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I haven't heard well refined hardcore like this since the early Rollins
Band days. Carefully constructed and driven this band milks the
material for the maximum yield, showing this genre is not dead. Hardcore
like this is a very precarious venture - capturing the energy and
intensity is virtually impossible; making it harmonic enough for the
masses, equally hard; and on top of that making it original catamounts
to something that can hardly be done. Bane succeeds in getting
two out of those three, narrowly missing the originality as they seem
to rein in the songwriting to emphasize what they do have.
Production aptly captures the majority of the energy dissipated by
this band; you can almost smell the sweat that was spent making this
record. Levels nicely accentuate the different parts, varying mostly
for emphasis on the guitar and drums. The vocals heighten the involvement
into the music by drawing the listener into the rhythms and chants.
Bass doesn't get the attention it deserves but still maintains its
presence in the whole. The guitars add the harmony to the material,
giving different lines meshed together with a hint of late eighties
thrash guitar helps put the album over the top. Not far behind are
the drums, which show remarkable constraint in not totally dominating
the songs, choosing appropriate times to drive the point home and
alternately take a back seat to let the others have their say.
Now the only thing missing is the band taking chances, stepping
up their belief in themselves and attempting to create something
inherently different. All of the tools are at their disposal; it
is just a matter of the band using them. This is a good record,
and an excellent band, now I want to see that excellent record they
have up their sleeves.
-bishop
Track listing:
1. Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda
2. Pot Committed
3. One For The Boys
4. Hoods Up
5. End With An Ellipsis
6. My Therapy
7. Don't Go
8. Wasted On The Youth
9. What Keeps Us Here
10. Swan Song
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