With the way things are going in the music world these days, it should only be a matter of months before Folsom is the most jocked band in hardcore. The Las Vegas natives combine aggressive music similar to Merauder with ridiculous breakdowns and lyrics that provide a multitude of opportunities for sing-alongs.
I was fortunate to see this band open for Terror two years ago. I wanted to pick up their demo, but had no cash on me at the time. After the show, I scoured the Internet for any information about them, but alas none could be found. Perhaps this band didn't exist and it was just a figment of my imagination. Eventually the band recorded a split with Your Mistake on True Destiny Records, but did little touring outside of the West coast. Why am I mentioning this? Because now the band has a website, a record label (West Coast Worldwide), and just wrapped up a tour of the Midwest and South. They do exist!
"The City of Sin" is nothing more than a tribute to a scene they hold so dear. The song is essentially one long breakdown with only the lyrics "L.V.H.C." The subsequent track "Beezor Blues" takes to a slightly different vibe, more of an old school punk rock sound, full on with "whoooa's." But that doesn't last long. "Bombs Away" quickly returns things to the hardcore roots and ends with a breakdown that would set a venue filled with kids into a frenzy. But not everything is about breakdowns; the band does show signs of influence from old-school punk. The track "Viper" even contains a nice fast section in the middle of the song, perfect for two-stepping.
"Hammer House" opens with a sample from the movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, stating "This is the place man, they'll never fuck with us here." The song is an ode to the venue that band vocalist Stu runs in their hometown. Stu belts out his intentions for running the club: "For the kids that still believe, we keep it alive." This track along with "Up All Night" are the standout cuts from an album that, given the right promotion, could give Terror a run for their money for "Most Crucial Release of 2004."
The majority of Stu's lyrical inspiration comes from the hardcore scene that is like a second family to him. On the track "Weed out the Weak," he speaks his mind on those who are in the scene for all the wrong reasons: "Actions speak louder than words/half this scene will never do shit." He later revisits this same idea on the track "Hodor" with the lyrics, "In the end it's the true that remain, not the fakes or the frauds." Sure the lyrics may be somewhat generic, but when haven't hardcore lyrics been simple?
In the end, Folsom is a band headed in the right direction. They have a solid full-length outing (even if it only 15 minutes long) that could definitely garner them some serious attention. The only thing lacking is the financial support of a larger label to send them out on tour to conquer this pathetic scene.
