Zoals je waarschijnlijk al weet laten 3 Studio Brussel presentatoren zich binnenkort weer opsluiten in het Glazen Huis in Gent.
Van 18 tot 24 december dragen Siska, Sofie en Sam hun steentje bij in de strijd tegen Malaria. Ook wij willen hierbij helpen! Jeugdhuis Malmejo en Pop In Malle slaan onder de noemer 'Hardcore For Life' de handen in elkaar.
Op zaterdag 19 december zakken heel wat hardcorebands uit de regio af naar Jeugdhuis Malmejo in Oostmalle. Vanaf 17uur kan je bij ons terecht om 8 kleppers aan het werk te zien. Bovendien vragen we maar 5 euro inkom. Zo koop je symbolisch een muskietennet en red je een mensenleven.
Ook jij kan Studio Brussel dus helpen in de strijd tegen Malaria! Afspraak op zaterdag 19 december vanaf 17u in Jeugdhuis Malemejo in Oostmalle!
“Lividity” is already album number three for It Dies Today but their first with new vocalist Jason Wood (he used to play bass in Still Remains). The bad news is that the poppy parts with clean vocals are still there and are still equally unimpressive. The good news however is that the heavy parts are really heavy, especially thanks to some impressive drumming over the metallic chugga chugga riffs. If they would focus on bringing the brutality, It Dies Today would have a serious shot at becoming a real player in the metalcore scene. Something they prove to be capable of with a song like “The Architects”, which sees them incorporating some death metal vibes. But too often the clean vocals drag everything back down to mediocrity. Score: 6 out of 10 http://www.trustkill.com http://www.itdiestoday.com
This is a perfect example of why I sometimes - like Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon - think that I’m getting too old for this shit. If bands like this become successful, kids these days simply have no good taste whatsoever. And it’s a remark like that that makes me feel old because it’s the kind of stuff my dad used to say when I was a teenager.
That doesn’t take away from the fact that on “Adelphia” A Skylit Drive sounds like every other shitty screamo band out there with vocalist Michael Jagmore and his girly voice as the absolute worst thing about them. Score: 2 out of 10 http://www.hasslerecords.com http://www.myspace.com/askylitdrive
After a while of being relatively quiet for a hardcore band, Strike Anywhere is back with a new album on a new label. They traded in Fat Wreck along with one guitarist for Bridge Nine and are now striking hard again with this damn fine new release called “Iron Front”.
They waste no time getting the party started with “Invisible Colony” before upping the ante with “I’m Your Opposite Number”. This is prime melodic hardcore punk and they manage to keep it up all the way to the last notes of “Postcards From Home”. If you feel like partying for a cause, there is simply no going wrong with this one. Hell, it even makes me forgive them for “Dead FM”! Score: 8.5 out of 10 http://www.bridge9.com http://www.strikeanywhere.org
I don’t think there are any other bands out there that manage to combine reggae sounds with loud guitars quite like these guys do. Sure, you had the Bad Brains but they are in a league of their own and actually don’t have a lot in common with these guys.
On “Shark Bites And Dog Fights” South Wales’ Skindred launches another batch of ragga metal tunes and do a solid job with them. They show this right off the bat with “Stand For Something”, a powerful song with some electronic touches and an infectious chorus. Most of the other songs follow that same structure except for the mellow “Who Are You”, the only song that didn’t need to be included for me. Other than that this is a short (only 30 minutes) yet enjoyable album. Hell, even the cover of Eddy Grant’s “Electric Avenue” is fun! Score: 7 out of 10 http://www.bielerbros.com http://www.skindred.com
Grant Hart, the drummer and songwriter for iconic indie outfit Hüsker Dü, has been less prolific than former bandmate Bob Mould in the 20+ years since the band's breakup but he’s back now with « Hot Wax », his latest solo effort.
The album opens nice enough with « You’re The Reflection Of The Moon On The Water », a song with rolling drums and nice organ sounds before launching in the Beach Boys tribute that is « Barbara ». It’s a fun pop song but never comes close to the brilliance of Brian Wilson himself. No, then i prefer « School Buses Are For Children » which is as much fun as the song title itself.
« Hot Wax » never soils the legacy of Hüsker Dü but it’s never really spectacular either. It’s like a visit from that one friend you see once every five years or so, where it’s always a good times when you do see him but you don’t care either if the visit is postponed for another year. Score: 6.5 out of 10 http://www.mvdaudio.com http://www.granthart.com
Ah, sweet! Static Radio’s debut 7” (out on Chunksaah) with a couple of bonus tracks for my listening pleasure. And what a pleasure it is for all us Yemin lovers. Okay, so these guys are probably sick and tired of being compared to Paint It Black and Kid Dynamite and Lifetime (next time I swear I’ll sum the names up in reverse order just for variation’s sake), but that’s what you get when you play melodic hardcore and hail from New Jersey.
In just ten minutes these guys tear their way through seven songs and all of them are excellent. In the inlay it says ‘a little less tough, a lot more awesome’ and that about sums it up. See? It takes these guys only eight words what takes me two whole paragraphs.... amazing!
Recorded way the fuck back in 2000, it’s a shame it took until now for this album to get a proper release. Thanks to Black Numbers (well on its way of becoming one of my new favourite labels) it now has finally been released on CD.
Rock, Star is a band that gets to call New Brunswick, NJ home and as we all know by now pretty much every band out of that region is worth your time. These guys are no exception to that rule and know how to convince with a melodic take on hard-driving rock that brings back memories of Lifetime, Bouncing Souls and Samiam just the same.
Even though it was recorded almost a decade ago, I wouldn’t have known it if I hadn’t read it. The music sounds just as crisp and fresh as anything that’s recorded today. Guess that’s what happens when you put a bunch of passionate people together who play the music they love. Score: 7 out of 10 http://www.theblacknumbers.com http://www.myspace.com/rockstar
On “Al’s Moustache” Higher Giant simply picks up where they left off with their first 7”, aptly titled “The First Five”. This supergroup consisting of members of Token Entry, Grey Area, WARZONE, Lifetime, Kid Dynamite and Paint It Black blasts through four superb slabs of hardcore-flavoured punkrock with a poppy twist that never strays too far from what they’ve been doing in the past in terms of energy and integrity. It’s all pretty damn good and if you’re a fan of CIV or the Bouncing Souls there’s simply no going wrong with this one. Score: 7.5 out of 10 http://www.theblacknumbers.com http://www.myspace.com/highergiant
What was originally planned to be Marcy Playground frontman John Wozniak’s second solo album turned instead into the band’s fourth full-length. You might still remember them from “Sex & Candy”, the only hit they ever had as far as I can remember. Hell, I didn’t even know they were still around but apparently they’ve kept on going all those years.
There’s nothing really wrong with “Leaving Wonderland... In A Fit Of Rage”. Just like there wasn’t anything wrong with 1997’s self-titled debut. It’s catchy and fun rock with the occasional mellow moment thrown in and Wozniak still sounds like a Billy Corgan who can actually sing. And yes, the man can still write catchy choruses for songs that all sound pretty diverse. Basically, this is just a fun album. Score: 6.5 out of 10 http://www.wozrecords.com http://www.marcyplayground.com
Mark Mulcahy is one of those songwriters that make you wonder why a tribute album has never been bestowed upon them anytime sooner. But hey, better late than never! “Ciao My Shining Star” features a wide variety of songs written by this former Miracle Legion and Polaris frontman. On a sadder note, the album also serves as a benefit for Mulcahy whose wife recently passed away, leaving him behind with their twin daughters.
But if it’s any comfort, it is an amazing tribute that highlights the man’s songwriting capacity with songs being performed by everyone from Thom Yorke, The National and Michael Stipe to Juliana Hatfield, Frank Black and Mercury Rev. Almost all of them manage to make Mulcahy’s songs shine as much as the originals with a special shout-out going to PRT favourite Frank Turner with his intense take on “The Quiet One”.
Twenty-nine additional tracks, including contributions from A.C. Newman and Buffalo Tom, are also available for purchase online. Score: 8 out of 10 http://www.mezzotint.com
Having previously served time in Outstanding Simon, The Color Fred and Marigold among others, PJ Bond felt the time was right for a solo album. And while I don’t even know the guy, I wholly agree with him.
Call it americana, indie folk or country, I really don’t care. What I do know is that “You Didn’t Know I Was Alphabetical” is as solid a collection of acoustic-based poppy singer/songwriter material as anything I’ve heard in quite some time. It’s a little bit of Ryan Adams, Elliott Smith and Rocky Votolato all humping each other in one big, cozy sausage party with PJ Bond as the result. I really like the way he spins a story over bouncy little numbers and I’m really digging the album title and artwork as well.
I guess that what I’m trying to say is that I’d like to nominate the guy for best songwriter you haven’t heard of before and are most likely to miss out on. And yes, you should be ashamed of that. Score: 7.5 out of 10 http://www.theblacknumbers.com http://www.myspace.com/pjbondmusic
Ever since Baroness unleashed “Red Album”, they have been compared to Mastodon ad infinitum. While just a quick listen will reveal that they are indeed indebted to the band, these dudes are no mere ripoffs or wannabes. They’ve already proven that a couple of times before and they do it again with even more conviction on “The Blue Record”.
With the spirit of the seventies still alive, these Georgia natives are not afraid to let their freak flag fly. Only this time around they do it in more compact songs. They still hold back a little in opener “Bullhead’s Psalm” and “The Sweetest Curse”, only to come at you no holds barred in the next couple of songs. The saxophone in “A Horse Called Golgotha” is a nice touch and it’s one of the things that only add more diversity to an already pretty diverse sound. There are a couple of weaker moments strewn throughout the album (mostly in the second half). But it’s nothing that they can’t fix on the next album, which I’m pretty sure is going to be an instant classic. After having heard “The Blue Record”, I’d say the odds are definitely in their favour. Score: 8 out of 10 http://www.relapse.com http://www.myspace.com/yourbaroness
When I was still shitting my diapers, New Model Army was already up on the barricades fighting Thatcher and other assorted people with bad haircuts. All these years later they are still here while Thatcher has long since withered. That they are not ‘just here’ is proven right off the bat as soon as these guys kick off their new album with the title track. It’s an energetic song that starts off with some news bulletin about the financial crisis. Yes, the world still isn’t a great place and for New Model Army that is indeed good news. It made them churn out an exciting album with highlights such as “Autumn” and “North Star”, a tribute to their manager Tommy T who recently passed away.
On “Today Is A Good Day” these old punks rock like there’s no tomorrow, which in their case might very well be true. While many other bands that have been around this long sound stale and dated, New Model Army manages to come out swinging with an album that many young bands can only dream of writing. Score: 7.5 out of 10 Attack Attack Records http://www.newmodelarmy.org
Largely ditching the slick sound that made “Blackhawks Over Los Angeles” a little too catchy according to some of you out there, “Agents Of The Underground” sees Strung Out going back in time to the days of “Another Day In Paradise” and “Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues”. This is good news because these guys were already awesome then and they have only become better players since.
Thanks to producer Cameron Webb (Social D, Ignite, …) Jason Cruz” voice shines again over the metallic riffs and killer drums laid down by Jordan Burns. Opener “Black Crosses” is a killer track while“Vanity” and “Jack Knife” round out this album’s top three songs. These are also the only songs that offer some new ideas. Don’t get me wrong… I like all of the songs on here. But I know what to expect by now and the rest of the material on here is vintage Strung Out.
I guess that means that other than the rather lame artwork, there is not a whole lot wrong with “Agents Of The Underground”. If you liked these guys in the early 90s, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t like them now. After all they’re still doing the same thing. Or that would have to be the reason not to like them anymore. Score: 7.5 out of 10 http://www.fatwreck.com http://www.strungout.com
Named after a TSOL song, LA’s Darker My Love may feature former Nerve Agents members yet they don’t sound anything like they did in their previous incarnation. On “2” these guys show they have the shoegazer drone down pat. While it may have already been perfected in the past by acts such as Spacemen 3 and My Bloody Valentine, it’s becoming more and more popular again these days thanks to the likes of Silversun Pickups and now Darker My Love.
With some cool psychedelic influences alongside melodic vocal harmonies and an infectious organ, they manage to turn “2” in a very entertaining album that switches seamlessly between Doors-like freakouts (“White Composition”) to sunny psychedelic pop ditties like “Pale Sun” and “Talking Words”.
Welcome to the land of Russian Circles where the drums lay down the laws, thumping bass lines enact them and scorching guitars make sure no one even thinks of breaking them in the first place.
They already blew me away with last year’s “Station” and they simply repeat that barely one year later with “Geneva”. While it seems to be something of an unwritten rule in the post-rock scene to have songs that are drawn out to the point of inifinity, these guys come in and get the job done without outstaying their welcome. While they are still loud enough to cause avalanches when played in the mountains, it seems these Chicago natives finally understood the value of words such as ‘calm’ and ‘mellow”. It makes “Geneva” their most accomplished album to date and while they were already experts at playing with dynamics, they’ve become even better at it this time around.
Gaëtan Vandewoude already impressed us at PunkRockTheory with his other band Soon. So it was not completely without expectations that I started listening to the self-titled debut of his other project, The Isbells. There’s no real meaning behind the band name, just a family name to point out that being in a band is kind of like belonging to a family. Because make no mistake, The Isbells are indeed a band. It may have started out as just Vandewoude writing songs but somewhere along the way Naima Joris, Bart Borremans and Gianni Marzo joined and became an integral part of The Isbells as can be heard on this damn fine album.
Opener “As Long As It Takes” immediately sets the tone for the rest of the album with sparse acoustic strumming and amazing vocal harmonies created between Vandewoude and Joris. It proves right off the bat that these guys (and girl) can easily compete with Fleet Foxes or Bon Iver. While guitar and vocals do most of the talking on the album, there is also a lot to be said for the occasional addition of a tuba (“My Apologies”) or a ukelele (“Without A Doubt”).
On album number two these Canadians sound a lot less like Fear Factory than on their 2006 debut “Under Reprisal”. This means things are less aggressive this time around and in return, more accessible. Sounding like a mix between In Flames and Linkin Park (vocalist Jon Howard is at times a dead ringer for Chester Bennington), this band will do well with all the Soilwork fans out there.
The songs on “Vigilance” are well-produced and slick yet still aggressive enough to please the metalheads. Unfortunately the tracks all kinda sound alike and just don’t cut it for me. Score: 3.5 out of 10 http://www.nucleatblast.de http://www.threatsignal.com
There’s just a couple of albums that help shape one’s musical taste. In my case Korn and Limp Bizkit’s first albums were two of them for me. Luckily good taste prevailed in the end. Nirvana’s “Bleach” was another one which was already a far better choice. Unfortunately I once had to sell my copy of the album when I needed money to go to some festival or whatever and never got round to picking up a new copy. Count on Sub Pop to provide me with another one though.
It’s been exactly 20 years since the album first came out which is why they have now released a fancy anniversary edition that comes with a remastered version of the album along with the recording of a show the band played at Portland’s Pine Street Theatre and a booklet full of previously unpublished photos.
If you already own the album and are not a diehard fan, there’s no real reason to pick this one up. If you’ve never heard of this album before (who the hell are you?), this would be a great opportunity to get to know a semi-classic album. Score: 8.5 out of 10 http://www.subpop.com
Following up the “Dude Manor” EP, Canada’s Living With Lions hits hard with “Make Your Mark”. With a sound that’s situated between melodic hardcore and poppunk and influenced by both Dude Ranch-era Blink 182 and Lifetime, these dudes fit in perfectly with the likes of The Swellers and Polar Bear Club. The songs are catchy yet still contain enough grit to not be tossed in with the more slick and poppy bands out there and that’s just fine by me.
There’s hardly anything original to be found on “Make Your Mark” but I doubt that’s why these guys started a band. They sound honest, managed to put a smile on my face and you can hear them having a great time. Honestly, isn’t that what it’s supposed to be about in the first place? Score: 7 out of 10 http://www.adelinerecords.net http://www.myspace.com/livingwithlions
Oh shit, Skarhead is back. Apparently Lord Ezec figured out that he’s not going to make big bucks with his thugcore and so this time it’s “Drugs, Music & Sex” over “Drugs, Money & Sex”. Thirteen new songs, most of which are quite fun once you manage to look past the tough guy bullshit.
Still bridging the gap between punk, hardcore and hip hop, Ezec and his friends aren’t doing anything original but they bring everything with so much ferocity that you can’t help but get sucked in. Throw in a whole bunch of guest vocals from basically everybody in the hardcore scene (Freddy Cricien, CIV, Eddie Leeway, Jamey Jasta and Armand from SOIA to name just a few) and you’re looking at an enjoyable album that is only somewhat plagued by a couple of filler tracks. Other than that it’s great fun. My personal favorite would have to be “D.F.F.”, a streetpunk anthem with a dubby part in the middle. Score: 7 out of 10 http://www.iscreamrecords.com http://www.skarheadmusic.com
No, this is not a new album but a combined re-release of Bullets And Octane’s last two full-lengths, “Song For The Underdog” and “Bullets And Octane”. Apparently those albums weren’t readily available in Europe yet, which has now been rectified thanks to one handy release.
When I first heard this band’s 2006 album “In The Mouth Of The Young” I was hooked on their dirty, sleazy rock sounds after just one listen. Unfortunately the follow-up was already less impressive. On “Song For The Underdog” these guys sound more like a bad version of Unwritten Law. All of a sudden it seemed like they had lost all their authenticity as well as their grit. Listening to this year’s self-titled album, I get the impression that they got their shit together again. But it still isn’t exactly what it should be. They’re definitely improving again though and sound more sincere than before. Shall we blame it on a temporary loss of sanity? I guess time will tell. If you’re new to this band, I suggest you start off with “In The Mouth Of The Young”, avoid “Song For The Underdog” at all costs and immediately move on to their new album instead. Score: 6.5 out of 10 http://www.devcoent.com http://www.myspace.com/bulletsandoctane
RX Bandits’ last couple of albums saw them shying away more and more from their skapunk roots and with the departure of trombone player Chris Sheets, this has never been more true than on “Mandala”, the band’s latest effort.
Opener “My Lonesome Only Friend” starts off nicely with some keyboard sounds that lead to dueling guitars before the whole thing bursts open in this bigass rock song that even includes a cool solo. It’s a little busy but what the heck. At least it immediately lets you know that you are in for an adventurous trip . As you move on, it can be hard to keep track of all the sudden rhythm changes with the bass and guitars veering off in different directions and all. And then there’s the electronic wizardry that they have thrown in as well (“It’s Only Another Parsec…”). On top of that vocalist ? proves he has some flexible vocal chords going from falsetto to yelling in less than one second. It’s a little bit of everything thrown together but somehow they manage to keep their shit together most of the time. It’s not the easiest album to get into and occasionally these guys are just plain noodling away but still... if there’s any band out there to compare them to, I’d say that these guys now sound like a mix of Dredg and The Mars Volta. They’re just as experimental and rocking as Dredg but sometimes a little too self-indulgent. Overall they’ve done a solid job on “Mandala” though. Score: 6.5 out of 10 http://www.sargenthouse.com http://www.rxbandits.com
With every new release, this German outfit starts to sound catchier and more rocking than before. On “Black Rock” this becomes even more obvious as they incorporate even more singalong parts and slick leads than ever before. It’s still metallic hardcore at heart but ya know… kinda like how 18 Visions evolved. Some love it, others hate it. They did manage to record a diverse album with a semi-acoustic ballad, male and female vocals that tackle both English and German lyrics and there’s even a choir on here somewhere. Seems like they’ve got everything needed to make a compelling album, right?
Well, not quite… I just can’t seem to wrap my ears around vocalist Bend Fink’s accent which is downright terrible. I’m sorry… call me small-minded or hung up on details but it takes away a lot of the fun for me. Score: 6 out of 10 http://www.letitburnrecords.com http://www.zeromentality.com
No Friends is a new project by Tony of Municipal Waste along with ‘three hot dudes from New Mexican Disaster Squad, Gatorface and Virgins. The result is one hell of an album that could’ve very well been recorded two decades ago by Black Flag if they had the melodic sensibilities of say, Dag Nasty.
Amazing how a band that plays the kind of hardcore that was cool years ago can sound fresher than anything new that’s coming out. Guess that’s saying a lot about the quality of music these days, right?
Not that these guys simply ape what those guys did back in the day. They simply took the energy that those bands had and cut it up into twelve lines that go up the nostril and then proceed by blowing your mind. If these guys had been around in 1932 when Jerry Siegel started drawing comics, the world would’ve never even heard of kryptonite. No Friends is the stuff that would kill Superman. Score: 8 out of 10 http://www.noidearecords.com http://www.myspace.com/wevegotnofriends
The Magnificent Seven was an amazing western released back in 1960, directed by John Sturges and based on a screenplay by William Roberts. It featured big names such as Yul Brynner, Robert Vaughn, Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson and was even nominated for an Oscar. The story dealt with a bunch of cowboys trying to protect a village against Mexican bandits.
This of course has absolutely nothing to do with The Mag Seven who are in fact a trio consisting of Brandon Landelius, Donivan Blair and the mighty Bill Stevenson. They play 100% pure instrumental jazz, surf and rock according to the sticker on the album and manage to bore me at great length with most of the songs on “Cotton Needle Sessions”. It’s not that they’re no good… they’re all amazing players and they recorded the whole thing in just three days. But they don’t play the kind of abundant surf pop that Dick Dale is known for. Instead they rely a little too hard on jazz, which happens to be one of the few musical genres I have never gotten into.
Some of the songs on here would fit perfectly on a soundtrack for a spy movie (“Trim”), others would sound amazing in a film noir (“Does This Rag Smell Like Chloroform?”) but when they start noodling away like in “Rise Of The Levis”, they lose me completely. And that happens just a tad bit too often for me to get a kick out of “Cotton Needle Sessions”. Score: 5 out of 10 http://www.endsounds.com http://www.myspace.com/themagseven
I honestly haven’t heard much from Death By Stereo ever since they left Epitaph. I know they released a live album a while back but other than that it’s been awfully quiet around these dudes… until now. “Death Is My Only Friend” is the name of their new album, their first for I Scream Records and as far as I know their first in quite some years.
I was hoping that this album was a return to form for these guys because let’s face it, their last album wasn’t that amazing. It pains me to say because I always liked these guys… they knew how to shred and were able to couple it to a great sense of melody. And with Efrem Schulz they have a vocalist who can switch seamlessly between screaming and singing. Unfortunately “Death Is My Only Friend” sees them losing their way even more and ends up being a very weak carbon copy of what once made them such a great band. Death is my only friend indeed… Score: 4 out of 10 http://www.iscreamrecords.com http://www.deathbystereo.com
Scott Gross was one of the founding members of From Autumn To Ashes. When he left the band in 2004, he decided to do something else. Something with acoustic music perhaps. What he didn’t have in mind was to get clipped by a car while standing next to a broken down rental car. Yet that is exactly what happened and as a result, the man has spent the last years revalidating. Lullaby The Storm came to life as a way of dealing with the pain and the debut album “3 Lanes Painted Red” pretty much describes everything Gross has been going through for the past two years.
With help from Mari-Elaina (sister of Taking Back Sunday’s Antonio Longo), Jeff Gillson, Greg Odette and with Antonio helping out with a lot of the vocal harmonies and arrangements, the songs on “3 Lanes Painted Red” quickly started taking shape and ended up ranging from indie pop cuts to acoustic meandering intertwined with tasteful piano sounds. The least you can say is that it’s certainly very different from the noise Gross produced in From Autumn To Ashes. Well, it did remind me of that one song they did with One True Thing’s Melanie Willis, “Autumn’s Monologue”. That’s probably as good a reference as I can give you.
With songs like “Kristen With An E” or the title track, it sure shows potential. Yet I’d hardly call “3 Lanes Painted Red” a flawless album. The drums in “Never Take Exit 7” strangely seem to lag and Mari-Elaina’s voice does not lend itself well to more rocking songs like “That Song Seals The Deal”. I think the do-it-yourself- at-home production job has a lot to with that. Anyhoo, they’re already working on a follow-up and I’m gonna wait for that one to make up my mind about Lullaby The Storm. Score: 6 out of 10 http://www.567records.com http://www.myspace.com/lullabythestorm
Freddy Cricien and his hoarse bark made a name for themselves in the powerhouse that is Madball. While he’s still tearing it up with those guys, the time has come for another chapter in the man’s life. It’s not exactly a secret that Madball - along with many others in the NYHC scene – have a thing with hip hop. So I guess it’s not that far-fetched of an idea for the man to release a complete hip hop album.
Apparently long overdue, “Catholic Guilt” is ready to be released. It features a side of Freddy Cricien you have never heard before. Hell, if the album didn’t carry his name I probably even wouldn’t have made the connection. Because unlike other hardcore dudes who come out swinging with hip hop side-project (to very mixed results), Cricien ditches the fast drums and metallic riffs altogether. Hell, the loudest track on here is “London Calling”, which thrives on the Clash’s classic sounds and features guest vocals by Rancid. There is nothing even remotely hardcore on this album except for the lyrics. With Stress The White Boy and LD providing the beats, Cricien tells you all about his scrapes with death, getting in trouble with the cops, life on the streets and his stint in prison. And he even does this in Spanish in the song “Y Que”.
A hip hop album without guest vocals is not a real hip hop album. Other than Rancid, guest vocals are also provided by Jedi Mind Tricks’ Vinnie Paz (“Dark Of The Night”) and Gym Class Heroes’ Travis (“The New Black”). Whether he’s being helped out or going at it solo though, doesn’t matter that much. He nails it on every single track here making “Catholic Guilt” a very solid and slick offering.
Honestly, I didn’t know what I was getting into but damn, this is one fine hip hop album. Nas has this one song called “NY State Of Mind”. Well, Cricien made a whole album that just screams New York! Big ups! Score: 8 out of 10 Familia Entertainment http://www.myspace.com/freddymadball
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