What’s In The Box? – This week’s most played releases
on November 11th, 2011This week’s most played releases around the office include the new full length from Driven Fear, a live one from the now defunct Antiskeptic, a 7 track EP from Waiting Room and the fresh one from Future Of The Left. See below for some info and opinion on each of the releases.
DRIVEN FEAR – Contender [Pee] [Get It]
Another band who hasn’t lost the concept of delivering a full package as the final product. Great artwork and packaging on this one, and the tunes are equally as good. For fans of fast straight up hardcore, you’ll be filing this one right next to Toe To Toe’s ‘Consolidated’ if you file by quality. Production is perfect, sounds just as good blasted as it does in the background, not that it’ll be background music for long. The band’s previous releases were all quality, but this one leaves them for dead, from start to finish they tick all the right boxes and leave you heading straight for the repeat button. They’ve delivered one of the best hardcore albums of the year, not just from local acts either, this one is right up there with what’s being released world-wide. Do check it out.
HIGHLIGHTS = ‘All Rivers’, ‘Growth’, ‘March 29th’.
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ANTISKEPTIC – Goodbye Goodnight : Live At The Hi-Fi [El Shaddai] [Get It]
This one has been available a little while now from the band and at their re-union show earlier in the year, now it has just been released to stores. It’s a CD/DVD package of the band’s farewell show back in 2008. Top notch quality recording, and a set-list that brings back plenty of memories. As you’d expect, all their popular tracks get a run, served a reminder they had more singles than I remembered. They were always tight and solid live and this show is no different. If you were a fan and are yet to grab this, it’ll be a very worthwhile addition to your collection.
HIGHLIGHTS = ‘Nothing To Say’, ‘Beautiful In White’, ‘Tears Simone’.
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WAITING ROOM – Waiting Room [Monolith] [Get It]
A tidy little 7 track EP from this young Brisbane outfit that show plenty of promise. This one follows up a popular demo and plenty of local shows. Their sound is a passionate, strong brand of melodic hardcore, a little more guts than most melodic hardcore stuff and over the EP manage to explore a few different styles without much fuss. Still finding their feet, but very much on the right path. The recording sound suits the band’s style well, it’s a touch raw which only adds to the final result. Good way to leave an impression and with time I’m sure they’ll only step things up, but for now, this one serves them just fine. Pretty solid effort.
HIGHLIGHTS = ‘I Still Function’, ‘Hold Fast’, ‘Celephais’.
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FUTURE OF THE LEFT – Polymer Are Forever [Remote Control] [Get It]
This band are in a league of their own and you probably either love ‘em or you don’t get ‘em. Not the kind of band who’ll stick to any formula, preferring to just create their own. They take your standard rock, close the lid and give it one hell of a shake. The resulting cocktail is hard to describe and best just listened to, you’ll know pretty quick if it is up your alley or not. Took me a few goes to get right into it, but eventually it’s charm won me over and it became addictive and earning a lot of spins.
HIGHLIGHTS = ‘New Adventures’, ‘Dry Hate’, ‘Polymers Are Forever’.
