The Vectors "Still Ill" LP
[Busted Heads]
I don't know the story behind this record, but apparently it was recorded four years ago and finally ended up in the hands of the mighty Busted Heads for release. These Swedes play dirty fuckin' straight up hardcore/punk with a little rock thrown in there as well. It definitely sounds like it could've been at home in the early- to mid-80's here in the US, specifically on the west coast. It's sort of catchy and memorable, but it's got a shitload of attitude as well as some aggression that never goes too far. They sound very little like either of these bands to me, but I can hear bits and pieces from anything from Black Flag to the Dead Kennedys in here. And then you've got your total fucking ragers like "You're a Joke" that kick up the intensity factor big time and bring in some UK types of influences. Awesome. Most of the songs hover right around two minutes or less, so they blow through without a hitch. The production is raw, but that's how it almost needs to be to fit the music, and they do it right, so it sounds intentionally so, rather than coming off as shoddy or something like that. It's got that dated sort of grittiness to it, but the mix is pretty even and there's no real lack of density or anything like that. The drums are really sort of distant, the bass is back there, the guitars have a lot of crazy distortion going on, etc. It gets my approval. I assume the layout here is similar to the sleeve of the LP (this is a CD-R promo copy), though I would guess that the LP might have a lyrics insert and such. The artwork is all simple and to the point. The lyrics are pissed off with plenty of attitude and that's basically how it goes: "Line up and fight like there's no tomorrow, It doesn't matter if we end up dead, Together we can do some real damage, And we don't care about your damn age..." If you like your hardcore/punk true to form and miss the good ol' days then this fucker's for you. They have a god damn song called "Kill", what more reason do you need!? (7/10)
Running time - 22:02, Tracks: 13
[Notable tracks: Blitz & Glitz, You're a Joke, Everyone's Against Me, Kill]
Busted Heads - http://www.bustedheads.com

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