Terror

Live: The Bowery Collection (MVD Audio)
by Craig Regala

Live, warts and all pig-iron tough hardcore recorded live at CBGB’s 06.10.04 with blessing from Trustkill Records. I don’t know much about the hardcore stuff that came after its initial ’80-’84 burst, so excuse the general blather. Or don’t: Maybe you should pay attention to me. I’m not an insider. I’m not hardcore. I’m just a guy who likes all kindsa hard rock action, and action can be found here. Working off a template established by the Cro-Mags and moving outward to absorb rhythms, attack, and groove as any kick-ass unit that wants to move the music toward maximum impact and minimum bullshit. Rolling on the stomping chug potential in hardcore (really, listen to early Black Flag stuff like “Clocked In”), these guys add the chomp, stomp, and crush of mid-80s hardcore to the power of its evil twin in the metal camp via the Anthrax/Exodus axis and jam it into today. Meaning: They prune any stuff that lessens impact and add stuff that drives the music forward in the real world. I mean the drummer’s not fucking around, he could sit with anyone.

You get the feeling these guys not only love music but really don’t have any other thing that’s fueled’m and given’m hope and focus through their lives. Like I said, it’s fucking straight up, but you never get the feeling it’s exclusive. It feels inclusive, no matter what your hair length, race, habits or sex are. If you’re ready to dig in, grab a shovel, cuz they got a mountain they need help moving.

Favorite tracks: “Not This Time” has a roar could follow Sepultura or Madball on the radio station you wish played 24/7 in your town, and “Overcome” has a groove that reminds me of a band I’ve loved for years from the last century, Lungbrush (Google’m and hit Myspace). My highly personal mix tape would put’m between The Bhopal Stiffs, Lungbrush, Cro-Mags, Madball, those crazy fuckers Gaza, S.O.D. Discharge, and Machinehead.
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