a Youngblood release and I never put up a fight because I happen to like fast pissed off straightedge bands. Lately though, Youngblood has been branching out with recent signings of the quasi crossover metal-hardcore band Iron Age and Lion of Judah.
Lion of Judah features the bass player from Desperate Measures and their roadie. I don't why I have to mention this about Lion of Judah besides the fact I see that Lion of Judah is made up of Desperate Measures' bass player, roadie, and three other guys in almost every single review and blurb out there. These blurbs especially like to throw in, "Don't expect Desperate Measures part two when you hear Lion of Judah." Well no shit, it's the bass player and their roadie, probably not the songwriting duo that gave us Desperate Measures. Sorry Mr. Four-String slapper, but the bass player in hardcore is usually only there for starting off a couple of tracks with a "get ready for the stagedives" bass lines and then posi jumping around the rest of the set. When I think of hardcore songwriting I usually think of the singer and one of the guitar players. Not the bass player and surely not the roadie.
Anyhow, I mentioned Youngblood Records venturing out of their usual repertoire of fast pissed off straightedge bands when they signed Lion of Judah and that, for the most part, holds true. Universal Peace's sound lies somewhere between the bombastic start and stop groove of the first Quicksand EP mixed with early DC hardcore starting with Bad Brains and ending with Rites of Spring. It's an energetic surrey of fast, albeit sloppy parts that ran face-first into slower melodic laden grooves that hooks you into the song. The vocals for the most part shouted and squealed with resounding diatribes about racism, peace, and body images. The lyrics do tend to come off a bit hackneyed and repetitive but work well with Lion of Judah's sound.
It's good to see Youngblood Records branching out and signing bands that don't sound like each other. Lion of Judah is a good start as any to separate themselves from the herd. Universal Peace is a still a pissed off hardcore album but a bit more progressive than their straightedge counterparts. Universal Peace is an interesting listen to say the least with it's off-kilter rhythms and cheesy lyrics that would make even the most pot addled H.R. blush. Sometimes, Youngblood, it's good to leave your comfort zone.
