Split CDs are never a good idea because you usually don't have any clue what's going on, especially when you have two bands that sound alike. At least with vinyl, you have to make a conscious effort and turn the piece of wax over. Maybe the first GNP Split Series will be the split CD that changes everything for me. Yeah, who are we kidding?
First up is Texas's Full Contact and the band lives in 1994, which for me is a decent year to live in. Their music is metallic, in your face, and somewhat burly. The recording even sounds like it came from 1994 with the snare pushed way to far up in the mix. The guitars are muddy and at time you can't hear the bass. Full Contact live vicariously through Hatebreed, various thug bands of NYHC, and sometimes add in some sludge metal ala Bloodlet. Of course Full Contact is also moshy as all hell. If Full Contact actually existed in 1994 and not twelve years late they could have inked a deal with Victory Records. They might want to talk Dr. Emmett Brown about his flux capacitor enabled Dolorean.
Finishing up the split is Germany's Heartbreak Kid who basically sounds like Full Contact but with a bit better production and a lot more metal. It's almost nu-metal with its down tuned guitars and venom spitted vocals. I really can't stand hardcore that cross the Slayer Line. The Slayer Line is when a band decides to be either a hardcore band or a metal band and Heartbreak Kid obviously would rather play "Reign in Blood" rather than "Filler." Unless the band is named Integrity or Unbroken I don't care about anything metalcore bands has to offer and Heartbreak Kid is no exception.
This split didn't do much for my "CD splits suck" mentality even though I can distinctly tell the difference between Full Contact and Heartbreak Kid. The fact of the matter is that I just don't care. Neither one of these bands is anything I can get behind or even enjoy. I suppose if there were a gun to my head I'd probably choose Full Contact for nostalgia sakes. Oh well another one for the sell heap.
