Reviews

There is an amazing Rancid song on the Fat Wreck comp Short Songs For Short People. Built on an amazing Matt Freeman bass line and revolving around the great slurred chorus of “Whatcha gonna do now that you’ve been blacklisted?” it got me really excited (for no real reason whatsoever) about Philadelphia’s Blacklisted. I figured if this band was half as good as that song, then the album title would be totally accurate. Philly’s Blacklisted really have only one thing in common with that Rancid track: the short duration. We’re Unstoppable’s ten songs fizzle out in seventeen slightly disappointing minutes, most of which had me longing for Tim Armstrong’s sweet stutter.
 
Blacklisted sound like recycled Hope Conspiracy maybe mixed with a little bit of Terror, but without the uniqueness of either outfit.  It seems at times like they are trying to summon up the ghost of AN, but that is a hard spirit to conjure properly and in this case the seance is unsuccessful. Instead Blacklisted is left playing dirty chugging hardcore, simple with a few shining moments, but nothing groundbreaking.
 
This is the first Deathwish Inc. record I haven’t been totally stoked on in quite some time.  Then I realized,  oh it’s a collection of demo tracks and an EP released on Stillborn records.  The amazing Deathwish art is intact, but the sound, so far as the Deathwish reputation for envelope pushing, is just not up to snuff.  The design is flawless however. I recommend going to the local record store and looking at We’re Unstoppable but don’t buy it. Best to wait until a proper full length before checking Blacklisted out.