Reviews

Northern California Hardcore - stand up and be counted.  Although In Place Apart was recorded at Godcity, designed by J.Bannon, and put out on Deathwish Inc - all Boston area institutions, Killing The Dream is leading the new wave of no shit nor-cal hardcore.  In Place Apart is a tightly wound series of little explosions - dense fast moving hardcore.  Don’t blink or you’ll miss another Kid Dynamite level blast.
 
If you just need a nihilistic blast of resentment, look no further than We’re All Dead Ends.  One of the longer songs on the album, We’re All Dead Ends sees Killing The Dream explore every facet of fast frustrated hardcore.  Rooted in a scene where “you’ve heard it all before,” KTD encourages everyone to scream with one of the best pit call outs in recent memory: “We’re all fucked, so fuck it all.”  This song breaks down three times in three different ways.  All are equally rocking. 
 
Writer’s Block expresses similar themes of the glory losing one’s self in the moment, but also of the helplessness inherent in being the singer of a loud, energetic band.  It culminates in the singer spitting venom, “You only like the words that are cliché but then again who gives a fuck?/ Most of you just want to fuck each other up.”  A scathing critique delivered in a captivating manner?  Ladies and gentlemen, we have achieved punk rock.
 
Musically, In Place Apart is not simply a retread of Killing The Dream’s last awesome self titled LP on Rival (now Rivalry Records).  Everything is tighter and faster, and they sound less like they are trying to channel American Nightmare.  In Place Apart does feature a song called Ante Up, but sadly it is not a anger infused version of the Bane track.
 
Again, just have to drive home how awesome the art and the overall sound are.  You should pretty much just have a subscription to Deathwish Inc. at this point. 
 
One last clarification, Killing The Dream is not Bleed The Dream.  BTD is a lousy, overwrought, emocore band that reeks of rolling with the punches and giving into the trends.  KTD is throwing the punches and starting the trends.  The new fad?  Fast, smart, pissed off hardcore, courtesy of Killing The Dream.  No anger is wasted on self-pity; here the anger is focused outward.  “So let’s hang them all, we’ll never hang ourselves.”
 
These are songs to start mosh pits, circle pits, pile-ons, stage dives, and sing alongs.  Anything high energy and inspired, youthful and wise in the heat of the moment goes well with this band.