Allegiance "Overlooked" CD
[Rivalry]
God damnit! Another raging hardcore platter from Rivalry Records, this time from a California straightedge band, on what I believe may be their debut full-length. And what one hell of a fuckin' debut it is, if that's the case: Chock full of fast paced hardcore and shitloads of hard as nails mosh parts with thrashy metallic picking patterns that sort of take the hardnosed NYHC groove of the mid-90's and add some energy to the pacing to keep things from sounding like a midpaced stomp, instead tying everything more to the classic late-80's old school sound but with a heavier set of production values and more pissed off attitude with song structures that spice things up just enough to sound current and fresh. The vocals totally rule as well, dropping straight up yelling with a really bitter and distinct sound that doesn't come across as forced or over the top, but totally natural and in your face. "Found My Niche" is pissed as hell and kicks out a sweet mosh groove, "Because of You" messes with the chord progressions just a little for a different feel to start things off, "Wake Me When it's Over" offers more of the same and sounds a little different than many of the other tracks, "On the Line" sounds sort of like Terror or Madball at double speed so that it ends up representative of an unexpected mix of crossover thrash and '88 hardcore, etc. The biggest standout for me, "Just Let Go", boasts one of the catchiest and most memorable choruses I've heard in a hardcore song as of late - so I'd be stunned if it's not a crowd favorite in the live setting, 'cause in addition to the sing-along factor it's got a damn solid breakdown going for it as well. At the end of the disc after a little bit of blank space there's a re-recording of a sick older 7" tune called "No Dice" that's actually one of my favorites, so I'm not sure why it wasn't "officially" included on the disc, but fuck it. I have no real quarrels with the production at all. Everything is heavy as fuck and the mix is pretty damn balanced as well. Since a lot of the vocals are doubled they can inch out in front just barely, but the drums sound perfect, the bass is there, and the guitar tone totally rules. I love it. I think they ought to give the bass a little more prominence just to crank up the punch of the songs even more, and sometimes the mastering compression (I assume) seems to be making the levels clip, but it's not that noticeable and they're dead on the mark for the most part. The layout looks awesome too, with some really crisp and colorful photographs and tight text arrangements that follow suit. The lyrics are fairly brief (as are the songs) and tend to deal with your usual topics of friendships, betrayal, dedication, standing up for yourself in the face of adversity, etc. What I like is that the lyrics are blunt without going too far, and the content is written in a conversational sort of language that gives everything a natural and honest sort of style: "The one thing that can give you life can stab you in the back, I get it - I know, so just let go, Sometimes you just have to let go, Like everything else this shit will come and go, you know?" I'm into it. Another incredibly awesome band. These cats are easily one of the top three west coast bands out there right now. Look into this for sure... (8/10)
Running time - 22:19, Tracks: 12
[Notable tracks: Found My Niche, On the Line, Just Let Go, No Dice]
Rivalry Records - http://www.rivalryrecords.com

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