Reviews

Western Addiction and I share a love of old 80s style hardcore, a la minor threat, gorilla biscuits, or agnostic front.  formed by members of the Fat Wreck staff, they are explicitly trying to bring back the type of music they grew up with and loved, with gruff, yelling vocals and fast, biting guitars. Clocking in at just over 20 minutes, western addiction spit out twelve songs, none over two minutes and fifteen seconds long. The sound most resembles agnostic front or early black flag, lacking the positive content that set Minor Threat and Gorilla Biscuits apart, sounding all-around angrier and less personal.  the content is socially motivated for the most part, pissed off and decently written.  there isn’t a moment where I feel embarrassed at the lyrics, and even if at times they aren’t outstanding, they are always well-worded and sung with spirit.
 
I like this project, which is best expressed in the fourth song, “the church of black flag,” which I would point to as the best song on the record.  it’s fast, well written, and pulls directly on the nostalgia I have for my favorite deceased bands; screaming out “in the church where black flag lives/there’s no profit, no success, just pride,” and “finding beauty in ugliness/compulsive strides are pensive/and second best/this is in our chests.”  While there is nothing amazing or new in this, and there is little variation in the presentation, it is a good album and definitely worth at least giving a try.