reviews

KISMET-HC/HAPPY BASTARDS-SPLIT 7"
This is certainly what you would call global co-operation, a band from America, one from England and a label from France. UK veterans KISMET-HC start things going and burst into a spray of fast paced frantic hardcore, I actually thought I had this on the wrong speed. But, no, right speed and the continue on their high speed chase. 3 frantic, rampant songs of pent up fury - at the hands of the scorching female vocalist Zanne - in a word brutal. Melodies? Hell no, just pure unadultered hardcore where you don't even get a chance to catch your breath. "Botox Beauty ...." is about some of societies vain arseholes who cannot cope with how they look and take the easy way out of plastic surgery, hell there's been enough TV programmes on that show how fucked up these people are. They also sing about the daily life of grafting, or not too graft, along with the fucked up bullshit of Hierachy. HAPPY BASTARDS, from America and you can tell from the front cover that they have got a sense of humour - kid with a can of beer and headphones one and a crazed happy look to the wee mites face. They happily complement their label mates, again having a female singer - who certainly has a cool voice range going from tuneful melodies, to crazed screams - yes!! Their songs are quite varied, full of tunes, great meoldies that crash into scorching hardcore riffage. They've got the best of APPLE, DIRT and NAKED AGGRESSION all rolled in one. Political songs on religion and more are the name of the game. Totally excellent 7".
FIGHT FOR YOUR MIND RECORDS, FLOX SOYEZ, 47 AVENUE GILBERT ROUX, 03300 CUSSET, FRANCE.
http://www.f-f-y-m.org
WWW.MYSPACE/FFYMRDS


BIRDS OF A FEATHER-"OUR AIM EP" CD (CRR68)
This is a re-release of the 7" that came with the zine Voice Of A Generation, plus two additional songs, one of a comp and an unreleased one. Boasting 3 ex members of the legendary Mainstrike, Birds Of A Feather shows a continuation of that band, but bringing their sound firmly up to date with plenty of modern sensibilities. "Our Aim" is saturated with catchy melodies, crushing breakdowns and loads of galloping incediary hardcore riffage. Taking cues from Youth Of Today, Wide Awake and Straight Ahead, and adding that European slang to it makes for a welcome return from these elder statesmen of the European straightedge scene. Despite their age, they're still sXe and singing about it with pride. The old age is getting a look in with the song "Make It Last" and with a lot of the other songs offering people to take a look at their lifestyles, to think what is right for them. All done in a positive way, with a caring human essence to. Worthy release.
CRUCIAL RESPONSE RECORDS, KAISERFELD 98, 46047 OBERHAUSEN, GERMANY.
WWW.CRUCIALRESPONSE.COM
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/XBIRDSOFAFEATHERX

FIGHT FOR CHANGE-"JOIN THE FIGHT" 7" (COM28)
Wow, is all I can say. I've always liked FIGHT FOR CHANGE, who hail from Portugal, and their passionate hardcore. But this, their 3rd 7" and their 2nd one with Commitment Records really does cement my love for them. Including the intro, there are 8 songs of in your face total hardcore. I'm not even going to try and compare them to anyone at all, because in an age of mediocre bands this 7" stands out head above the shoulders of so many bands out there. It's fast and furious, but each song is bursting at the seams with incdendiary melodies, scorching riffage and heart felt passion. The have a raging old school feel, with a subtle and crucial nod to some good youth crew beats and breakdowns. The cover is an eight page booklet, the cover being in full colour and as with every release on Commitment looking totally awesome. Four pages of lyrics, complete with explanations. Songs that are scene related, they are sXe, being part of the scene and not the scenery etc. All well thought out, full of sincerity. An amazing 7" and too bad they've already split up, now that is so sad. Fed up with wasting your money on tired, lifeless records - then snap this pup up and have many inspiring moments and great songs. If anyone knows if they are in any other bands please let me know.
COMMITMENT RECORDS, KLEIN MUIDEN 38, 1393 RL NIGTEVECHT, THE NETHERLANDS.
WWW.COMMITMENTRECORDS.NL
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/COMMITMENTRECORDS



END OF IT ALL-“SAME SHIT BUT DIFFERENT” CD (CAHRECS047)
Oh man, I’m just in heaven what with all these amazing Swedish bands to review, courtesy of C.A.H. and END OF IT ALL continue to totally amaze me. The more I listen to this CD, and it’s been quite a lot, I always find something new and interesting here and there. The basics of END OF IT ALL is a totally heavy, down-tuned sounding bass thumping licks and hoarse primal guttural vocals. These vocals alternate between blatantly spat roars, with pain being etched into every word. It throttles along as an average pace, but throws a curve ball every now and again with some seriously heavy breakdowns. Each song, while having a END OF IT ALL vibe going, is totally different and take different twists and turns. An atmospheric melody is soon shattered to pieces with crushing blows of doom laden feral crust. This too is sliced at times with some upbeat d-beats and manic crust core. I’ll probably be totally predictable here and cite TRAGEDY, but fucking so what, I hear people saying that it’s a played out genre – well if you think that then you haven’t heard END OF IT ALL. These guys are from Sweden, the homeland of this fabulous sound. “Same Shit But Different” shows aspects of humanity in all it’s horrible guises. You may think this is the same shit, but hell I think it’s different – just stunning.
$9.00 ppd USA, $14.00 ppd WORLD.
CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY RECORDS, PO BOX 1421, EAU CLAIRE, WI 54702, USA. WWW.CAHRECORDS.COM