The "Weaponize" EP is the latest release from Delaware's Hard Response since reuniting in 2006 and dropping the "Hostile Environment" full-length a year later. Apparently this thing actually hit the streets towards the end of last year, but I wasn't aware of it, so I'm glad the band happened to hit me up with a copy last week. The brief distro description of the disc mentions that it's "drawing influences from old school hardcore/oi reminiscent of early Biohazard and Blood for Blood", and I'd definitely agree with that, as I'm noticing a little more of a gruff, stripped down kind of Blood for Blood vibe in these tracks. With four songs in just 12-and-a-half minutes this thing's over in a flash, but the band's still cranking out chunky, 90's styled metallic hardcore that retains subtle threads of that token Hard Response sound by sprucing up the rhythms with roving melodic basslines and quick little hints of post-hardcore dissonance in the guitar work. They even close things out with a great cover of "Ashes, Ashes" by Sheer Terror! I don't know what else to say, really. It's great to see bands of this nature reunite and remain active without rehashing their past efforts, especially a band like Hard Response that's clearly doing it just for the love of the music...
Hard Response "I Despise" (excerpt)
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Hard Response (CD)
Amazon.com (mp3)
iTunes (mp3)
Comments
These guys live around the block from me basically, haha. Seen them a dozen times. Decent good band.
7.15.2009 | By John Hasson
Did you ever listen to this band back in the day? My friend’s brother was the original bass player.
7.15.2009 | By John Hasson
Hard Response at it again?! I randomly picked up the Single Bullet Theory CD nearly 12 years back. I remember it having some nice variety in the tracks, some of it reminded me a lot of early Life Of Agony. I’d be interested to check out their new stuff though it sounds like they have gone a little more one-dimensional in their approach to hardcore.
7.15.2009 | By Adam G
John, I did. I love “Single Bullet Theory”, that’s my favorite record of theirs.
7.16.2009 | By Andrew Aversionline
Wow, this is what I call good news.
I love this band, even thought Single Bullet Theory is their best work, they still manage to create interesting & powerful music, I wasn’t expecting a new release since their last cd a couple of years ago, that’s nice.
7.16.2009 | By Fred
I thought they were so cool, haha. Delaware has always been such a crazy place for music. Since I turned 14, I was pretty much just going to Philly as much as I possibly could.
7.17.2009 | By John Hasson
The Philly Dust Krew recordings are great too
7.18.2009 | By Adam G
Hey thanks for reviewing the EP. Weaponize was kind of a return to our roots style-wise. We really wanted to get away from the metal-core norm of the modern hardcore sound. Its still us just doing a striped down late-eighties early nineties style. I guess we tried to cater to the heads that only like our 89 demo.
Plus who doesn’t like Sheer Terror? Pick it up of you dig it…
Thanks again,
tone
7.20.2009 | By Hardtone