Revelation Records has made quite the turn-around in the past two years. Besides mainstay Shai Hulud, the once hardcore-proud label has returned to its roots following a divergence in the indie-rock realm - Elliot, Christiansen, Since By Man, etc. The label has recently released several top-quality hardcore albums: Shook Ones, Down to Nothing, and Sinking Ships. Living Hell's debut full-length, The Lost and the Damned, is the latest record to be added to the list.
Formed out of the demise of several underrated New England hardcore acts - Dead Wrong, Fear Tomorrow, and Follow Through - Living Hell quickly burst onto the hardcore scene with their five-song demo. The demo was so impressive, that several label's ended up releasing it as an EP.
"The Resurrection" begins the album with slow churning riffs and the throaty delivery of vocalist Craig Mack. After the first verse, speeding metal-driven riffs pick up the pace and the song launches itself towards hyper-speed. The song concludes with a bruising breakdown straight out of the 90's while the final verse is repeated over and over. Living Hell continues to blister through track after track of 90's influenced hardcore - "Mabrothrax" and the re-recording of "Parable of a Mad Man" are prime examples of that.
"Condemned" is the first track to highlight the band's Clevo-influence. The wicked guitar solos and shredding guitars of Seann McKay and Dan Sullivan give off a definite Systems Overload vibe. This sound is again revisited on "Vermin," "Fall From Grace," and "Malleus Dei." "King of Kings" is a fantastic conclusion to the album. Re-recorded from their EP, this song emphasizes the best aspects of Living Hell's music and lyrics: truly heavy hardcore, spectacular guitarwork, and a pessimistic outlook in the lyrical content.
Lyrically, Mack documents the songs with very dark subject matter. The imagery evoked by his lyrics brings to mind Integrity vocalist Dwid, as does his vocal approach. One of my favorite series of lyrics comes from "Everything:"
Slipped right through my fingers / My sanity my everything / In this world I'm left with nothing / And I'm trying so hard to believe / I've fallen from an angel's arms / Into this hell, into this pain / And I can't get this back again.
The Lost and the Damned is easily one of the top hardcore albums of the year. If you're bored with the current onslaught of fake hardcore bands, then purchase this album from Living Hell. You will not be disappointed by the genuine hardcore musical tones that comprise this album.
