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The Warriors

The Warriors
See How You Are
Victory Records

The Warriors are one of those unsung-heroes-of-the-hardcore-scene type of bands. This latest album will be released to little/no fanfare, yet it is undoubtedly top notch heavy music. 2007’s Genuine Sense of Outrage was full of crunching riffs and guttural vocals married together with a certain groove that was unmistakably The Warriors.

First impressions of this latest album are that it’s not quite so obviously beefy in sound. There’s a bit more variety here and an intriguing approach to guitar riffs that’s less straight-up to the band’s previous work. The jagged guitar work often takes unexpected turns whereas the band may have taken a more predictable route in the past.

The Warriors are definitely one of those bands who straddle the two genres of Metal and Hardcore. But referring to them as ‘Metalcore’ just seems wrong, seeing as the term has been sullied by so many poor quality efforts from bands who warp both genres and water them down with no regard for their potential power. The Warriors seem to get it just about right with the pummeling hardcore drumbeats and gruff vocals coupled with some pure metal goodness in the guitar inventions. Another genre that springs to mind when listening to See How You Are but also seems somewhat wrong to apply here is nu-metal. Don’t let that put you off. It’s just a tinge in the band’s sound that is perceptible every now and again but actually makes for an interesting facet amongst the technical guitar riffs and raging vocals.

The production on this record is infinitely more raw than it was on Genuine Sense of Outrage giving the impression that the band are really getting back to their roots and are intent on kicking out rough and ready anthems rather than polishing every element of production.

Winegums.

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Among Brothers

Among Brothers
Homes
Barely Regal

Having introduced themselves with the excellent Zero Years compilation last Spring, Cardiff based label Barely Regal have moved on to release the debut EP from Among Brothers. Featuring both of the label’s co-founders, Among Brothers are a six piece chamber pop outfit, combining jittery electronic rhythms with a colorful mixture of guitar, keys and violin. Although this might be a well trodden path, the band’s purposeful and emotive songwriting makes this EP a compelling listen.

Things start very brightly with ‘Montgolfier’, the record’s first and possibly best song. Serving as a welcoming opening statement, the use of choral vocals creates a terrific urgency and drives the song through it’s modest 2 minute length. Comparisons to Efterklang will inevitably be made here but this is no criticism, as few bands could pull this off with such conviction. Arguably the song stops a little short (it really could go on for a lot longer), but its short length whets your appetite nicely.

From here, the results are more mixed, but there are flashes of inspiration throughout. Particularly album closer ‘Great Famine Family’ which runs ‘Montgolfier’ close for the EP’s best track. Again choral vocals are used effectively here, creating a euphoric climax punctuated with intimate piano and subtle electronic glitches. In fact, the barely-there electronic bleeps and scuffles are particuarly effective, perhaps another nod to early Efterklang records.

While ‘Homes’ is a strong first release by any standard, there are also signs that there is something better to come from Among Brothers. For Barely Regal, too, this is another promising release from a growing indie label.

Sleekly Lion.

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OFF! – First Four EP’s

off_sleeveVICE Records

OFF! are led by Keith Morris, original vocalist of Black Flag, and since he quit that gig in ’79, fronting the Circle Jerks. Whilst many of Keith’s contemporaries are happy to just rehash the hits, or offer a decaffeinated version of their former selves, OFF! are a damn near return to the pissed off and adrenalized Hardcore fury that came busting out of Hermosa Beach like a bottle rocket. Dammit they sound GREAT! The band also numbers bassist (and latter day producer) Steven McDonald, of those original South-Bay teen punk brats Red Kross, guitarist Dimitri Coats (Burning Brides) and Mario Rubalcaba (Rocket From The Crypt/Hot Snakes) beating the skins.

Following up a debut seven inch, Vice Records have now released this swanky 4 x 7″s collection, with sixteen fast ‘n furious songs (the title being a play on Black Flag’s ‘First 4 Years’ album) and, in a further hark back to their roots, all the artwork is by Raymond Pettibon whose striking images adorned ‘Flag’s record sleeves. And of course Raymond is the brother of the bands founder founder/guitarist Greg Ginn. Keep up at the back!
Keith doesn’t have a University Education, a professional career… or trust funds to prop him up, but his trademark snotty fuck-you vocals have somehow kept this Southern Californian Punk drop-out alive thru the years, and only the most cynical of listeners will fail to appreciate these ripping jams, ‘cos the music is absolutely smoking, timeless Hardcore shred from the source… tune in, turn on, get OFF!

Pete Craven

Enjoy this video of OFF! playing live on a mini ramp in the US.

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Lower Than Atlantis

Lower Than Atlantis
Beech Like The Tree
A Wolf At Your Door Records

Beech Like The Tree is Lower Than Atlantis’ homage to their mate model Josh Beech and it demonstrates just why these young UK rockers are becoming such hot property. The track shows off the band’s songwriting prowess and their slight departure away from their punk roots. Essentially, what this song is is anthemic singalong rock. Where many British acts find themselves leaning toward a more American sound / style, LTA are quintessentially British – a quality that should stand them in good stead as they head off on a mammoth two month tour of the US this month. Those Americans love a good British accent.

With a sound that’s accessible but genuinely quite unique, Lower Than Atlantis are marrying their underground roots with some potentially massive rock melodies which are bound to wend their way into your head and not let go until you are constantly singing the band’s hooks. And the tunes aren’t catchy in an annoying way but in an organic, get under your skin kind of way that just perpetuates enthusiasm for the band and what they’re doing on the songs unleashed so far from forthcoming album ‘World Record’ (set for release 25th April on A Wolf At Your Door Records).

Having built their way up through the UK underground, LTA have started to get some serious mainstream attention on this latest single with Zane Lowe bestowing his ‘Hottest Record’ accolade and the likes of Greg James playing it on daytime Radio 1. With tracks as catchy as this and a burgeoning fanbase of kids and media alike, this is a band who are set to go far in 2011 so watch this space.

Winegums.

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Frontier(s)

Frontier(s)
There Will Be No Miracles Here
No Sleep Records

Chris Higdon, who used to front emo pioneers Elliott, is now the voice of Frontier(s), a band with few songs to their name as yet but a band who definitely deserve your time. Those who are familiar with Elliott’s yearning vocals and walls of guitar-driven sound will have some idea of what to expect from Frontier(s)who basically pick up where the band left off. There was definitely an Elliott-shaped whole in the music scene today and Frontier(s) are more than qualified to fill it.

This band’s soaring melodies and inimitable ability to encompass darkness and light with a searing guitar riff followed by an expanse of solid sound makes for an addictive sound quality which makes it hard to take debut LP ‘There Will Be No Miracles’ off the stereo. The record has an almost introverted feel, despite its melodic scope and weighty soundscapes. Its post-rock type of expansiveness sends shivers down your spine and there’s something ever so slightly more sophisticated about Frontier(s)’ approach to crafting music in comparison to Elliott. This certainly has something to do with advances in production since Elliott’s day but there is also a more worldly-wise feeling about Higdon’s lyrical and musical approach. It has been seven years after all!

Winegums

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Architects

The Here And Now
Century Media

Architects are one of those bands who appear to have had an astronomic increase in popularity over the past few months when, in fact, they’ve been plugging away , building their way up through the UK underground for a good few years. The fact that magazines such as Rock Sound and Metal Hammer are now featuring them on their covers shows just how far they have come, mind. And their latest album ‘The Here And Now’ is a demonstration of the band’s potential and scope to really hit the mainstream (as far as metal can).

Spikey edges with technical riffs and raw vocals still remain in some tracks but Architects have embraced the more melodic side of their music with open arms. Anthemic singalongs, balladesque clean vocals, toning down of riffs’ sharp edges – this is a band who are definitely making a stab at the mainstream and they may well lose some of their original fans because of this. But the fact remains that this is a great album which actually benefits from the injection of variety that comes from the inclusion of less-jagged elements which are expertly juxtaposed against the metal grit which is definitely still present.

It’s on songs like ‘Year In, Year Out/Up and Away’ (which features guest vocals from Dillinger’s Greg Puciato) that Architects’ roots in more frenetic and full-on metal stylings really shine through and it’s because they’ve stayed true to this side of their sound, at least to some extent, that the band can get away with their new-found leanings to those more radio-friendly of songs. And it seems to be getting them more and more attention as the band have seen latest single ‘ Day In, Day Out’ played by the likes of the really quite mainstream Zane Lowe and Fearne Cotton on daytime and early evening Radio 1.

Winegums

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The Game

The Game
Purp & Patron Mixtape
Free Download

The Game dropped one of the best mixtapes in a quite a while when he released Brake Lights last year and somehow, over the course of nearly 30 tracks here, he seems to have outdone himself again. As everyone waits for this new album R.E.D., the LA rapper chucked out Purp & Patron and served another reminder of why he should be considered amongst the current greats.

Going in hard from the very start, an early appearance from Weezy on Soo Woo features some nice brass samples after typical Pharrell production on the Snoop-guested In My 64. The standout track comes in the form of Taylor Gang with Wiz Khalifa this time on team-up duties over one of the best beats I’ve heard in a long, long time, by Che Vicious. Further guest spots include Rick Ross, Jim Jones, Clinton Sparks and even Big Daddy Kane, Doug E Fresh and KRS-One as The Game brings in as many of his mates as he can.

One criticism that’s always levelled at The Game is that he doesn’t really have his own style, he tends to mould himself around the guest rapper that he’s alongside, but this is what makes the new mixtape such a fun ride. He shows a playful side that we’ve never seen before on Children’s Story in a huge homage to Slick Rick and Biz Markie beat, a dimension which is as endearing as it is smile-creating.

Other standout moments include the Biggie-sampling Living Better Now, the DJ Skee mix of Black & Yellow, which has Game joining Snoop and the original MC of the tune Wiz Khalifa for Purp & Yellow, RZA’s guitar-led Heart Breaker and the Travis Barker, Lil Wayne, Swizz Beatz and Rick Ross mammoth Can A Drummer Get Some.

Whilst this is a long old ride, almost two hours worth of hip hop, it whizzes past and showcases Game’s ear for a beat and now undoubted vocal prowess. If this is anything to go by, R.E.D. is going to be one hell of an album.

Abjekt.

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Whistla

Whistla
Pillowtalk 12″ (with 7 Remixes)
L2S Recordings

A veteran of UK Garage, accomplished producer and DJ, Whistla is the main man behind the much acclaimed L2S Recordings and proactively runs SubFM also. On the station he plays sets that many of the writers at Crossfire frequently lock into while also producing bangers like last year’s ‘Etymology Of Maureen EP’ and 2009’s Klaxon-recommended ‘420 Lockdown’. 2010 proved to be almost unnervingly exciting for dance music and few have enjoyed the well-deserved success as much as L2S, who, under Whistla’s direction, have turned their backs against the jump-up mutations evident in mainstream dubstep and have pioneered the rise of UK Garage, 2-Step and more. Future Garage, Future Bass, whatever you want to call it… this movement is undeniably forward thinking and most definitely the future UK sound.

With his latest 12” Pillowtalk, Whistla boldly jumps into 2011 with a snaretastic riddim that utilises a catchy vocal sample reminiscent of the funky yet uncouth choices from Welsh garage peers C.R.S.T. (emotional pitch-warped RnB samples are great and all, but we want us some wubwooooo every now and again) and a pulsating, fluid bassline that sounds like something Zinc would have put together back at the turn of the century. Pounding.

What makes this 12” such a pisstake though is its mighty seven remixes from seven very, very big producers. Whistla on the leading track and the likes of Duncan Powell, Crossfire favourite Submerse, Para of DEA Project and the elusive and stunning VVV on the flip? Jog on Kanye, this is what we call a communal masterpiece. Hold tight L2S, each and every.

Stanley

Pillowtalk [Preview] by Whistla

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Social Distortion

Social Distortion
Hard Times and Nursey Rhymes
Epitaph

Social Distortion are so popular amongst our writers that the following two reviews for their latest album were sent in. Each one had its own take on it so it would be terribly rude of us not to run both. Read two opinions below, firstly from punk aficionado Pete Craven and then a slightly extended review from the human encyclopedia of music, Alex Gosman. – Ed.

I hadn’t pre-heard any of the material from Social Distortion’s latest album, so went into it cold, straight off the bat.

An instrumental (‘Road Zombie’) opens up proceedings, and sounds great. Hallmark Social D, and the very idea of an instrumental itself is one little utilised on the long-playing format, but when done right can be used to great effect. We then slip in to the hard stuff with ‘California (Hustle and Flow)’ and it’s immediately apparent that the mood is set with an optimistic and cool confident swagger, more in line with their two early nineties albums ‘Social Distortion’ and ‘Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell’. As we push on through the 11 tracks, there’s little, if any, of the distemper that fuelled the much loved ‘White Light, White Heat, White Trash’. The Dillinger-esque homage ‘Machine Gun Blues’ is the punkest number in the pack. Take heed; if you still hang on to the lude boy sounds of old (circa; 1945) then you’d best bust out your dusty copy of ‘Mommy’s Little Monsters’ and keep your head buried in the sand, Social D in 2011 are a zillion miles from The Playpen.

I’ve closely followed this bands musical progression over the years, and the progressive direction of this (their 7th) album makes a lot of sense, as they slow burn thru a collection of songs that utilise classic Americana Rock ‘n’ Roll, set to Mike’s mournful tones, lamenting love, loss, redemption… and hope. Indeed, the album closes with Mike declaring he’s “still alive” and will be “here until the bitter end” and thus closes another chapter of this fabled Punk Survivors tale.

Pete Craven

Social Distortion – Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes by Epitaph Records

In keeping with ‘I liked their old stuff better’ mentality, there are folks out there who will tell you that Social Distortion’s 1983 debut ‘Mommy’s Little Monster’ is their finest work. Granted, ‘The Creeps’, ‘Another State Of Mind’ and the title track deservedly remain in Social D’s setlists to this day, but in terms of sound, it didn’t really help the band stand out amongst the other leading lights of late 70s/early 80’s Californian punk rock. It was on their 1990 self-titled effort that singer/songwriter/guitarist Mike Ness melded punk rock with his love of American roots music to create the signature Social D sound. If you’ve never heard ‘Story Of My Life’, ‘Ball And Chain’ or even the band’s barnstorming cover of ‘Ring Of Fire’, then you’ve got some catching up to do.

‘Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes’ is the band’s seventh album in 30-plus years, and even though Ness has long been happily settled down with his wife and kids, the old dog still has a few surprises up his sleeve. Having previously covered ‘Under My Thumb’ and ‘Backstreet Girl’, he lets his Rolling Stones influences loose on ‘California (Hustle And Flow)’ and ‘Can’t Take It With You’, both replete with soulful female backing vocals and 70’s swagger.

Quite a departure from those early days, then, but the Social Distortion of old hasn’t left the building just yet; with ‘Gimme The Sweet And Lowdown’ and ‘Machine Gun Blues’ providing the requisite high-octane guitar thrills. And it is testament to the band’s skill that their cover of Hank Williams’ ‘Alone and Forsaken’ sounds no less dark or foreboding than the original, despite its inclusion on a largely upbeat-sounding album.

It isn’t completely flawless; the overly-long ‘Bakersfield’ (complete with corny spoken-word interlude) could have done with some pruning, and the polished production does take the edge off some of the harder, faster songs. It’s a record that arguably shares as much musical territory with Ness’ country/blues-influenced solo album ‘Cheating At Solitaire’ as with previous Social D releases, and it probably won’t strike a chord with the aforementioned ‘Mommy’s Little Monster’ purists.

Overall, though, it’s a fine effort from a band who still have plenty of stories to tell, an ear for a great tune and little concern for passing musical trends. Welcome back, guys; it’s been a while.

Alex Gosman

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Erreon Lee

Erreon Lee
The Day The Game Elevated 2
Free Download

Erreon Lee won’t be a name known to most people reading this. This isn’t being said on any pretentious, we-were-here-first level, it’s just a matter of fact. The young Texan recently got signed by Wiz Khalifa to his Taylor Gang imprint and as a result a score of people have been turned onto the MC. Whether he’s known or not however, this mixtape is a great way to get into him.

A free download over at his site, the 22 track mixtape has its ups and down though the former thankfully vastly outnumber the latter. From the opening track Ignorant Shit, Lee shows his prowess over a laid back, slightly disco-infused beat before slamming down on Tear The Ground which features a deep Southern chain-gang sample on which he boldly states “I don’t need a hook on this beeeeeeeeetch”.

The standout track, Go To Hell, comes fairly only on too, with booming drums marching and skiffling hi-hats slinking along the beat as Erreon declares war on haters. Sure the subject matter might not be the most original, but the ease with which his delivery lays out the vocals is something not many rappers are able to master. The chipmunked vocal which provides the understated backbone of the track before coming to the fore in the chorus is a guaranteed winner.

There are some off moments – no-one wants to hear a remix of Bed Rock and Say Somethin’ is another Drake-a-like track skipper. But when the sunshine-in-a-bottle production of The Wrap Up and the Lady Gaga sampling [yep, you read that right and it’s GREAT] Make Her Say follow the duff tracks, it’s easy to forgive and forget.

Having Khalifa appear on a couple of tracks certainly doesn’t help either with his weed-smoking hombre killing things in his own inimitable way on Boarding Pass Remix and Superstar. Erreon Lee doesn’t come acorss over-awed or overshadowed though, which is arguably the best compliment one could give him. Similar to Wiz, this might not grab you instantly, but after a few listens you’ll be on side, no doubt about it.

Check the video for Go To Hell below and make sure to grab the mixtape, it is free after all!

Abjekt.