Full Speed Ahead "Born to Lose" CD
[Manic Ride]
I don't know much about this band, but this fucker was recorded damn near four years ago only to be shelved due to issues with the artwork, and now the band is sadly no longer around. And I say sadly because this beast is a killer slab of straight up hardcore/punk with a ton of energy and some really memorable vocal arrangements that add a lot to the musical impact. The lead vocals are straight shouts that sometimes have an air of sarcasm or a crossover sort of bite, but there's a lot of doubling that gets a little bit throatier or more diverse. I'm also a major proponent of the driving basslines that rage all over the place under the relatively basic chord progressions. Most of the tracks run right about a minute and have a healthy dose of rock 'n' roll involved, but definitely maintain their hardcore/punk aesthetic in full, with a few areas that hit more on an old school vein (check out the breakdown in "Hourglass"), though they never get too fast or anything like that. It's all pretty moderately paced as far as speeds go... it's fast, but they're not blazing or anything. Well, that is, except for the 14-second blast of fury that makes up "Everyone's in My Way"! "From the Wait" and "Reaching an End" are a bit catchier than some of the other songs, the latter throwing in some subtle smatterings of melody. They cover "Jealous Again" by Black Flag, and while they do seem to have been influenced by Black Flag, I have to say the track definitely stands out a lot, so they're certainly not drawing an excessive amount from said hardcore stalwarts. I have no significant quarrels with the recording. The bass needs a bit more oomph to its tone (or volume) without losing any of its well-executed definition, but the drums sound fine, the guitars are pretty thick without being heavy or overly harsh, and the vocals sound awesome. I definitely like the clarity they achieve without breaking up the mix at all, there's no wasted space or anything. Aside from the killer Pushead cover art, the layout still rules, with tons of cool looking photos, tight text, clean arrangements, etc. I'm really into the visuals here, it's consistent and looks damn good. Lyrically things are pissed and pretty personal, but still handled in a pretty unique manner to me: "Unkept time fatigue punch clock, Unwound sign routine block, Life sign - this to exist? Stop calling - calling is missed, Wall smack - what has become, Unsight the damage is done..." Good stuff. Too many solid bands of this nature break up far before their time. Shit happens... but check this out, at least they documented these songs before they packed it in. (7/10)
Running time - 29:27, Tracks: 17
[Notable tracks: Consume, From the Wait, Reaching an End, Outlawed]
Manic Ride Records - http://www.manicriderecords.com

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