Review: Lights Out “Get Out” CD

13 tracks of no frills hardcore in the old school vein in barely 15 minutes. Fast chord progressions, shouted vocals, basic song structures with hard hitting breakdowns but no metal whatsoever, and a slightly raw recording that works nicely for what they have to offer. "No Greater Distance" is a little faster, while "In Denial" and "Old News" are a little heavier and more pissed off (granted most of this stuff is pretty damn pissed), etc. It's a pretty consistent listen, there's not much as far as changeups go. The last six tracks are from the band's 2003 demo, including a song that's actually called "Eat Shit", so there's no way you can really fault that. As mentioned the sound quality is a little on the raw side, but I'm not bothered, it makes sense. The mix is pretty even, the drums can get a little rigid compared to the dry warmth of the guitars and vocals, but it all pans out in the end. The only thing I'd like to hear would be a more prominent bass presence since basslines so often play a role in driving the rhythms in this style of hardcore. I like the density they have in place though, so I can totally live with it as is. The demo cuts sound pretty similar, but the guitar tone is a little flatter and dryer, so the bass does get a little more room to breathe, but the overall punch still isn't quite as in your face. For a demo it sounds really good, though. The layout keeps it pretty basic with red, white, and black coloring, high contrast band photos, and some killer illustrations of hooded figures in an alleyway that totally have that old school hardcore aesthetic going on. The lyrics are straightforward and blunt, pulling no punches: "Don't even try to justify your actions, They're just excuses that aren't worth shit, Are you fucking lost? Or just fucking stupid? Either way, it's fucking over now." Not bad. Damn quick, too. This is one of those records that's a shoe-in for kids who like real hardcore. I'm into it. I've heard better, but I'm into it.