I hate to pigeonhole myself as the token fast hardcore reviewer at Scene Point Blank but I just can't help myself when Michael lists off those promos we can snag up for review and I see words like "fast" "posi" and "melodic." I just have to swoop down and collect them all like a Pokemon Master of mediocre mid-level hardcore bands.
On Three is yet another band from yet another state, this time being Connecticut, to come around the bend and spend way too much time occupying space on my CD shelving unit. Sure, On Three is fast, melodic, and of course more posi than an Energizer commercial marathon, but there's nothing all that great about them either. There isn't one chord strummed, one lyric shouted, nor one cymbal crashed that I haven't heard a million times before. If I needed to compare On Three to anyone I would say they are straight mix of the moshiness of Comeback Kid smothered with the melodic overtures of Fast Cars, Fast Women-era Fastbreak.
I hate to sound like a prick because On Three isn't horrid by any means. Actually there's a quite a few times I found myself tapping my foot and pointing my index finger like they were both having a going out of business sale and everything must go while I listen to No More Excuses. There just isn't anything on this nine song CD that really grabs me and makes me think, "Sweet." It also doesn't help matters that On Three feels the need to have of those mid-tempo huge sing-along parts ala Modern Life is War that every hardcore bands has these days.
You know what? If On Three were from my neck of the woods I'd probably be their numero uno fan. I'd mosh and sing along at whatever show they are playing opening for whatever band is on tour at time. On Three seem to have their hearts in the right places and although they aren't anything special, thankfully they're not playing mosh metal or getting over emotional about girls and blood. No More Excuses is yet another hardcore album by yet another hardcore band, but thankfully both band and album are decent enough to stay on my CD shelves longer than they rightfully should. So what if I'm the token fast hardcore guy on Scene Point Blank? It could be a lot worse; I could be into ska.
