“It’s the summer of hardcore”, I think to myself as yet another Victory Records release drops on my desk, this time in the form punk heroes A18 with their third full length album, and fortunately unlike label mates Atreyu this is full on explosive hardcore done very well. It is an intense experience which hits you like a ton of bricks as the twelve tracks rip your summer up as the razor sharp guitar riffs cut their way along seemlessly and it seems as if the band love every minute of it. This maybe somewhat of a saviour for hardcore fans looking for something which can throw them back into the heady days of 80’s hardcore punk and I doubt many would be too disappointed.
Ultimately it isn’t as dark as you may think though. Sure it pummels the listener into submission but there is a certain degree of melody to be found within certain tracks such as ‘Gravelines’ which is a relentless battle of biting guitar and thumping drums while ‘Jailhouse Rob’ shows they have an eye for the more demonic side of the coin with a dark and brutal offering that isn’t for the faint of heart. Of course the usual mob chanting efforts are here in the form of ‘Misery Street’ that also features some cracking breakdowns to complement the grittiness, although ‘Heartbreak Affiliated’ is the personal highpoint as it proves a nice closer towards the end of the album.
It isn’t quite all happy go lucky stuff though and there are some minor distractions on an otherwise fine release. I admit to not being the biggest know it all when it comes to hardcore, but I find repetitiveness a recurring problem in most release I listen to, and ‘Dear Furious’ is no different. The distinct feel of heard one, heard them all comes to mind and it can distract slightly as the feeling of boredom creeps in and the need to be in the mood for the album seems even more important as that feeling of déjà vu approaches.
‘Dear Furious’ proves that there is life in the hardcore punk genre and this is a great showcase for the last five years work the band have put in. It splutters in places, but it consistently shows a keen ear for some corking melodies and along with the superb vocals it may prove the perfect summer fix for any of those hardcore kids looking for something to hark on about in their unforgiving scene.
Jay
www.heroesaredead.com
Victory Records
