Review
Few and the Proud
Stampede

Organized Crime (2006) Evan B.

Few and the Proud – Stampede cover artwork
Few and the Proud – Stampede — Organized Crime, 2006

Few and the Proud really needs no introduction other than the fact that they are, and always will be, straightedge. The lyrics insert makes the claim that "a new era has begun," but more on that later.

The record begins with the intro "Trampled." And by the time it was over, I was sure this record was going to be heavy as hell. My predictions weren't proven wrong, and this record only gets heavier with each song. If I were to describe the sound, it would be like Integrity playing youth crew. The songs are fast and there really isn't a metal influence, yet the lyrics are misanthropic and skeptical.

Don't take that the wrong way and think this band is on the same level as xTired Rantx (xTyrantx) or some other stupid hate-edge band. Few and the Proud seem to take the stance of letting the users self-destruct. "To those sincerely trying to rid their lives of filth / for your efforts we have nothing but support" closes the album with some glimmer of hope for mankind, and how this band is not about hurting those who indulge in substances. Discontent doesn't just extend to users, but to the current state of straightedge as a movement, hardcore itself, and the human species in general.

Back to the music, the guitars are crushing, but it would have been nice to have more lead guitar parts show up in the songs. The bass, unlike most bands, doesn't just take up space and follow the drums. I like how the bass leads into key tempo changes at times. The drums are tight and go well beyond the level of "competent" hardcore drumming. Singer Bernie's voice is absolutely brutal; I honestly think he has one of the angriest voices I have ever heard in a hardcore band. Everyone in the band has been playing hardcore for years, and their efforts combined makes for an awesome sound. The record also contains a cover of xChorusx's "No Part," which sounds awesome as well.

If a new era of straightedge hardcore truly has begun, I cannot wait for the future, and more kids to sing along to "Absolute Truth" with.

8.9 / 10Evan B. • October 18, 2006

Few and the Proud – Stampede cover artwork
Few and the Proud – Stampede — Organized Crime, 2006

Related news

Few And The Proud Break Up

Posted in Splits on July 30, 2007

Recently-posted album reviews

Various Artists

Her Head's On Fire/Arms Like Roses - Split
Double Helix (2025)

Her Head’s On Fire (NY, NY) and Arms Like Roses (New Haven, CT) team up on this split 7” with two new tracks (one each band) of post-hardcore tunes that are both massive and melodic in their own distinct ways. "Universal" is the track from Her Head’s On Fire. Recorded by the band’s guitarist Jeff Dean, "Universal" came from the … Read more

Dead Bars

All Dead Bars Go To Heaven
Iodine (2025)

Dead Bars has a unique talent of taking the everyday, the experiences you see and live all the time, and shining a new light on them to make them personal and interesting. I've written about it before, yet it's my job to say this again and to make it interesting. It's what Dead Bars does, so it only seems fitting … Read more

Painkiller

The Great God Pan
Tzadik (2025)

Painkiller, the trio of John Zorn, Bill Laswell, and Mick Harris shows no signs of slowing down. The Great God Pan is their third full-length, since their reunion in 2024, and in many ways it is an unexpected offering. In keeping with their interests in the metaphysical realm, Painkiller find inspiration from the famed Arthur Machen horror novella. Here, the … Read more