Here's some awesome hardcore/punk out of California. Opening track "War?" starts out very differently than I would have expected with a driving instrumental introduction that relies heavily on smooth basslines and hard-hitting percussion with very melodic guitar lines and even some piano towards the end, before kicking into some excellent hardcore/punk in the vein of a more melodic and subtly involved D-beat style with a great energetic tempo, memorable songwriting with some ripping basslines and gruff vocal shouts, solid breakdowns, interesting vocal arrangements (despite the brief lyrical content), and even some awesome lead breaks. A total classic. "Nightmare" is somewhat more straightforward, sounding not unlike a modern Discharge with a couple of very quick melodic riffs mixed in with the basic chord progressions, and "Behind the Barbwire" is also more along those lines, though perhaps heavier (but not in a metal way) and ending with a locked groove. You've gotta love those solos, though. The production is really good for this style as well. It's appropriately raw with a good bass presence, dense drums, an even mix, etc. I don't have any complaints at all. The record (on black vinyl with blank black labels) comes in a black and white sleeve with some kids wearing gas masks on the cover and the lyrics/contact information on the back alongside a photo of an Asian woman holding a baby (which I assume is some sort of P.O.W. photo). All of the lyrics deal with visions of war, which doesn't particularly come as a surprise based on the layout. "Air raid siren blares in my ear, Warning us all the end is near, Nightmare, Civilization about to fall, Nothing left but our shadows on the wall, Nightmare, Cover your eyes and wait for the flash, As our fucking world turns to ash, Nightmare!" I wish that all of the material was as diverse and intricate as "War?", but either way this is a great fucking record... one of the best I've heard from this genre in years. Grab this one and give it a shot.
[After the Bomb]
Running time - 8:00 (approximately), Tracks: 3
[Notable tracks: all three are very good, but "War?" is the real winner]
Holokaust, 15775 Wedow Dr., Moreno Valley, CA 92551 -
