Reviews

I saw these guys a little bit before this album came out and they had the crowd in the palm of their hands; it was an amazing performance. So I wanted to check out what they got on wax and I found that the new record was exactly what I heard at the show that night, which was honest, hard hitting hardcore.

With the first song, "We're What Separates The Heart from the Heartlessm," a bar is set. From that song, to the end of the record, Stick to Your Guns never goes below that bar. "Impact" continues the onslaught and might just be an even better song. The singing in this song really works, which could have been a very tricky feat to pull off. "Part of Me" definitely proves that these guys have done their homework, pulling influences from many of hardcore's legends. "Enough Is Enough" is one of the best songs on the album and features the best singing chorus.

They played the next song on the album, "Accessory Children," at the show I attended and vocalist Jesse Barnett touched on the songs lyrics before they played the song. It increased my interest in the band, as a lot of hardcore bands that get to this level don't talk about specific problems in our society. The "Interlude" that follows is decent and I don't dislike it, but I think the record would have been better off without it. "Tonight's Entertainment" kicks right back into the grooves and moves. "We Must Look Like Ants From Up There" just continues in the right direction. "Driving Force" and "Looking for the Surface" finish the album with the same fury that kicked everything off and grabbed my attention in the first place.

For their second release, these guys have come a long way, and it's in the right direction. I couldn't really get into their first album, but they smashed any success that the last album had. I would like to see these guys work on their song variation a bit and push themselves in the studio; they have established themselves at this point. The album is a bit lacking for a five star record, but I think a 4.5 would be agreeable.

The production on this album is what I would expect from a Century Media release; very clean but still very raw. The lyrics are a major part of this release and this band; I think what makes a hardcore band that much better is the lyrical content and the delivery of it. If you're looking for a CD to introduce you to hardcore as a genre, pick this up. It's undeniable release that will end up being one of the best of the year.