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Die Young

Survival Instinct
Immigrant Sun (2005)

Some people consider hardcore music to be quite contrived. And if you look at it from their point of view, they have a compelling argument. The music isn't technically difficult and the song structures are fairly basic when compared to other styles of music. Where hardcore has made its mark is in its lyrics. Hardcore defines itself on voicing one's … Read more

Vio-lence

Eternal Nightmare
Megaforce (2005)

Thrash: (verb) To move wildly or violently. In 1986, in the genre known as "Thrash Metal", there were what was known as the "Big 4", referring to the most popular bands at the time - Slayer, Metallica, Anthrax and Megadeth. With the exception of Metallica, whose huge mainstream success in later years could not have even been conceived at the … Read more

Juliette and The Licks

You're Speaking My Language
Fiddler (2005)

Hollywood has a running list of actors and actresses who attempt to extend their talents to the music industry. For some inexplicable reason, it seems that they believe having a music career is a right. It is not a right, but a choice. Many unfortunately choose to enter the music arena on the expense of everyone's ears. As a result, … Read more

Regulations

Regulations
Havoc (2005)

The west coast was a wild place to be from 1978 to 1981. Bands like The Germs, Black Flag, and Adolescents were breaking through California with throat strained-vocals & blazing, twangy guitars. Kids in sleeveless t-shirts, black jeans and biker boots wrapped in bandannas and chains were the norm at punk shows. The pigs would break up the shows. Junkies … Read more

Our Final Say

Same Mistakes
This Blessing, This Curse (2005)

The state of a Connecticut certainly has a grasp on the whole posi-hardcore revival trend that is sweeping the hardcore nation. Despite the state's minute size, it is home to one of the powerhouses of the trend - With Honor as well as the equally as impressive The Distance and The Risk Taken. Following in their wake, hoping to garner … Read more

Life in Your Way

Ignite and Rebuild
Indianola (2005)

Oh jeez, another one of these bands. You know the kind - screamo/emo band who wants anything but to be labeled as such. They come up with alternate and sometimes startlingly inaccurate descriptors such as "melodic hardcore" or "emotion rock," or they take the easy way out and spout off the classic "we don't like to label ourselves" or "our … Read more

Donnybrook

Lions in this Game
Hand of Hope (2005)

Donnybrook take their namesake from a famous festival in Ireland that is notorious for its brawls. So taking that into account, it isn't a surprise that the California outfit plays a variation of tough-guy hardcore. However, on the band's debut full-length, Lions in this Game, Donnybrook attempt to break the stigma that there is nothing more to a tough-guy hardcore … Read more

The Uncomfortables

Demo
Independent (2005)

When I first started to listen to this demo, I thought it sounded as if Motorhead had a side project that kind of sucked a little, but was still Motorhead, at least. Turns out, The Uncomfortables are more like if you mixed Soundgarden with something else that sucks and sucked it through a straw so you could have both Soundgarden … Read more

Death By Stereo

Death for Life
Epitaph (2005)

Fearlessly naming their new record Death for Life is an instant indication that Death By Stereo aren't about to back down despite the lawsuits and legal issues surrounding the band after a death at one of their shows in 2003. Just in case you didn't pick up on the name, the record begins with some gang vocals chanting the words, … Read more

Bucket Full Of Teeth

IV
Level Plane (2005)

In the year of 2002, Bucket Full Of Teeth released three 7"s on Youth Attack! Records titled I, II and III. Each record was packed with an essay written by one of the three members: Brad, Matt and Will. It was an awesome idea, but also contrived in the sense that they planned to do something musically different, as described … Read more

Playing Enemy

I Was Your City
Hawthorne Street (2005)

The members of Playing Enemy certainly have an impressive resume of musical ventures in which they have been previously involved: Rorschach, Kiss it Goodbye, Deadguy, Undertow, and Nineironspitfire among others. But rather than re-hash sounds and styles characteristic of those projects, Playing Enemy, instead ventured down a different path in the hardcore/metal realm. The Seattle-based band first hit the scene … Read more

Shere Kahn

Get Fucked
Rock Vegas (2005)

I was really excited when I put this CD on. For years there have been rumors of a Goonies sequel popping up here and there in the media. It always made me wonder what happened to the cast. Whichever Cory it was had been in and out of rehab and the tabloids, before discovering his true calling as a (failed) … Read more

The Nothing / Send More Paramedics

North of England, South of Heaven
In at the Deep End (2005)

There's not really that many instances I can think of where I could use the words; "hardcore", "thrash metal" and "zombies" in the same sentence to refer to something good. In fact, I'm not even sure I can think of many instances when I'd ever use those words in the same sentence at all. When talking about Send More Paramedics … Read more

Hot Hot Heat

Elevator
Warner Bros. (2005)

Hot Hot Heat has managed to weave in and out of the limelight in the last few years. Often compared to the Cure, they are able to hold onto the fringes of the mainstream thanks to the "new" new wave and dance rock movements. The single that broke them to the mainstream was the catchy yet repetitive "Bandages," which has … Read more

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