Reviews

New York hardcore heroes Madball have yet again delivered another top-notch hardcore album. In a time when bands seem to lose their sound, have it diluted by current music trends, or attempt to jam pack radio hit after radio hit onto a sub par album, Madball rises above the mess with a classic hardcore album that is guaranteed to kick in your teeth. Madball manages to retain their vintage New York hardcore power and still keep it fresh and poignant.

The album strikes hard right from the get go with a track entitled "We The People." The track, like many songs on the album, is a furious display of pride, emotion, and the beliefs that drive Madball. Each track stands on its own and is a great example of the brutality and beauty of true hardcore. Throughout the album there are some tracks that particularly stand out, like "Revolt," "Renegades," and "A Novelty." These tremendous tracks really set the tone and the overall feel of the album.

Infiltrate the System has so many parts that literally bleed New York hardcore; epic, chant-along choruses, hard, driving guitars, and Freddie Madall's deep throaty vocals that come out swinging and never slow down. At no point does the album seem to lose any steam as it barrels forward with each pounding track, which is something that is becoming more and more difficult for bands to do. Either every song sounds the same or they try to go so epic that their songs seem to be overly dramatic renditions of orchestra performances. Madball keeps things nice and simple and sticks to the basics.

The only slight downfall to this album is that it is a very simplistic hardcore album. Very old school, very basic, and at times a few songs leave you wanting a little bit more from them. This is not a drastic issue, but it does make a few songs feel somewhat lackluster in their delivery, though not enough to really take away from the album.

Overall, Infiltrate the System is a solid album from a solid band and a great buy for Madball fans, hardcore fans, or fans of old-school heavy and hard music.