Reviews

First off, a little back-story on this record. Originally recorded in 1993, the Netherlands' Disturbing Foresights' De-Grunged was caught up in record label limbo until it was released fifteen years later. The album itself starts off with beat boxing, which is a little strange to hear, but when the music starts, the band starts to impress with its slightly heavy sound. The only problem with "Work It Out" is the constant beatboxing in the background, which is just annoying. Other than that, the song is really strong.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the rest of the record. Songs like "Positive" and "Shadow" come off as sub-par hardcore with metallic tendencies that just don't do anything to enliven the listener. The only other songs that sparked anything were the riff in "Going to the Pub" and the very interesting instrumental, "N.P.M.," which comes together very nicely, but unfortunately it's not enough to sustain a whole album.

Near the end, the record starts to pick up a bit, with tracks like "This 1's 4 U," which has some good vocals courtesy of Iwan, and "Perfect World," which makes me think of the Guttermouth song of the same name...it's a good memory.

Overall, it seems that the story of the record's long road to being released is much more fascinating than the record itself. The band disbanded in 1996 and they have largely been seen as a footnote in the music of the Netherlands. The final song on this album, "Lonely," tries really hard to be strong and powerful but it ultimately sounds like everything else on the record, which is a shame. While listening to this record does take the listener back in time, it just doesn't seem to hold up very well over fifteen years later.