This band's members have played in Vegan Reich, Underdog, Bad Brains, McRad, Vietnom, and Tension (including in their ranks pro-skater Chuck Treece). This EP is a short dose of hardcore/punk with reggae influences (go figure) and gruff vocals that, when not flirting with a reggae flare, are shouted in more of a street punk type of style. It's not that bad, but it's not really my thing for various reasons. I can listen to it, though. "Bullet" is a short, fast, to the point song that's pretty memorable. If they stuck with that stuff more often I think I could get into this. "Rise" isn't that bad either, it's sort of catchy, the energy level is good, and I like the quick lead bursts and fast paced bass runs. The reggae stuff in "Anthem" isn't flying with me though, and since "Bumbaclot" is a Peter Tosh cover... well, I mean, what can I say? At least they bend it into their own style, but god damn, I fucking hate that stuff in its original form, and the lyrics are still obnoxious as hell. As far as the recording goes, it's somewhat raw, but it's mixed pretty evenly so I'm not bothered so much. I think the bass needs to be louder and the vocals maybe should drop back a tad, but it sounds good for what it is. Nothing jumps out at me as a huge problem. More low-end and more prominent basslines would really help though, because the basslines are really strong. The layout is strewn with images of the American flag superimposed with flames, so I'm sure that's suggestive of more than a few things, especially when the lyrics are fairly pissed off and political at their base. The title track carries the most weight as far as the message goes: "This is the story of our history, The struggle against genocide and slavery, This is the sound of that legacy, The voice of revolution calling to be free... This is an anthem for guerilla soldiers, With guns in hand marching forward, The people's rage is boiling over, It's gonna erupt in an all out class war." At least they keep the reggae flare to an absolute minimum, but I mean, why bother? They're much better without it, and if the lyrics were a bit less... over the top or overdramatic perhaps? I think I could appreciate the material more.
[Uprising]
Running time - 10:03, Tracks: 4
[Notable tracks: Bullet, Rise]
Uprising Records - http://www.uprisingrecords.com
