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(c) 2009 Pee Records
[rating:3.5/5]
So I’m listening to “This is Real” from the Brisbane, Australia band Provoke and something occurs to me. Is globalization affecting music? I think that it is. This is some serious East Coast Hardcore. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing by any means, but I find it intriguing that so many miles and so much water can separate scenes only to have music that sounds like it came from the same mean streets that brought Agnostic Front or Sick of it All or Slapshot. Maybe, instead, it is something more universal. Maybe the bullshit blue collar upbringing, the angst filled days and hope-crushing nights affect us all in a similar manner? What if this is the natural expunging of a pain that we all feel? Before I go off on a crazy sociological tangent, I’ll try to rein it back in a bit. Provoke is a four piece (currently) band from Queensland Australia and have been bringing the heavy noise since 2005. “This is Real” gives up 10 tracks, nine of which clock in well under my three minute cutoff. The final track is obviously a ballad at 4:03 and based on that I won’t even discuss it ‘round these parts. As a final note, it is refreshing to hear some honest-to-goodness hardcore that doesn’t sound like you’ve heard all their shit before. Yes it rings true to what you’re looking for, but as far as this Yank’s ears go this is some sweet new angst. Go get this. If you need some help finding it, shoot me an email and I’ll see if I can’t help you get a copy for yourself.
–Jerry Actually
So ya think hardcore can’t come from the left coast? Well you’re wrong. L.A. Based Terror flippin’ rips it up old school. Forever Crossing The Line (5 Years In The Making) comes correct in all ways. Driving rhythms, pounding drums, crushing guitar, vox with just enough menace but not too much growl. You get 17 tracks, some live, of what is ostensibly East Coast Hardcore albeit from the West Coast. Just because you have palm trees and white sand beaches doesn’t mean you ever get to see ’em. Any way, I know that this review is hella late and Terror even has a new one out (The Damned The Shamed). I was cleaning my office and found it at the bottom of the stack. I feel that this disc is worthy of attention for its true to form hardcore. 
Excuse The Blood is a Bay area 3-piece outfit with a pretty eclectic mix of sounds. Without trying to pigeon hole them, they sound like a mix of Slapshot-esque hardcore and a reggae/ska/punk blend ala Op Ivy or perhaps Rudiments. Despite the obvious influence the music feels fresh. The tempo keeps a good pace through the five tracks. That the disc is only a demo perhaps is the biggest shortcoming. Since I don’t have more of a sampling I’m going with a 3/5 instead of possibly higher. I’d like to hear more from Excuse The Blood. Until such time that a new release comes out, you can check the band out at their website 
Hot damn, it’s good to listen to old-fashioned, ass-kicking hardcore punk! I hope these guys have stock in bass drum heads and throat lozenges; I’m sure they go through a lot of them. 
An album 13 long fuckin’ years in the making has finally arrived, and it is, as the title claims, Bigger Than The Devil. S.O.D. is back for their first studio album in 13 years and with the full original line up to boot. I went and got this disk the day it came out, sorry it’s taken so long for the review, but the damn thing was on loan to all my friends. I popped this CD into the player as soon as I got home and it started flying out of my speakers in a full frontal assault. This my friends is what aggro hardcore is all about. I’m not going to waste my time blathering on about the might of S.O.D. or the way Billy Milano stopped a show about ten years ago so I could find my glasses in the pit. All I’m gonna say is that this album kicks your ass, go get the fucking thing or I’m sure that Sgt.. D will hunt you down and kill your lame ass!
Fucking Brutal! Body Bag is one of the freshest bands I’ve heard in a while. Hailing from Geneva Switzerland, this energy bomb of Hardcore and Ska throw down 6 great tunes on the “Skadillac” EP. A friend of mine said that on a scale of 1 to 10 he’d give a 666, I’d have to concur. Hurry up and buy this disk and impress all of your friends, be the first one on your block. If you can’t find this CD in your area you can order it from the label at www.hannibals.com Listen to Body Bag before the Skadillac rolls over your skull!
A long time ago in a galaxy on the east coast of the US in a city called New York, came the Bastard Child of Punk Rock. Hardcore Punk! Music from the streets with an attitude for change and a strong sense of unity. At the forefront of this movement was a band call Agnostic Front. It’s 1999 now almost two decades from their humble beginnings and Agnostic Front is back with a brand new offering. “Riot Riot Upstart” is their second offering on Epitaph, the follow up to ’97s “Something’s Gotta Give”. Sporting the original “Victim in Pain” Line up Featuring: Roger Miret – Vocals, Vinnie Stigma – Guitar, Rob Kabula – Bass, and Jimmy Collette – Drums. “Riot Riot Upstart” is some kick ass Hardcore! I must admit that I found this album deceptive. I was expecting a fully brutal blast of noise and anger like I got on the new S.O.D. record. Instead I found something a little more tame on the surface but seething with anger and injustice charged lyrics and familiar yet fresh grinding fast beats. As I expected there are a few guest appearances from the likes of Manager Billy Milano, Toby and Rusty from H2O, and Kerry Martinez from US Bombs. This Disc give up 17 tracks of quality hardcore from the masters. The only thing I regret to say about it is the “Lars Freidrickson Sound” Sure it was produced by Lars (you can’t help but notice if you even turn the CD over slightly) but come on leave the Rancid tricks at home this is Agnostic Front show a little respect. Bottom Line – These guys invented Hardcore. Get this CD. Piss of your parents!!