Since the Flood

No Compromise (Metal Blade)
by Hansel Merchor

If there is one thing that’ll differentiate Since the Flood from the rest of hardcore bands, it’s their pace. Nowadays, we find most hardcore bands basing albums around chugga-chugga guitars or dull-ass riffing, only to support it via a solid but not so eloquent and totally inexpressive rhythmic base and vocals that approximate the barks of an enraged pitbull. Since the Flood doesn’t entirely escape that description, but at least they’re wise enough to come to practice with a renovated sense of timing.

No Compromise starts off uneventfully. The first four cuts are typical: Breakdowns, thick guitars, deep bottomed drums, with rough and burly vocals. However, there’s a very well-worked sense of melody here. A fact that is developed even further once we get deeper into the record. It’s right between “Strength” and “Everything to Lose” that the listener comes to the conclusion that if hardcore has never been all that great of a genre, then things may just be changing. Rhythmic and inventive riffs invade the songs, breakdowns give way to surprisingly involving melodies, and as a result, we have an album that, at least as hardcore is concerned, way above regular.
(www.metalblade.com)